What The Books You Read Say About You

 

Are you a reader?  I know you're reading this blog post, but do you read books?  Even one a year?  How do you pick your books (friends, family, bestseller list, book clubs, favorite authors)?  Has your taste in books changed over the years?   

 

Changing Tastes 

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.  Have my book preferences changed?  Let's take a look: 

• Childhood – Mysteries (see my previous article on Nancy Drew). 
• Teens – Mysteries, Romance (no teen romances for me, I jumped right into my mom's Harlequin romances, but they were pretty tame by today's standards). 
• Twenties – Mysteries, Romances, Classics (I was curious, but I think I mostly needed some intellectual stimulation after college ended.) 
• Thirties and Forties – Mysteries, Romance, some eclectic Nonfiction, Young Adult Fiction (in graduate school I took a Young Adult fiction class and some of those YA books are surprisingly good.)  
• Fifties and Sixties – Mysteries, less Romance, more Nonfiction (During the pandemic I wanted familiar comfort and found myself re-reading a lot of books in my collection which is mostly romance and/or mystery.  Now I prefer new stuff.)  

Looks like mysteries have always been a favorite of mine.  No surprise there.  I know a lot of women who like mysteries.  (My blog post Why Do Some People Read and Others Don't?, mentions some survey results that back this up.) 

 

Apparently, I don't seem to need as much escapism these days.  But I still like to challenge my mind.  And now that I'm not working, I need books that make me think even more.   

 

So yes, book preferences can change over the years.  Or, at least mine did.  How about you? 

 

Personalities 

Next, I wondered what our book choices might say about our personalities.  Here are some facetious stereotypes from Read Between The Lines: What Your Favorite Book Genre Says About You: 

• Science Fiction – you're a bit different.  You like conspiracy theories. 
• Romance – you're a bit of a hopeless romantic.  You may have had your heart broken when you were younger. 
• Bestsellers – you're into trends and what's "in".  You're not a risk taker. 
• Mysteries – you're naturally curious.  You love reading way too much into things. 
• Horror – you have a bit of a dark side.  You're mostly a peaceful person, but you get a rush of adrenaline reading horror that you can't find elsewhere in your life. 
• Classics – you feel nostalgic every time you open a classic.  You love anything that can remain relevant and enjoyable over time. 
• Humor – you enjoy making people laugh and laughing yourself.  You were the class clown and now you're the funny guy at the office. 
• Nonfiction – you're all business.  You're a realist who knows you can sometimes be boring. 

I think I'm drawn to mysteries because I have a curious mind and I like to figure out puzzles.  But the mystery can't be too easy to solve (no fun in that) nor too hard (frustrating).  I hate when the mystery writer cheats and doesn't give you all the clues upfront.  

 

A 2006 study showed that there is a link between self-esteem and the mystery story's resolution.  If you dislike a surprise resolution, you have low self-esteem.  If you dislike having your suspicions confirmed, then you have high self-esteem. (The Open Book: What Your Reading Choices Say About You)   

 

Changing Perspectives 

Finally, I wondered about how our perspective can change over time.  For example, I now tend to relate to the older characters in books.  I even look at my old favorites differently. 

 

Or, take the aforementioned romance novels.  I used to enjoy them.  I still do, if it's good.  But let's face it, most of them are pretty silly.  Sure, many of us are silly when we’re young.  But I just don't have the patience for it all these days.   

 

It’s all fantasy anyway.  "Do I love him?"  I mean come on.  He's usually young, gorgeous, rich, built, funny, smart, kind, sexy, thoughtful and a great lover.  Talk about a stacked deck.  What's not to love?  

 

And have you ever noticed how men and women authors write about sex?  I follow authors of both genders, and am a big fan of both.  But I think it's funny how different they can be.  Some male author's idea of foreplay is, well, no foreplay.  Just get down to it.  And usually it's the woman who is the aggressor. 

 

As for the women authors.  Some of them are just as bad.  A love scene can go on for pages and pages, with the man saying things no straight man would ever think, much less say.  The language can get so flowery at times you find yourself wondering, "Did they do it yet?". 

 

I think part of the reason for my current exasperation with romance novels is the protagonists are usually young.  And I just can't relate to young people problems anymore.  Was I ever that insecure and self-absorbed?  Probably.  Definitely.   

 

(Side note: If you are a young person reading this blog post, please don't take offense.  You will probably feel the same way someday.) 

 

As mentioned above, I now prefer characters I can relate to.  Older, with some life experience.  Who are a little more confident and self-aware.  I also like authors (male or female) who make me think.   

 

But that's just me.  What's your experience?  What kind of books do you like?  And what do you think that says about you? 

 

“It is what you read when you don't have to that determines who you will be when you can't help it.” 

Oscar Wilde (not verified, but nice quote)