Play Book Tag discussion

This discussion stems from a recent book I read which taught me that I am not a "deep" reader. I don't enjoy analyzing prose to try to find the author's true meaning. Apparently I am not a philosophical kinda gal.
I do not enjoy Jane Austen. I wish I did but, after several tries, she's not for me.
Sci-fi, fantasy and westerns are not genres I would choose but, that being said, I have read some of each and enjoyed them.
If a book is about an animal I will skip to the end to see if said animal is still alive, if not I will not check out the book. I have never, nor will I ever, read "Old Yeller" or "Where the Red Fern Grows".
I love a good mystery series (I'm looking at you Michael Connelly, C. J. Box, Archer Mayor, Jacqueline Winspear, Jeffrey Deaver, etc) and MUST read them in order.
I love a good deal of non-fiction: science, medicine, history, memoir and biography.
Finally, I will attempt to read anything and I can thank over 10 years of PBT for that!

Glad you opened this up to the whole crowd-am looking forward to some fun discoveries about this gang!

I read to be entertained and also to escape.

-Jane is not for me either-in fact I shy away from anything labeled "Classic". I think this stems from so much forced reading during my school years.

-When I learned, 5-6 yrs ago, that I needed extensive back surgery, I knew I would be laid up at least a year. So, I began searching out series-the genre did not matter. This is when I found the 'male bodice ripper'! ( Thank you again Theresa). I am talking about Vince Flynn, Joel Rosenberg, Tom Clancy. Entertaining as any action packed film and wonderful eye candy for the brain. I read my first one, in this group, last month for TRIM and I wondered why I had stopped reading them! I am going to go back to this genre whenever the opportunity arises.

-After the 1st surgery, there was a second....I returned then to my youth and love of fantasy. I started with a re-read of all things Tolkien, and never looked back. My TBR contains, at this point in time, 331 books my largest shelf.

-History(100 books shelved) and Historical Fiction (276 books on that shelf) are my go to reads. Never tire of learning.

After a little over a year with PBT I have discovered so many books and authors I would have never picked up. However, after reading a few books (Cloud Atlas comes to mind) that I hated I have a new rule-4 chapters in and I am not yet entertained-on to the DNF shelf it goes. The only exception, right now, is the TRIM challenge. I put it on that list of 36, so I am accountable to read it. Of the 5 books so far, only 2 losers (February and June).

I, on the other hand, absolutely love Jane Austen & most of the English classics (I struggle with German/Russian ones). Although with Jane it can't be too lovey-dovey, hence Northanger Abbey is my favourite of hers as there's more mystery to the plot.

Other favourite genres are mystery, fantasy, historical nonfiction & historical mysteries. Favourite historical period to read about is 1688-1830.

I don't really do horror or romance, although I do like lgbtq+ love stories (probably due to my bisexuality).

PBT has broadened my horizons however, especially giving me a love of the magical realism genre.

Ellen, I am very similar to you.

Although, with Jane Austen, it's up and down. I like some, but not others. Same goes for most "classics". More often than not, I don't like them, but there are some that I do.

Definitely don't like reading too deep into things - not an analyzing philosophical reader at all!

The genres I generally don't choose are westerns or romance. Fantasy depends on the type of fantasy - urban and YA are better; epic/traditional, not so much.

Animals, I don't read the end first. Well, I don't for any, but I wouldn't not choose an animal book because it dies at the end.

It's extremely rare that I read a series out of order. Usually, if I do, it's because I didn't realize!

As most know, there is very little I don't read. Above-mentioned westerns is probably the main one. Philosophy would be another. :-)

If I had to pick a favourite genre (though I have a hard time doing that!) - as someone asked at work the other day - it would probably be historical fiction; biography and/or history for nonfiction.

I don't need to analyze a book to enjoy it, but I do love literary fiction. Still, I read just about anything with words, and will try any genre at least once.

And back to that analyzing thing ....

Some years ago I went to hear an author, who had a new book out. She told a story about an earlier book ... one that was selected by Oprah (back during her first book club). The publishing industry being what it is, by the time Oprah was going to feature the book, the author had submitted a second book to her publisher and was beginning to do the research for a third novel.

Anyway ... Oprah calls a few days before the taping of the show to prepare. When Oprah calls, the author is busy getting dinner ready for her family; one daughter is home sick from school, she's hoping her husband remembered to pick up the other daughter from soccer practice, and the dog is whining to be let out. Oprah begins with "So, what's the symbolism behind the white cat?"

Author's response: "There's a cat in my book?"


Sometimes a cigar (or a white cat) is just a cigar.

I am an eclectic reader and enjoy most genres, but recently I've found an aversion to mystery-thrillers, especially psychological thrillers. They just seem too over-the-top for me.

I gravitate toward character-driven novels and read lots of books my friends in RL consider "boring." I enjoy analyzing books to find the deeper meanings. I often research the writer to find out what message is being conveyed in the work. I am just naturally oriented this way - always have been.

I have read many classics in my younger years. I don't pick them up as much as I used to, but I never tire of them. I've not been a big Jane Austen fan, but Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens always been favorites.

I don't care for romances, horror, the aforementioned thrillers, or paranormal. I will read one of these occasionally if it comes highly recommended by fellow PBT-ers, especially if it fits the tag of the month. I don't enjoy books in a series, with a few notable exceptions such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I will usually read the first book of a series of those that become a "cultural phenomenon" (like The Hunger Games or Game of Thrones) but generally don't continue with the follow-up works.

My favorites are literary fiction, historical fiction, and non-fiction. In non-fiction, I particularly like history, exploration, memoirs, biographies, science, and psychology. Whether fiction or non-fiction, I tend to appreciate books that concern art or music.

I will read several science fictions and westerns each year. Fantasy is hit or miss - some I've loved and others I've disliked intensely.

This is an interesting discussion, thanks for starting it Ellen!

I have said before, that I am definitely a mid brow reader. Neither Anna Karenina nor Fangirl. A drop above bestsellers and book club reads - or right there! I love me some good historical fiction and contemporary fiction. Favorite authors; Alice Hoffman and Elinor Lipman, and others. Jodi Piccoult and Lianne Moriarty, anyone who makes me laugh the same time I am deeply moved. I do love the Jewish themed books and World War One and Two. I enjoy other counties and cultures, and a touch of magic if it’s done well.

What I don’t do is Cancer, Alzheimer’s, the abuse of children, children who die. Life is short enough, I don’t want to read about bipolar or tortured childhoods. I love a great book, but the resilience doesn’t need to emerge from the ashes for it to be great. Mass destruction and post apocalyptic isn’t my thing either. I despise dystopia, prefer our real life. Aliens don’t interest me, neither do child warriors. I like a great story, no more no less.

According to the stats that are collected here, historical fiction is my dominant genre. But that does cover a lot of ground; historical fiction can be very 'literary', suspenseful, paranormal, mysterious, magical/realism ....I've consumed all of those. I'm also listening to almost 2/3 of my books now. Generally, my listening is lighter, veering to mindless when events demand it.

I enjoy tackling more serious, 'literary', books. I enjoy analyzing them, reading critical essays about them, and I like to record my own thoughts about every book that I read. But, after I stretch my brain around something like that, I'll choose something easier, like the next book in a familiar series or a smutty regency romance like
The Governess Game, which I just finished.

Book Concierge wrote: "I don't need to analyze a book to enjoy it, but I do love literary fiction. Still, I read just about anything with words, and will try any genre at least once.

And back to that analyzing thing ....."

I have heard this before, but still chuckle each time I read it!

Joy D - we are same regarding a series. The most I can do is a trilogy, but I like to read a variety of stories so I don't like to stick with the same characters for long.

I tend to read everything and anything.
All the pieces seem to fit and everything seems to click when I read horror so that is my beloved genre, but I love mystery / thrillers, true crime and literary fiction.

Sci-fi and fantasy is hit or miss.
Sometimes I like historical fiction but it is not a genre I seek out (usually only read it if it is a book club pick or covering a subject I am interested in. Don't usually read non-fiction either.

In regards to analysis, I wouldn't say I analyze what I am reading, but I think critically about it naturally, not necessarily on purpose.
For example, it is hard to ignore that William Golding is making a statement about how civilized people may act without the constructs of civilization in Lord of the Flies, but it's not a statement you have to really dig too deep to recognize.

If it is relatively apparent I am thinking about it, but not necessarily connecting it back to the author. I enjoy an author's character giving me a new perspective on something or pushing me to consider the other side of an issue.

When it comes to analyzing language or prose, forget about it. I am reading Lolita now and Nabokov is too brilliant with word play and allusions so I am just along for the ride, not trying to understand that text too deeply.

I had a similar experience with The Master and Margarita... it's just a fun read even without trying to analyze in depth.

What an interesting topic this is! I find myself gravitating to: contemporary fiction, fiction involving other cultures, short stories, memoirs and some non fiction. I shy away from mysteries, thrillers, horror and romances. Sometimes I like historical fiction, but mostly am interested in the current time period. What really interests me are well drawn characters and beautiful, creative writing. Those are the books that I love reading. I still visit my local library once a week and pick out books that call to me and grab my attention.

Holly R W wrote: "What really interests me are well drawn characters and beautiful, creative writing..."

I am the same, Holly, I just love books where the author "paints" with beautiful language.

Meli, glad to hear I'm not alone.

Also I have noticed I enjoy books that make me think. It's also fun to make connections between books, sometimes these are serendipitous, such as a mention of one book in another. This happened recently and it always makes me smile.

Great discussion topic, Ellen!

I don’t read deeply either, a lot of the time. It’s partly energy - my working life is wall-to-wall analysis, so I like to kick back and just enjoy my reading without demanding too much of myself. I don’t have a deep literary knowledge to draw on either, though I am in awe of people who do. I read quite a lot, including classics, but I don’t retain the details well enough to be at all clever about any of it! I do love being immersed in beautiful language, but whether it sticks in my head is another matter.

Poetry eludes me, though. I have a wonderful friend who is a poet and I’d love to get it, but I fear I am a sore disappointment to her. Sometimes I’ll respond to the music or the layers of a particular phrase, and I love clever structures, but too often I miss the point entirely. Sigh.

I also find it hard to explain clearly in writing why I like or don’t like a book, though I will babble about books happily (though incoherently) to anyone who will listen over morning tea... In writing, it takes me forever to drag a summary of what I’d like to say out of my brain - as if it mattered whether it was ‘good enough’ or ‘literary enough’. I love reading other people’s thoughts about books however they express those thoughts, so it’s daft to fret so much about my own ...

I don't think I am a terribly deep reader, but I do like some good literary fiction in my reading diet. I love a writer with a good literary voice. However before the voice, I think it is most important to have a good story. I'm not a lover of the plotless book. I do have many idiosyncrasies in my reading and they fit my likes and dislikes and it keeps my reading varied.

Likes
Literary fiction
Historical fiction, but I am a little fussy about time periods.
Mystery series -1. With interesting settings , 2. Medieval mysteries
Stories about quests and journeys
Coming of age stories
grumpy old people
I like a good western
I like a book that yanks my heart out a little bit.
I like international stories.
I'm a bit obsessed about refugee stories these days.
Some dystopian
I like some kinds of nonfiction- 1. Animals, 2. Rural stories, 3. Social issues 3. Environment 4. History 5. Some memoirs, but I am fussy about those 6. Various others

What I avoid Some of what I avoid has to do with over reading some kinds of books at certain points of my life.

Too experimental literary fiction - I often find it pretentious and not good reading, because when you get down to brass tacks, I read for enjoyment.

Multigenerational sagas
Romance- I'll try it here and there, but I've read an embarrassing amount already.
Books with circus or magic in the title
Books that I have a gut feeling I won't like
I'm very careful in choosing a book which is supposedly character driven
The endless bad women books which one finds these days
The dark character book.
The downward spiral book
Nonfiction that I think I will have to struggle with and won't understand or enjoy.
Fantasy
Memoirs by current popular athletes, actors, musicians or comedians who I have no idea who they are.

This is an interesting topic. Ironically, although I am deeply philosophical IRL (I try not to wear that on my sleeve), I rarely read novels deeply, because I'm reading for the story, not the deep literary meanings that I hardly every care about. This is probably because novel reading was one of my ways of escape growing up (partly because I was bullied a lot, but I had a large circle of friends which many people don't realize can happen--the bullying was usually on the bus, and some of it was verbal abuse by a couple of family members back before it was recognized, and, yes, the rest of the family old enough to remember agree with me on what happened to me).

The difference now is that I no longer find the same enjoyment in darker literary novels or darker novels in general that I did as a teen (but I read many kinds of novels back then).

I'll read light fiction to deep fiction (I read The Man Without Qualities a couple of years ago and did understand the philosophy and other things going on in it the entire time--there is no point in reading that novel otherwise--but I didn't like it much.)

What I am tired of: love triangles, horrible endings even if realistic, time travel (I read a lot of it in years gone by having loved scifi starting at age 10, and I mean mostly for adults not kids), fantasy novels and a few other things. Perhaps more than a few other things.

Jgrace wrote: "According to the stats that are collected here, historical fiction is my dominant genre. But that does cover a lot of ground; historical fiction can be very 'literary', suspenseful, paranormal, mys..."

I really identify with your second paragraph Jgrace

Prior to being in Goodreads my books consisted of mystery and romance(teenage and YA years). My favorite authors were Mary Higgens Clark, Torey Hayden, V.C Andrews. I did not analyze books. Since joining Goodreads and IRL book club still don't analyze books, but the do make me think and give me deeper meaning. My reading has expanded further since than. I no longer care for romance as the seem like it is the same basic story line. My favorite reading is probably historical fiction and author Kristin Hannah. Others I enjoy is dystopia, non-fiction, fantasy, YA (mostly because I have teenagers I read books with), I like some memoirs.

I enjoy seeing the different approaches and likes/dislikes in reading in this thread

I'm pretty open to any style.
I usually can't survive a philosophical book if it doesn't come with a good story or something else to drag me along
But anything else I'll try and there's a good chance I will like.

If it has a good story, good characters and good writing (or at least 2 of these), it can pretty much be any type of books.

I love literary fiction and classics and really enjoy analysing them or reading about them. There's something really satisfying in getting that extra something from a book. But if it doesn't land itself to analyzing or I'm just not smart enough to 'get it' - a good story will do just fine

Love magical realism, mythology or any legend
Love history
fantasy when written well, science fiction when it's not too dry
Graphic novels, non fiction (if the topic interests me)

I usually wait with contemporary novels to see if people like it once the hype is gone. Time is short and there are so many books to read

As for light read - detective and romantic stories - my only two demands are: written well - please no cliche's and romantic stories must have a happy ending.

I'll accept sad (or any) ending for literary fiction, but I'f I'm reading something just because it's light and romantic, it better make me feel happy at the end.

Westerns and short stories are absolutely not for me.

Sci-fi, fantasy, and YA are not big on my list either although I have loved some.

I'm really into memoirs, autobiographies and biographies, non-fiction, literary fiction, classics, essays, psychological thrillers, historical fiction, and anything that's well-researched (fiction or non).

I do enjoy romance but not the "Fabio" types.

I don't even wanna get into the topic of self-help books! Suffice to say, the "very" occasional one is fine. Anything more than that and you're not trying to "help yourself", you're just trying to preach to or change others!

I will be turning 69 next month and in my retirement years. Right now I feel that there are too many good books to read and too little time to read them. Like someone wrote earlier I read for pleasure and enjoyment. When I find I am not enjoying a book and forcing myself to read it, I have no problem with not finishing it. I cannot read for pleasure if I am making myself do it.

I do not enjoy reading experimental fiction, westerns, some speculative fiction (Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams), or self-help books.

I do enjoy narrative non-fiction, medical mysteries, history, historical fiction, psychological thrillers, literary fiction, and some fantasy, sci-fi, books that are well written.

I think one of the most important things I've learned about reading and life in general is that if you aren't enjoying what you're reading or doing Stop. No apologies.

I've delayed posting on this thread, intriguing as I find it, because frankly, I'm not sure first what exactly is meant by 'surface' vs. 'deep' reading (because I think this can be highly subjective) and second because frankly, I don't know exactly what I am.

I don't think I'm a surface reader but I also don't believe I'm a particularly deep reader either. Although sometimes I'm just a surface reader, and sometimes I read something very literate or deep or philosophical.

My favorite genre - mysteries. I love the whole puzzle thing and figuring out the solution from the clues. I do it without thinking, almost subconsciously, and often figure it all out simply through writing style and basic conclusions like the author isn't going to kill of his/her alter-ego, so it has to be X.

I love beautiful writing of all kinds. I want a good story. But I can also read light romances of all kinds, adventure stories, fiction that makes me laugh for some reason (not as in humor books but where characters or settings or events are amusing, quirky). I don't need to be transported to a fantasy world -- and in fact I don't really like much fantasy. Of course there are exceptions like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and such. But I don't like them because they take me to a fantasy world. I like them because they take me on an adventure in a world I can relate to in some way - in those 2 examples, the worlds are relatively medieval so relatable. I don't like a lot of magic or fantastical creatures. Harry Potter I loved but again that's a world that still felt like it really could exist even with magic in it. Jemisen's Broken Earth Trilogy was just ok - well-written but just too much fantasy world building for me. Am I making sense?

I don't read much non-fiction - as a lawyer, my work life is basically all non-fiction and I don't have any desire to pull that into my relaxation reading. When I do read non-fiction, I tend to limit it to non-fiction works that read the way a novel does -- The Feather Thief, or some biographies or an autobiography like Katherine Graham's Personal History that was a total page turner. Or narrative non-fiction like Paula McLain's work.

I dislike horror and deep psychological thrillers for the most part - I don't want to be scared - I have enough sleep/nightmare issues thank you. For some reason I have a problem with young children in jeopardy - i.e. all those Mary Higgins Clark mysteries with a child kidnapped as the center of the story. But I love suspense, action/adventure, thrillers.

I don't like books that are poorly written even if the basic idea is good -- I hated Wolf Hall, for example, even though I do like historical fiction. Good writing can make me read just about any genre. I like lots of classics too like Dickens, but hate others like Hardy.

When I read, I often make connections to other books I've read. I'm pretty sure I generally pick up on not just obvious themes and analogies being made but subtle ones as well. However, I do miss some sometimes - like never tumbling to the fact that Venetia by Georgette Heyer is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Instead, I related it to Persuasion by Austen. Go figure.

I read for pleasure and relaxation. I don't necessarily read for escape or to learn something. I don't need to read what everyone else is reading, and often when I succumb to everyone's raves and read something that had not originally appealed to me, I regret it. Gone Girl was one of those. However, there are exceptions - Tara Westover's Educated -- had no desire to read it, the publisher's blurb did not pull me in. But I finally succumbed and boy was I glad I did! I personally think the publisher's blurb did that book a grave disservice.

In the end, I define myself as a very eclectic reader, but one who reads for entertainment and relaxation and for love of a good book - writing, or plot, or characters, or setting. Of course, the best are the ones that have all of those elements.

Good points about "surface" versus "deep," Theresa.
I don't particularly have control or notice consciously when I am just breezing through versus thinking critically about a book I'm reading. Some books are pure entertainment for me, others force me to think critically or push me into analysis mode.

Sounds like we are similarly eclectic in our reading, but different genres - I love horror and psychological thrillers for example.

DianeMP wrote: "I will be turning 69 next month and in my retirement years. Right now I feel that there are too many good books to read and too little time to read them. Like someone wrote earlier I read for pleas..."

Amen Diane! I knew I liked you 😉

Meli wrote: "Good points about "surface" versus "deep," Theresa.
I don't particularly have control or notice consciously when I am just breezing through versus thinking critically about a book I'm reading. Som..."

Meli - well someone has to read all those borror and psychological books! I do read the occasional psychological but basically never horror. Unless it is a satire of one or campy.

I have learned that I really enjoy reading "around the world" - learning and discovering life in various parts of the world through reading books by authors from those countries. I'm not doing the horizon challenge since I felt it was one too many after signing up for lots of other challenges by that point, but I have gravitated to it and plan to do even more in the future.

I am very much like you Idit.

I am a very eclectic reader and will read anything if it is well written, has good character and world building, and a good story/plot. All three things doesn´t have to be present in the same book.

My mode of reading depends on the book: I am a deep reader (I think) when I read poetic works, classics, literary fiction - but I don´t care much for the "deeper" meaning if it´s not part of the book itself. This means I like to ponder the questions a book raises and I am only interested in the author´s life to the extent it gives a context related to the book (like what it means to be Japanese when reading Murakami, immigrant when reading Americanah, Arab folklore/culture when reading 1001 nights etc).

I am a surface reader when I read romance, and somewhere in between when I read YA fantasy for example.

I also have different expectations to different genres: Romance is entertainment to give the brain a breather (but too poor writing or too many cliches put me off), sci-fi and fantasy is also entertainment, but I like to be surprised and I like to think about the implications of the worlds (like the different dystopias, how the magic works, things like that), literary fiction is also entertainment, but I read those slower and I let the words sink in more.

I always have at least three different books going at once, and I switch between them according to my mood and concentration level.

What I read most is children´s and YA books, fantasy, sci-fi, graphic novels, romance, literary fiction, some classics, a bit of non-fiction (if the topic interests me), magical realism.

I am not a fan of true crime (though there are exceptions) or Nordic Noir when it puts too much spotlight on the MC´s troubled marital life (but there are exceptions).