Wednesday, January 19, 2011

What do you read besides romance?

If you're reading "Montana Belle" or checking out my blog, I'm going to assume you read romance on a somewhat regular basis. But what else do you read, if anything?
I'm not a regular reader of the other genres. I read some mystery when I was younger, but I pretty much stick with romance when it comes to genre reading now. I don't care too much for contemporary literary fiction either. Samuel Goldwyn, who is sort of the Yogi Berra of old-time studio execs, once famously criticized a movie by saying, "This movie has too much plot and not enough story!" That sort of sums up my feelings about some contemporary literary fiction. Jane Austen is my favorite writer, but she ain't writing any more books these days, so I console myself by reading Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope instead. They've written enough books between the two of them to keep me busy for years to come!
Mostly, though, I concentrate on non-fiction. Some of it is research material for whatever I'm working on, or thinking about working on. I'm reading a book on the middle ages right now to see if I can some up with something good for a medieval romance. (I haven't quite decided whether I have guts enough to tackle such a setting or not!) And then there are my guilty pleasures: I'm reading Deborah Cadbury's "The Chocolate Wars" because reading about chocolate is healthier than eating a bunch of it. (Although I still manage to put away a respectable amount.)
What about you? What do you read when you're not reading romance?

6 comments:

Leigh D'Ansey said...

Hi Linda - I like to read all sorts. I enjoy crime novels and writers such as Jodi Picoult, Anita Shreve and Joanna Trollope. I quite like Barbara Delinsky these days and really enjoyed a recent read 'The Bone Garden' by Tess Gerritsen. I'll often pick up old Readers Digest condensed books and re-read. I also read a lot of non-fiction and I love to read magazines.

Susan Macatee said...

I like to read science fiction. Although, I love a good science fiction romance, the last non-romance sci-fi I read was Elizabeth Moon's Vatta series. Those are definitely keeper books! I plan to read the whole series again.

Linda Morris said...

Thanks for the input. Leigh, I like Joanna Trollope too . . . she's actually a descendant of Anthony Trollope. I particularly liked her book "Other People's Children" about the joys and trials of blended families.

Caroline Clemmons said...

Nothing so lofty for me. If I'm not reading romance or romanctic suspense or a research book, I'm reading a mystery.

LaVerne Clark said...

Snap Leigh!
I adore Jodi Picoult too and wish I could write like her. She is always good although I found The Tenth Circle not quite up to her usual standard.
I enjoy the occasional autobiography as well. Nothing like finding out what makes people tick.

Sarah Grimm said...

When I'm not reading romance, I'm reading thrillers or suspense. I particularly like Tess Gerritsen and buy all of her books in hardcover.

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