Why Women Read Fiction: The Stories of Our Lives

This book explores the importance of fiction to contemporary British women readers and how they use it to tell their own stories. It draws on over 500 interviews with and questionnaires from women readers and writers and examines why women are the main buyers and readers of fiction, members of book clubs, attendees at literary festivals, and organizers of days out to fictional sites and writers' homes. It also analyzes the special appeal and changing readership of the genres of romance, erotica, and crime and illuminates the reasons for British women's abiding love of two favorite novels, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 27 January 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Ian McEwan once said, "When women stop reading, the novel will be dead." This book explores the profound significance of fiction for contemporary British women readers, revealing how they use it to narrate their own life stories. Female readers play a vital role in the future of fiction, serving as the foundation for a literate society. Women cherish the opportunity to engage in solitary reading experiences, as well as share cherished moments of reading with their mothers, daughters, grandchildren, and female friends. For countless individuals, novels and short stories provide a means of escape, allowing them to expand their intellectual and emotional horizons. This book, authored by an experienced teacher, scholar of women's writing, and literature festival director, draws upon over 500 interviews and questionnaires conducted with women readers and writers. It delves into the various contexts, locations, and times when British women engage with fiction, examining the profound influence that stories and writers have on shaping their personal life narratives. Taylor explores why women are the primary consumers and readers of fiction, active participants in book clubs, attendees of literary festivals, and organizers of visits to fictional sites and writers' homes. The book analyzes the unique appeal and evolving readership of genres such as romance, erotica, and crime. It also sheds light on the enduring love of two iconic novels, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, among British women readers.

Furthermore, the book offers a rich tapestry of witty and insightful women's voices, encompassing both readers themselves and notable writers like Hilary Mantel, Helen Dunmore, Katie Fforde, and Sarah Dunant. By delving into the role of books in mapping our lives, as expressed by Jackie Kay, this book provides valuable insights into the profound impact of fiction on the lives of British women.

Weight: 292g
Dimension: 135 x 201 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198827696