Carrie: There's no need to avoid polemic subjects. However,
since we are dealing with fiction, there is a danger of
confusing someone's writing, or someone's literary analysis
with their person.
Just as an example, I know at least three people who think
that Faulkner was a racist. This is based on his use of the
word "nigger". There are even people who think *Mark Twain*
was a racist. Likewise, there are people who refuse to read
Hemingway because somebody said that old Ernest was against
women. I call that stupid. If someone said "I won't read
fiction written by women", I would consider him foolish and
obtuse.
Now, I absolutely believe that there is a human nature, and
within it a male and a female nature, and that you can give
girls trucks and boys dolls but their natures will not be
altered. I've never given my boys toy weapons, but they make
their own, that's what their nature wants. My wife gave them
some dolls and they've always used them as targets.
The legacy of the sex wars is bad in that it marked a
regression to very primitive (and long-discarded in
scientific circles) beliefs in behaviorism. They would claim
that men and women have potentially interchangeable natures,
and that both can go anywhere they want in any endeavor,
given the right environment and opportunity. I think this
thinking is deeply flawed and very harmful
(because superficially attractive).
In summary, men are men and women are women, not at all
similar psychologically, and yes, some genres appeal mainly
to men and others mainly to women. What Jim pointed out is
close to a truism, I think. That he would take some flak for
it was also to be expected.
Lastly, my two favorite female mystery writers, Teri White
and Billie Sue Mosiman, do not write like men. They write
extremely well and their stories interest me. That's all I
care about. Grafton, Paretsky and Muller don't interest me
quite so much.
Best regards,
MrT
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