Aspie Women and Reading

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My favorite genre is psychology, fitness, and news articles. Reading soothes my soul. I guess this speaks to my low self-esteem but I feel ashamed to talk about my psychology interest. I feel like I have to hide my self-help books when a guy comes over.

Hope you'll overcome your insecurity with that, because if i were a guy i would think that you are very smart and interesting

That must have been terrible. My librarian often pushed me to read the books she knew were out of my grade level, because even though I wouldn't do the reports for my teachers, I would come up RAVING about the books to her. She let me hide in the library from schoolmates and during class periods that were way too stressful for me to handle. My mom thought I was a freak while my dad just looked on with pride and handed me some of his "old west tales" to tackle next. My little brother (professionally diagnosed with AS) loves books too. Particularly Beast Quest (the main character has his name) and the Warriors. He likes the animals as main characters instead of people.

That must have been terrible. My librarian often pushed me to read the books she knew were out of my grade level, because even though I wouldn't do the reports for my teachers, I would come up RAVING about the books to her. She let me hide in the library from schoolmates and during class periods that were way too stressful for me to handle. My mom thought I was a freak while my dad just looked on with pride and handed me some of his "old west tales" to tackle next. My little brother (professionally diagnosed with AS) loves books too. Particularly Beast Quest (the main character has his name) and the Warriors. He likes the animals as main characters instead of people.

I love reading—both fiction and non-fiction. When it comes to fiction I will read any genre but I don’t really fit the stereotype of “Aspie girl loves fantasy”. There are a couple of fantasy series that I adore (the Harry Potter books and Philip Pullman’s trilogy) but I don’t read a whole lot of fantasy. Or science fiction, for that matter, though I certainly don’t avoid it. I recently read “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes and loved it. John Steinbeck is one of my favourite authors and I have read a lot of his work. I especially enjoyed “East of Eden” and consider it one of my favourite books. I also love Kazuo Ishiguro and have read most, if not all, of his work. “The Remains of the Day” is one of the most stunning books I have ever read and I would highly recommend it. I absolutely adore “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey too. And there are so many more! I could go on about this subject all day.

When it comes to non-fiction I am interested in a variety of subjects. I like psychology and science, particularly biology. I also read a lot of books about World War II and have a special interest in Anne Frank. I have read a lot of the literature and biographies about Anne Frank, as well as her diary, and I’m hoping to go to Amsterdam later in the year and possibly visit the museum. That would be an amazing experience for me, though probably an emotional one too.

I typically find classics boring, but I do enjoy fantasy - just not popular titles. I think the only popular fantasy I enjoyed was Harry Potter, while names like Twilight, Dragonlance, Eragon, etc, just never caught my eye. I even have mixed opinions on Tolkien. I enjoy the works of Kij Johnson, Barb Hendee, and Chris Bunch.

I also like science fiction and horror.

I have always been a voracious reader. I usually read sci-fi/fantasy for fun and also read a lot of psychology, memoirs, biographies, history and science books. In fact, I will read just about any genre except romance and what I consider "girly fiction" like The Notebook. I also tend to stay away from self help books. I get lectured at enough, I don't need a voluntary lecture from a book. (It doesn't help that I was once hit on in the self help section of the bookstore...how predatory and creepy is that?)

I read. A lot. And exclusively fantasy / dark fiction. I have always been a reader. I started to read around 4, and I just never stopped.

We lived a few blocks from the library, and I used to make my dad walk me there to carry books for me. I would read 10/12 books per week, and I was lazy. I remember one time when my father's sister was visiting us, she went with dad and I to the library. She was a librarian herself, so she had a thing for books too. Anyways, I started picking out books, and being a calculating little brat, I figured I had two people to help carry books, and picked out some 20-25 books. My dad got a little iffed and thought I should get less, but my aunt just turned to him and gave him an 'annoyed older sister'-stare and said to never ever limit your daughter's reading. And after that he never complained that much.

Now I am more of an occational reader, maybe a book or two per week. I blame this on the internet, because I end up spending way more time online than I should.

I'm not sure when I learned to read, and my parents discouraged it so it probably wasn't early. However, I did always read well above grade level. I didn't become obsessed with reading until 4th grade when I discovered Stephen King (It was the first book I recall really loving). Then I discovered Anne Rice, and was really into that genre for a while. I was reading the Odyssey and Iliad in 5th grade. If the library wouldn't lend me the books I just "borrowed" them discreetly.

I was obsessed with the occult (and Poe, of course) in my early teens, so most reading centered around that. Later, it was Dorothy Parker (still love her). Eventually I made my way to poetry and the classics, and that is mostly where I've stayed. T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence... all huge favorites of mine. I think I owe what social tact I have to classic literature.

I have a hard time with more modern literature (not enough semi-colons; I love semi-colons); however, I did enjoy House of Leaves and Godspeed, so occasional things do catch my interest. I have to admit that I avoid the fantasy genre like the plague... I've tried a bit of it all, and it just isn't for me.

With two kids I don't get nearly enough time to read. Sometimes I get desperate and read my favorites aloud to my 3 year old; he is also on the spectrum so he doesn't mind. We're currently re-reading To The Lighthouse.

I love reading Sci - fi, fantasy and science.

When I was a teenager, I commonly read most of the day. I can still do this if I have a good book.

I love reading. Sci fi and fantasy are my favourite genres. I've read most classical literature. Nonfiction is ok as long as it is about science or history. If anyone wants to look me up on goodreads, here is the link to my profile.

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7514232-jessica

I read a lot of those already on your forum. )

Why would parents discourage a kid from reading?

"Because the only book you need is the Bible."
Also, I grew up in a very poor/rural area, so it was actually rather difficult to find any books (the public library seriously had about four shelves, mostly concerning horses).

gdgt wrote:

"Because the only book you need is the Bible."
Also, I grew up in a very poor/rural area, so it was actually rather difficult to find any books (the public library seriously had about four shelves, mostly concerning horses)"

That sounds horrible. I understand the bible is definitely a must read, but its not the only book a person needs to learn, or grow on. I also understand the feeling of living in a very poor rural area. Sounds like you had a very hard childhood. I am sorry. .

I'm a voracious reader and a frequent patron of my local library. I read mainly fantasy now. Harry Potter is one of my favoutite series. The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan is also awesome. As a child I read girly series like The Babysitter's Club books (these were my favourite) and the Sweet Valley High series. As a teen I read classics, particularity books by Charles Dickens. My favourites were Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.I went through a few other phases with reading, for awhile I was really interested in Margret Atwood and anything to do with feminism and social justice. For awhile I read only historical fiction about Ireland. Before I learned to read ( I learned a little late but was in the advanced reading group at school shortly after learning) I memorized many stories that my mum read to me and ones I'd listened to on tape, I loved them: Dr Seuss, the Mr Men and Little Miss books, Red Is Best and more that I can't think of now. My report cards always said I had excellent recall of stories in primary school.