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my 2017 reading year in perspective
Jun. 10th, 2018 01:09 pmGoing into 2016, I set a couple reading goals for the year, to read at least a book a week, and to diversify my reading away from straight-white-male authors. I recorded what I read to see how I did. I continued that into 2017.
It classifying authors, unless I know something about them, I have done so naively. I have assumed that "Kristine Kathryn Rusch" is female, for example. I've assumed that Michael A. Stackpole is male (and white). And, I've assumed an author is straight unless I have clear reason to know otherwise. Generally, unless I know an author is farther from SWM on the diversity spectrum, I have assumed them to be less so for my analysis. (So, obviously, I'd be under-counting work by someone such as James Tiptree Jr, for example.) And, non-white is tricky as well... is someone born and raised in Mexico, then moved to Canada... white or non-white?
Also, some of the books were longer than others. Of course. :)
Total books read: 79
Straight white male: 10 + 1 edited by + 1 collection with un-declared editor.
Not-SWM: 67. (85%)
Woman: 61 (77%)
Non-white: 14 (18%, I could do better here)
Non-straight: I won't try to guess. Ok, I know Melissa Scott and Samuel R. Delany aren't straight. And, I'm pretty sure John Scalzi is. But for most of the rest, I don't want to try and track it down.
(My actual stated goal was that new-to-me authors should be not-SWM, that I would be willing to buy ongoing work by authors I knew I liked, but for trying new authors, not so much. Mostly I have followed that -- but I've been picking up some Humble-Bundles which included work by new-to-me male authors, and in a couple cases books strongly recommended by friends.)
It classifying authors, unless I know something about them, I have done so naively. I have assumed that "Kristine Kathryn Rusch" is female, for example. I've assumed that Michael A. Stackpole is male (and white). And, I've assumed an author is straight unless I have clear reason to know otherwise. Generally, unless I know an author is farther from SWM on the diversity spectrum, I have assumed them to be less so for my analysis. (So, obviously, I'd be under-counting work by someone such as James Tiptree Jr, for example.) And, non-white is tricky as well... is someone born and raised in Mexico, then moved to Canada... white or non-white?
Also, some of the books were longer than others. Of course. :)
Total books read: 79
Straight white male: 10 + 1 edited by + 1 collection with un-declared editor.
Not-SWM: 67. (85%)
Woman: 61 (77%)
Non-white: 14 (18%, I could do better here)
Non-straight: I won't try to guess. Ok, I know Melissa Scott and Samuel R. Delany aren't straight. And, I'm pretty sure John Scalzi is. But for most of the rest, I don't want to try and track it down.
(My actual stated goal was that new-to-me authors should be not-SWM, that I would be willing to buy ongoing work by authors I knew I liked, but for trying new authors, not so much. Mostly I have followed that -- but I've been picking up some Humble-Bundles which included work by new-to-me male authors, and in a couple cases books strongly recommended by friends.)
