POLL - Since you've become a mum, has your taste in books changed?

Yes, my tastes in books have changed. I got the 'sensitivity thing' when dcs were babies but that has faded, as they've got older.

I now read much more non-fiction - just to stop my brain turning to mush (I am a SAHM ).

I do think my attitudes have changed since having children. Anyone else re-read 'Pride and Prejudice' recently and found themself identifying with Mrs Bennett? All those children with no secure future??

No. I could never read scary books anyway. Someone sent me 'diary of a desperate housewife' when ds was born, it was painfully bad to read.

I like Terry Pratchett and classic books.

I can't read anything violent or seedy while pregnant or breastfeeding in case it seeps in through my eyeballs and into my children via my womb or nipple.

True.

Can't read alot of stuff that I used to be able to read but maybe that is cos i am older too and have less time. More books about motherhood and historical fiction now and less horror, gory stuff. Although I have never been into those abused child books. As for TV, yep, can't watch anything about children being ill or hurt anymore. My dds are 2 and 4.

No - but I never wanted to read Lovely Bones anyway. Have read lots of others & been fine: Lionel Shriver & Keri Hulme spring to mind.

I find I read more challenging literature now but books do affect me more. When my DS napped in the day I would curl up and read, I also read at bedtime. So motherhood has expanded my mind in some ways!

Not really but I don't have the patience to continue with books that don't immediately hook me. (With one exception which I had to read because a friend was waiting to hear what I thought of it, god that Lionel Shriver is a miserable creature.)

Not completely, though I was surprised by how much "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher" (which revolves around the murder of a small child) upset me.

I always used to find news reports and t.v. programmes about harm to children, etc., distressing; I now find them almost unbearable. But my DD is only 8 months, and I'm still bf-ing, so it's probably hormonal as much as anything.

I can't read stuff about kids getting hurt and I can't watch tv programmes relating to murder / abuse of kids.

I can't say it didn't bother me before - of course it did - but now its unbearable!

Ohhh!! The books I've given away

I have always been a wimp with scary books, but my taste has changed in that I feel more connected with other women writers/ characters now. I hadn't long graduated from my english lit ma when I had DD and was still in that mode of masculine writing. Then suddenly I became much more attracted to women's writing and it was really exciting.

Know what you mean about the news though. I watch/ read a lot of news and can stomach most things, but all those child abuse stories we've had recently have really disturbed me.

Me too... reading that is!

Funnily enough I've always been able to read gruesome gory stuff but I couldn't bear to watch it on film or T.V.
When my DCs were small I'd avoid reading anything too demanding but I'm over it now. It was also difficult to find much time but I'd always give reading priority over T.V.

Interesting!! Thanks all for your replies. I started to think of this last night when we saw a trailer for a new movie with Liam Neeson, called "Taken". Seems to be about a man's daughter who's kidnapped. DH was on fire to see it and I said no bloody way. He then said "but you used to love movies like this!!" Which is true. I'm usually the first to roll my eyes at chick flicks. And I had no time for fluffy books. I still really don't like them. But so much in fiction that I used to like reading now leaves me really disturbed or I just can't read it. Which somewhat limits my reading material!

what is worse though, tv or reading? at least tv can be shared.

we only do this when ds is not eating with us

no tv at dinner.too distracting

yy sycamoretree. but i never have. dh would happily watch news while we are eating our food but i do not like death n dinner. well i do not like telly n dinner but am happy to read so can't really argue.

No, but I tell you what, I have no tolerance for all the baby abuse horror stories that so many MNetters seem to want to link to IN THE NEWS section every day.

I just don't want to read it - I'm sorry. I know kids are out there in horrific situations, I can't do anything about it and if I read these stories it sends me spinning off into the most awful state of mind...

no. just don't have time.

No - I must admit I couldn't watch the news for ages after dd was born as I found a lot of things upsetting, but I still love a nice gory thriller as much as I ever did!

Saying that there is a Mo Hayder story (title forgotten) where fathers were forced to do unimaginable things, that disturbed me then, and I don't think I could bear to read now. And I do cry more at stuff.

NO

NO not at all.i am really into news,current affairs.i do feel/connect with bad news about children differently because of the obvious fact i am a mum and inevitability think "how would i feel...what if that were mine"

no

no

oh yes. i have a book upstairs by one of my favourite writers, unable to get past very upsetting preface. three years on i still can't face it.

No