Why is it easy to tell someone's gender by their bookcase?

I would say some 98% of the books in our house were bought by or for me so I'm afraid I can't really comment.

(but obviously I have anyway, cos I don't like to feel left out :o)

Wrote post but it disappeared.

Basically mine and DH's are quite distinct but run counter to normal gender splits. Then again I did a physics degree whilst his was English. I have sci-fi he has 'graphic novels'. He has loads of the classics whilst mine is more reference based.

Dh is totally sci fi and dungeons and dragons fantasy or crime all of which I would rather boil my head than read. He'll red history books too, mine to my shame is less than high brow tat, that relaxes me before sleep (childrens story ish i suppose).

You would be wrong if you looked at my bookcase. My books are mostly sci-fi, historical crime fiction, and scientific (non-fiction). The few books I have by contemporary women authors are there because of our book club and only because I haven't yet gotten around to donating them.

(otoh I'm fairly sure you couldn't tell DH or my gender by our music choices: mostly rock and pop, but he has rather a penchant for easy listening, Britney Spears, and, um The Seekers and New Seekers. i didn't marry him for his taste in music)

DH history, historical fiction, sci fi (incl fantasy and terry pratchett), philosophy, poetry, classics, popular science/social science, plays
Me modern lit fiction, classics, popular science/social science, plays, business/management, sci fi (but no fantasy), biography

Quite a bit of crossover if you look at the whole library, but he reads books about the history of the roman empire for fun; I prefer fiction.

Dh - sport, cricket, history, grass and lawnmowers

me - crime fiction, classics, poetry, art

crossovers we both have - comic books, politics, scifi and fantasy, films, music, war, children's books , ladybird books.

DH worships at the altar of Pratchett and loves Harry Potter, I love Clive Cussler and Matthew Reilly, along with horror/crime and serial killer biogs.

I'm the one with the military history and DIY, DP has O'Reillys.

We both have tottering mountains of novels and non-fiction, but he's the Sarah Waters fan and worships AS Byatt.

DH is a male reading stereotype - books about woodwork and military history. Facts, basically. Dull facts.

I've converted him to novels now but he does seem to gravitate towards male authors.

Well, most of DHs reading lately has been female authors, and he doesn't have any crime or horror fiction... a couple of naval histories for family/geographical reasons. And most of mine lately has been sci-fi/fantasy by male authors, so I'm not sure its as common as all that to be able to judge.