Bookmarks and gender divide

[watervole]

There's a fascinating gender pattern showing on the previous poll. I'll put this comment behind a cut tag so that people coming new to this fill the poll in first before reading what the pattern is.

The people would keep and use an embroidered bookmark are almost entirely women, and men are the ones who would pass it onto someone who would appreciate it more. Those who would intend to use it, but probably mislay it are of both genders.

Well - smile - that's probably spared a couple of my male friends from being landed with an unwanted gift. I'm currently stitching one with a pattern based on Victorian tile designs that I started on the bus on the way to Redemption.

Comments

[auntygillian.livejournal.com]

Hey sis, please don't ever send me an embroidered bookmark - it would immediately be donated to Cancer Research charity shop along with other unwanted presents. Declutter! Why should this be a male preserve?

I'm with those who would remember about where they were - and 'about' will do: flicking back 3 pages or so is very easy to do and good as a plot reminder. I only read standing up on the tube or in bed, and in either case it's impossible to locate a bookmark so the book just gets stuffed in a bag/under a pillow. This also relates to descrating books - hardbacks are more sacred but what's wrong with a slightly crumpled paperback? And I'm a publisher.

Bookmarks

[thebobby.livejournal.com]

Well I firmly fit my gender pattern! I've had bought - and bought myself - good bookmarks, but in the end it's the scrap of paper that wins.

[ia-robertson.livejournal.com]

There's nothing wrong with a crumpled paperback - books are there to be enjoyed!!!

For you as a publisher, I'd have thought that the more damage people do to their books the better - good/enjoyable books that are regularly read are likely to get replaced when they fall apart.... bad books(?) and ones that are not regularly read don't take enough damage to need replacing!

I'm on my third copy of Lord of the Rings, second of a couple of Tom Clancys and fourth of Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land.

I agree with you vis the embroidered bookmark - if I got such a thing from Judith, it would only be kept for sentimental reasons, not for use. From most people it would most likely (like you) find its way to a charity shop or the like.

Alastair.