Hello, would you like a free book? Not if you're a 'bloke' it seems.

Ian Mc Ewan recently gave away some books. That's right, he took a walk in his local park and gave away about 30 books, a full set of the recently chosen Vintage classics, topped up by some of his own books. While women were enthusiastic and accepted the offerings with thanks, men were suspicious, and even when they were told it wouldn't cost them anything, didn't want a free novel. (He only succeeded in giving one novel away to a male reader!)
Now alot has been written, disparagingly it must be said, about the 'feminisation' of the modern fiction market. But who can blame publishers given the result of this, admittedly limited, sample?

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Ian McEwan: Hello, would you like a free book?