I was going to say I hate books like this, but I realise I've never actually read one. Mainly because I feel I would hate it. Usually I'm against facile gender stereotyping - and anyway I'm superb at reading maps.
However I do sometimes wonder whether they may be some truth in these things. My elder daughter, for instance, as soon as she could speak asked me to buy her a pink sparkly top and a toy ironing board. After that she wanted a toy vacuum cleaner, toy dustpan and brush and toy cooker. Imagine my disgust.
Then my nephew arrived, cast his eyes around the playroom and siezed the broom in his hand. Pulled off the head, and triumphantly announced "I've got a sword, and I'm going to kill you all". (We don't have guns in the playroom, but I do still let the kids have soldiers with their boiled eggs, rather than peacekeepers).
My book-writer friend teased me when he saw my notes, listing one of the themes for my novel as "the women do all the tough stuff and the men are a bit crap". I admit I deserve to be ribbed about that.
His latest work, on the other hand, is going to be a boy's-own tale of adventure and derring-do. "Are there any women at all?" I wondered. "Erm, yes...." he mumbled. "There is one. She's housebound".
Hmmmm.
I think between us, we could write a set of well-rounded characters. And then everyone could find them boring, rather than just half the reading public.
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