Writing recently at Dazed magazine online, Georgina Elliott asked “Why don’t straight men read novels?”

I am a straight man, middle-aged to boot, who does read novels, lots of them, so I found the question somewhat alienating, but at the same time, not surprising. It’s not news to me that women buy the vast majority of books in the U.S. — somewhere around 80% of the total — so I was aware that men flat out don’t read as many books as women.

But I hadn’t considered that it was a problem of novels specifically that men aren’t reading.

If we’re talking about the kinds of novels that we broadly call “literary,” the truth is that very few people read these books, period. Writing in Granta, literary critic Christian Lorentzen relates that an editor at an independent publisher estimated that there are approximately 20,000 people in the country who read literary fiction. If only 20,000 people are reading literary fiction, and 80% of them are women, that means only 4,000 men are reading those books nationwide.

If that number is accurate, I feel like I know a disproportionate number of them, but that would probably be the case given the crowds I run with, including here, where men are sending me their list of five recent reads, most of which contain novels, all the time.

At Dazed, Elliott explores various theories as to why men aren’t reading novels, including that men are not socialized to read as much as women, lacking reading role models in other men. Elliott also shares a theory that men don’t read novels because they have internalized an ethos that they are expected to be “productive” agents acting in the world, rather than passively experiencing the lives of others through fiction. Men are more likely to read self-help than fiction, seeing that genre as more likely to pay off in “meaningful returns,” according to Alistair Brown, a literature professor at Durham University who studies these patterns.

If these theories are true, I find myself mostly feeling sad for my fellow straight white males because there is more to life than being “productive,” at least I hope so, because if that’s not the case, I’m wasting a lot of time reading novels.

I read novels primarily because doing so is an enjoyable way to spend my time. I first experienced this as a child and have had this reconfirmed on a nearly daily basis since. As a kid, I was sometimes called “lazy” because I’d rather read a book than mow the lawn or do homework, but this choice always felt more sensible than lazy to me.

Still does.

But suppose we want to talk about the benefits of reading novels beyond their inherent pleasure. In that case, I can testify that one of the great things about reading fiction is that you are exposed to the incredible variety of the human experience, not as a way to find a model for your own path, but as a demonstration that you should feel free to not worry overmuch about what others think of the path you wish to travel.

Novels are not instructive, like self-help, but they are illustrative, and if you keep reading them, you’ll have a better understanding that there is no one way to live. Looking for answers to how to live a happy life in a self-help book is ultimately fruitless when those answers are invariably going to be found within oneself.

Rather than worrying about being productive, what if we try to be quiet and reflective?

No better way to achieve that than by immersing yourself in the lives of others by reading a novel.

John Warner is the author of “Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities.”

Twitter @biblioracle

Book recommendations from the Biblioracle

John Warner tells you what to read based on the last five books you’ve read.

1. “The Winner” by Teddy Wayne2. “Muse of Fire: World War I as Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets” by Michael Korda3. “Cowboy Graves” by Roberto Bolaño4. “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War” by Erik Larson5. “Don’t Skip Out on Me” by Willy Vlautin

— Joe F., Channahon

For Joe, I’m recommending a novel rooted in both history and literature, “March” by Geraldine Brooks.

1. “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles2. “Pineapple Street” by Jenny Jackson3. “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt4. “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson5. “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson

— Viola P., Chicago

Viola is going to be the recipient of my periodic public service of recommending the most perfectly constructed novel ever, “Mrs. Bridge” by Evan S. Connell.

1. “The Winner” by Teddy Wayne2. “Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance” by Alison Espach3. “James” by Percival Everett4. “Demon Copperhead” by Barbara Kingsolver5. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin

— Abby T., Wilmette

“Wayward” by Dana Spiotta, published in 2021, was ahead of its time in its exploration of a woman driven mad by the world she’s made to live in, finding an escape in a broken-down house that becomes just hers.

Gretchen McKay | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

One of the best parts of a weekend getaway at the beach is in the “away” part — with sand and sea between your toes.

Not so fun is having to actually pull on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt to go and get something to eat with that first cup of java from your vacation rental’s Keurig coffee maker.

Which is why when I head out of town for the weekend, I pack something that is both super easy to make the night before we head out of town and travels well for breakfast the next morning.

Prepackaged cereal bars or a box of Cheerios would hit the spot, of course, but doesn’t a slice of homemade coffee cake with ribbons of cinnamon streusel sound better to kick off a lazy first day of vacation?

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This seasonal recipe featuring plump and juicy blueberries and a crumbly, streusel topping only takes about an hour start to finish, and is packed with flavor. It’s enriched with both butter and sour cream, giving rise to a super-tender crumb that’s a perfect counterpoint to the crunchy brown sugar crumb on top.

It’s always a good idea to pick any remaining stems off the berries after swishing them around in a bowl of cold water to wash off any dirt or pesticides (they’re tough). You will want to pick out any green or reddish berries too —they’re not ripe.

I used full-fat sour cream, but light sour cream works, too. If you’re not wild about cinnamon, feel free to adjust it according to taste or omit it all together.

Coffee cake can be stored at room temperature for two or three days, or up to a week in the fridge either in a covered container or wrapped in plastic wrap.

Blueberry coffee cake is the perfect seasonal breakfast for a summer morning. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake

PG tested

For streusel topping

6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2 -inch chunks

For the cake

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest and juice from 1 1/2 lemon
2/3 cup full-fat sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Generous pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 1 8-ounce container)
Confectioners’ sugar, optional, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan. (I used a springform pan.)

Prepare streusel: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Add flour, then cut the butter in using a pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until crumbly. (I finish with my fingers.) Set aside while you prepare the bake batter.

Prepare cake: Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4-5 minutes, or until light and creamy.

Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice and sour cream. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the blueberries, making sure batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and evenly spread it out with the back of a spoon. Use your fingers to crumble the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. If desired, sprinkle the top with a little confectioners’ sugar.

— adapted from barefootcontessa.com

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

We’re going beyond the hype this week and putting our focus on a few films — some in theaters, some streaming — you might not have heard about, but should.

Here’s our roundup.

“Girl You Know It’s True”: One of the biggest music scandals to rock the industry came in the shocking reveal that the two lead singers of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s pop group Milli Vanilli lip-synched all their songs, never singing one friggin’ note. That confession further tarnished the rep of the Grammys, which anointed the duo with its best new artist trophy, an honor later revoked. Director/screenwriter Simon Verhoeven’s entertaining biopic looks at how greed and fame fueled the calculated, infamous rise of the German group made up of two attractive Munich club dancers, the late Robert Pilatus (Tijan Njie) and Fab Morvan (Elan Ben Ali). Framed as sort of a rags to excessive riches story and as a well-deserved slap to the two-faced music industry, “Girl You Know It’s True” is executive produced by many involved in this public hoodwinking. But while that gives you pause the resulting film doesn’t let either singer off the hook — showing how they became drug-snorting, bed hopping divas that demanded sushi (and flew into a rage if they didn’t get it) along with one red Ferrari. But it is sympathetic to their plight as well, showing how they, like so many pre-packaged performers (cooked up in this case by producer Frank Farian — played well by Matthias Schweighöfer in a Spicoli-like wig) were lucrative puppets in a hit-making machine that celebrates bouncy tunes and hot looks over actual singing talent. “Girl You Know It’s True” doesn’t always work (the fourth-wall breaking narration hits a false note and the industry skewering and racist reactions to the two could have been even more pointed) but even at 2 hours, this one is as catchy as, well, a Milli Vanilli song. Details: 3 stars out of 4; available to rent and stream Aug. 9.

“Twilight of The Warriors: Walled In”: A few decades back, martial arts movies were supremely popular, side-kicking their way into American theaters and onto VHS and DVD. Today, the deluge has turned into more of a trickle. Director Soi Cheang throws it back to that heyday with this seamlessly edited, action-stuffed Hong Kong epic that’s visually arresting and massively exciting. Already a huge hit in Hong Kong, it’s a summer find that lands in theaters this week. it sets itself in Kowloon Walled City, a decaying, large-scale Hong Kong slum where a refugee named Chan Lok-kwan (the lithe, acrobatic Raymond Lam) lands after being hoodwinked by triad leader Mr. Big (martial arts superstar Sammo Hung) over an ID card. Lok-kwan jets off with a bag of Mr. Big’s blow and catches the eye of Cyclone (Louis Koo), a barber/gangster with cred and connections to a decades-old grudge match. Cyclone gets him a job and sets him on a path for a new life. The plot gets far more tangled than that and draws in past vendettas and secret legacies. It serves as a bouncy functional diving off point into a pool of tightly choreographed brawls that are guaranteed to make you blurt out “ow, ouch.” They’re spectacular, vigorous sequences in what’s a very stylized production (the underworld look is incredible to behold) that rockets to a massive showdown that might just make you applaud in your seats. See it on the big screen. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters Aug. 9.

“The Last Front”: These days, a good, old-fashioned World War I-set thriller can be hard to come by. Director/screenwriter Julien Hayet-Kerknawi comes to the rescue with this intense, visually striking first feature that feels an awful like a Western. Rather than tell a soldier’s story (a staple of this genre), he focuses on the Lamberts, a Belgian farm family. Grieving widower Leonard Lambert (“Game of Thrones” Iain Glen) reluctantly leads the charge against the Germans as they advance on his farm where he lives quietly with his dreamy son and uptight daughter. An unfortunate encounter with the drunken, rage-fueled lieutenant Laurentz (Joe Anderson, in full-blown hissable mode) thrusts Leonard into helping all villagers as his grief turns into fury. “The Last Front” does grab you but it isn’t subtle by any means — even when it depicts artful scenes in nature as a sharp contrast to the blood men spill in battle. But it’s done with such conviction and passion, you won’t mind. Details: 3 stars; in select theaters Aug. 9.

“This Closeness”: A quick trip to Philadelphia for a high school reunion leads an attractive but seriously self-absorbed Gen-Z couple, Tessa and Ben (Kit Zauhar and Zane Pais) to rent a sliver of a room in an apartment. Their host (Ian Edlund) turns out to be introverted and socially awkward, traits that both annoy and fascinate this couple stuck in a rut. Zauhar is also writer and director here, and her very funny, squirmable sophomore feature gazes at how we wall ourselves off from each other even when we happen to be together. During Tessa and Ben’s brief stay, jealousies, hookups, slights and arguments happen and point to personality fractures in all parties involved. Zauhar is a dexterous actor and an astute observer of frayed, worn-down relationships and how they come loaded with baggage that tends to get unloaded in an unhealthy way. Her bit involving the hot-and-cold frustration over a malfunctioning air conditioner is ingenious, and serves as a perfect metaphor for her bickering couple. She’s the real deal, and I can’t wait to see what the New York-based filmmaker comes up with next. Details: 3 stars; available to watch for free on MUBI.

“Starve Acre”:  A few years back, A24 gobsmacked us with one of the strangest Icelandic folk horror yarns ever. It was about a cute but unsettling half-human lamb. If you thought that one — called simply “Lamb” — was weird, just wait till you get a load of director/screenwriter Daniel Kokotajlo’s ‘70s-set brain messer featuring an ominous bunny. It’s beyond weird, and I mean that as a compliment. Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark star as a none-too-happy British couple living on his family’s rugged, isolated land — rooted in a nasty bit of back history — way out in the country. When their boy starts doing odd “Omen”-esque acts, they begin to worry — for good reason. Then the unexpected happens, shifting the entire film. Based on a novel by Andrew Michael Hurley, “Starve Acre” is bizarre from start to bloody finish. If you like literal-minded, meat-and-potatoes horror films, avoid it. But if you dig moody oddities with a dash of humor and a Gothic look that puts you ill at ease throughout, grab it. Details: 3 stars; available to rent on multiple platforms.

“The Abandon”: If funds and time are tight, it’s never wise for a filmmaker to shoot at a variety of locations. It’ll only create more headaches. Director Jason Satterlund and screenwriter Dwain Worrell wisely keep most of their action contained to the inner walls of a strange cube where wounded soldier Miles Willis finds himself trapped. A claustrophobic story such as this one relies heavily on ingenuity and good acting to make you care. The ever-game Jonathan Rosenthal does just that. His performance is a very physical one since he gets battered about while the cube starts to slowly close in on him. Miles isn’t alone, though, and communicates with another (Tamara Perry) without ever seeing her. She, too, is stuck for no apparent reason. Questions, suspicions and surprises swirl about as each tries to figure out if they can trust the other. “The Abandon” succeeds on a variety of levels, as a taut survival thriller, a kicky sci-fi film and an emotional drama (I was surprised how this one got to me at times). It also hits you with a “what the hell” finale that swings open the door for a sequel. Bring it on. And the meantime, let’s hope Rosenthal and Satterlund get the notice they deserve. Details: 3 stars, available now to rent.

“Detained”: In this over-the-top but satisfying neo-noir that cribs heavily from “The Usual Suspects” playbook, a disoriented hit-and-run suspect Rebecca (Abbie Cornish) finds herself relentlessly interrogated by two badgering detectives (Laz Alonso and Moon Bloodgood) over a crime she can’t remember committing. Did Rebecca really mow someone over? Or is she just being framed? Director and co-screenwriter Felipe Mucci keeps us guessing throughout in this implausible, unhinged shocker that’s recklessly enjoyable and well-acted. Beware, though, it does go overboard with a couple of “surprise” reveals. Those can be easily forgiven since this is a finely tuned ride ideal for toss-the-brain-aside weekend consumption. Details: 2½ stars; available to rent now.

“Duchess”: Clunky,  junky and devoid of any nutritional value, director/co-screenwriter Neil Marshall’s inept crime thriller wants to meld a Guy Ritchie caper with a Jackie Collins novel, and it winds failing at both. Charlotte Kirk stars as a brash London pickpocket who falls for a hot guy (Philip Winchester) involved in illicit activities, including diamond trafficking. Kirk’s character Scarlett/Duchess provides lackluster voice-over narration in a derivative bore that jets back and forth to the Canary Islands and London. The blah fight scenes get pointlessly gory and the romance is a yawner  It’s a star vehicle for Kirk who isn’t able to convince us why we want to spend any time with Duchess. The camera certainly cozies up to her, worshiping her body to excessive levels. It’s hard to imagine that this came from the same filmmaker who gave us “The Descent.” Details: 1 star; available to rent Aug. 9.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

James Royal, Ph.D. | Bankrate.com (TNS)

Social Security provides benefits not only to retired workers but also to spouses who have not contributed to the program. Spouses are one of the many beneficiaries of Social Security, and even ex-spouses can claim a payout from the program in some circumstances.

When you apply for Social Security, you automatically apply for the greater of your benefit or half your spouse’s benefit. The average monthly payout for all retired workers was $1,918 in June 2024, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), while those claiming spousal benefits received an average check of about $911.

Here’s how Social Security works for those looking to claim a spousal benefit.

Claiming spousal benefits from Social Security: How it works

When a worker files for benefits from Social Security, the worker’s spouse may be able to claim a benefit based on the worker’s contributions. For spouses to receive the benefit, they must be at least age 62 or care for a child under age 16 (or one receiving Social Security disability benefits). In addition, spouses cannot claim the spousal benefit until the worker files for their benefit.

There are other important caveats about the spousal benefit as well.

How much should you expect to get from spousal benefits?

“Spousal benefits are capped at half your spouse’s benefit at full retirement age. If [the worker] waits beyond that to claim, the spousal benefit cannot grow further,” says Claire Toth, former managing principal and senior wealth strategist at New Jersey-based Peapack-Gladstone Bank.

Toth is referring to the strategy of a retiree not claiming benefits until past full retirement age (typically between 66 and 67) in order to claim a bigger monthly benefit. Social Security will boost your benefit substantially if you delay filing until as late as age 70. It’s one way to juice your payout without working more.

However, if your spouse files before full retirement age, you will likely receive a permanently reduced benefit. Benefits may be reduced so that the spouse receives as little as 32.5% of the retiree’s benefit. The spousal benefit is reduced by about seven-tenths of 1% for each month before full retirement age, up to 36 months. If you exceed the 36 months, Social Security will dock about four-tenths of 1% for further months.

The math can be complicated, but Social Security provides a tool to calculate spousal benefits.

The exception to this rule of filing early is if a spouse is caring for a child under age 16 or one who is disabled, in which case the benefit is not reduced. In fact, this spouse could claim the spousal benefit at any age if they’re caring for a child who also receives benefits.

Who is eligible for spousal Social Security benefits?

In general, you may be eligible if you are married, divorced or widowed and your spouse was eligible for benefits.

Those who apply for spousal benefits must have been married for at least one year. Your spouse must also have begun receiving Social Security benefits — unless you are widowed. In the latter case, you may be able to receive the full amount of your late spouse’s benefits as opposed to the spousal benefit, assuming their benefit is higher than yours. However, you will not be eligible to receive your late spouse’s benefit if you remarry.

Even ex-spouses can file based on your earnings. The requirements for claiming benefits based on your ex-spouse’s work record include:

—You are unmarried.

—You must have been married at least 10 years.

—You must have been divorced from the spouse for at least two consecutive years.

—Your ex-spouse must be entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

—The benefit you would receive from your work record would be less than this spousal benefit.

“In theory, a person could marry someone new every 10 years and give them a spousal benefit as a parting gift,” says Russell D. Knight, an attorney in Chicago. “It’s better than nothing.”

But it’s not like that money comes out of your monthly benefit check, so rest easy.

“When this happens, there’s no reduction to either the high earner or the current spouse – the Social Security Administration deals with this actuarially,” says Warren Ward, CFP at WWA Planning & Investments in Columbus, Indiana.

Strategies for claiming a spousal benefit

Social Security offers quite a few options for how to claim your benefits, and while the options are meant to give flexibility to retirees and others, they do create more complexity. Everyone wants to get all the benefits they’re entitled to, and this complexity might obscure an avenue to receiving more money from the program.

Spouses have a few ways to proceed here, and the best course of action often depends on your personal financial situation.

When should you claim spousal benefits?

While the best age to claim spousal benefits is a personal decision, you can’t claim these benefits before age 62. If you opt for sometime after reaching age 62 and before your full retirement age, you’re likely to see your benefits reduced.

And if you wait until after your full retirement age, benefits won’t increase. The wage earner may benefit from delaying benefits until age 70, but the spouse applying for benefits won’t.

For those looking to max out their spousal benefit, one course of action is obvious.

“The best strategy to claim Social Security retirement benefits as a spouse is to wait until you reach normal retirement age, 65 to 67, depending on birth year,” says Lindsay Malzone, a Medicare expert who has worked at Medigap.com. “Unless you currently care for a qualifying child, you will receive a reduced benefit if you have not yet attained normal retirement age.”

But there are exceptions to this general rule, especially if you believe your longevity is an issue.

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“We usually start by considering health: How long did the same-sex parent live and what’s the current health situation for both partners,” Ward says. “Those with long expected life spans and good health are usually best off waiting until the maximum benefit is available. Those with shorter life expectancies or poor health may be better off starting sooner. Those with a terminal illness can file ‘as of’ six months ago and start receiving payments immediately and collect a check for those ‘missed’ payments.”

The spousal benefit may also offer some flexibility for older filers. For example, a spouse may be able to claim spousal benefits on a worker’s account and then later claim benefits on his or her account. If your spouse was born before Jan. 2, 1954 and has already reached full retirement age, your spouse can receive the spousal benefit and delay receiving their own retirement benefit until later. If your spouse was born after this date, this option no longer exists.

Spouses may also take their own benefit early and then switch to their partner’s benefit later.

“I have several clients where her own benefit is less than or very close to half the spousal benefit and he plans to wait until age 70 to claim,” Toth says. “In that case, the wife is often best off claiming early — sometimes as early as age 62 — and then switching to the spousal benefit when her husband claims. Her benefit only continues until the first death, and the survivor gets his benefit. Even if they both make it into their 90s, this is often the best result.”

And Social Security does also offer flexibility for a spouse whose partner dies.

“If the higher-earning spouse dies, the current spouse can claim the higher of their own benefit or that of the higher earner,” says Ward. “This is certainly better than nothing, but it does represent an overall ‘pay cut’ for the survivor.”

Planning for Social Security can be tough, but Bankrate’s calculator can help you estimate your Social Security earnings. Ward points out that the SSA’s website, financial planners and most brokerage firms also offer planning options and tools to help you out.

Those looking for other sources of retirement income should be sure that they consider all types of retirement plans that may be available to them, including IRAs, 401(k)s and pensions.

Bottom line

Spouses have a lot of flexibility, thanks to the Social Security spousal benefit. As you near retirement, you’ll want to explore your options on how best to take advantage of the program and maximize your benefits from the program.

(Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com.)

©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.