My wife was telling me a story about an editor she works with who collects detective novels. I thought about my reading habits and those of some friends/co-workers. For example, I know one woman who reads primarily romances. Another who reads nothing but "literature." Some friends read a variety, but never science fiction or fantasy. It seems that almost everyone has one primary genre that they read (sure, they read outside of that genre, but that genre accounts for 85% or more of their reading).

Not me. The last five books I purchased were: detective novel, memoir, fiction, science fiction, fantasy. I look at my book cases and I don't really have any dominating genre.

Am I missing out on not really diving into one or two genres? By sampling them all, it's hit or miss, and to be honest, I don't get to compare one great book to a classic. I'm assuming that's the best part of reading just one type of book. Right?

So what are you? Read anything and everything, or are you more focused?

I am definitely a focused reader:

1) Crime fiction
2) Thriller/horror
3) Non-fiction (mostly true crime)

Lately I've pretty much been staying with the mystery/thriller genre. The occasional science or science fiction book will get in to mix things up a little. In the past, I used to read more fantasy and horror, but didn't read any for a few years until A Game of Thrones a couple months ago.

I'm almost exclusively a one-genre reader...partly out of personal taste, but mostly out of professional obligations.

This might sound like a silly question, but what are the pros and cons of reading just one genre? Don't you ever want to break out and read other styles?

I'm not. As far as I see it, that'd be awful. Now, there are genres I certainy favor and spend more time in, but not to the exclusion of others.

I like my books to be edgy and fast-paced, the genre is not the most important thing for me. Some authors dominate my bookshelf, but it's harder to pin down a genre beyond that.

I read all genres though sometimes I go through phases where I read a bulk of a particular author's work. Genre reading is great though as it seems to heighten the experience.

I read mostly Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

Almost exclusively Mystery/Thriller.

I'm always telling myself that I should read more classics, but I never get around to it. I'm compiling a list of the Pulitzer Prize winners for fiction and will soon try to work from that list.

Ditto. Probably 85% of my reading. But I consider these 2 different genres as they are very different. 5% being other fiction (normally whatever my wife leaves laying in the bathroom), and the other 10% being non-fiction - and that is probably mostly history.

Mostly SciFi for almost my whole life. But I have dipped into other areas, like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes. Currently reading Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrel, which is just fantastic.

I tend to only read Fantasy/Sci FI/Horror, just look at my collection in my sig. The only time I even check other sections is if someone highly recommends a book and we have similar taste.

I read literature, poetry, science fiction, fantasy (but not high fantasy), horror, romance, medieval romance, comic books, and the occasional mystery. I also like short stories a lot. I rarely read non-fiction though.

My favorite genre is science fiction, especially 'classic' or golden age novels and short stories, but I also primarily read 'thrillers', fantasy, horror, mystery, and every now and then some 'classic literature'. The only non-fiction I recall reading are humor columns, true crime, and some political commentary.
Probably, over my post-educational lifetime, 80% F/SF, 10% thriller, 10% everything else.
I'll get on a kick where I read the crap out of one author for a couple of months. I also usually have more than one book going at a time (one for bedtime reading, one in the car for lunches out, one at work for breakroom lunches).
The pros and cons of reading one genre? If it's a genre you like, odds are you will like the book (if I get 20-40 pages into a book, or a couple chapters, and I'm not enjoying it, I'll shelve it for something else). Of course, picking something else up means you might find something else you enjoy, but lots of people stick with what they know they like.

i'll read just about anything, except fantasy. And self-help can burn in hell.

I tend to think I explore most genres, though I am more inclined to read biographies, history, fantasy and Sci-Fi.

Currently feeling too sleepy to amend what I said last time!

I try to mix it up but I admit outside the fiction fluff factor I have hard time. I been reading some of classics last year and boy memories of Advance English Lit class come flooding back. I just dont get alot of deeper themes. I guess starting with extended version of Monte Cristo wasnt the best way get my feet wet and I am half way through child's book Treasure Island and I dont get 30 page lovefest before the novel starts, so far its be very boring.