Just a Thought

I was talking with a friend the other day about a book called Clara Callan, about a woman, but written by a man.

I have always found it interesting when a book's protagonist is the opposite sex of the writer. Especially when those books are written in the first person. It brings up the issue of whether or not they have the "right" to write these things, how can they know how a woman's/man's mind works?

Yet at the same time, many authors write about subjects and experiences that they themselves have not gone through. Yes they may have researched the topic extensively and written other people's accounts, but for some reason the issue of gender really strikes a chord with me.

I understand they can even be the argument that author's write about character's with a mental disorder which they have not suffered through, which is arguably not much different than writing outside of their gender.

Many authors, and I can only speak for males on this, are shockingly good at capturing the female pysche. I often wonder, HOW? How can they relate and write so eloquently well feelings and thoughts which I myself have had.

We all know that women and men think very differently, feel differently and experience differently. But if this is really the case, how can a man write a woman so well, or a woman a man?

Perhaps we aren't so different at all. All I know is that I will forever be amazed by the male authors who seem to have read my own mind.