Karen in CO Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I've found over the years that I'm happier with my reading if I spilt it between fiction and non-fiction. I recently binged on rereading the whole Game of Thrones series so now I'm rebounding with some non-fiction. I'm reading The Knowing-Doing Gap and Why Does E=mc2? and Why It Matters along with a couple of books for work. Anybody else reading something non-fiction for fun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 YES! Like you, I alternate. I'm currently reading The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived The Great American Dust Bowl. My grandparents farmed through the Dust Bowl in north-central Kansas and I've always been intrigued by it. I cannot image the hardships they managed to survive. I recently read The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family which was excellent. Waiting to hear some other suggestions! astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I find the older I get, the more I enjoy reading nonfiction for "fun". I read books about education, finance, travel, parenting, as well as how-to books, autobiographies/memoirs, cooking; all kinds of topics. I"m off to check out your two suggestions now :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Actually, I prefer reading non-fiction. I have a couple of fiction authors that I like to read, and occasionally I pick up a "fluffy" mystery, but I'd say that about 75% of my pleasure-reading is non-fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Narrative non-fiction is among my favorites. I picked up 'Turn Right At Machu Picchu' by Mark Adams today. I'm enjoying it. It's the author's attempt to walk the path of Hiram Bingham, 'discoverer' of Machu Picchu. It makes me realize how little South American history I know...and how much I enjoy the explorer genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I enjoy reading nonfiction. The last few nf books I read were Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, The Power of Habit and Writing Down the Bones. I'm currently reading Why Nations Fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I prefer non-fiction, unless I'm reading kids' literature. Go figure :) Right now, I am reading Kitty Cornered, by Bob Tarte. This is his third memoir about the animals in his life (first one was Enslaved by Ducks, then Fowl Weather). They are funny books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) To keep my sanity, I NEED fiction. Meaning, I read mostly non fiction, and then I fry my brain and need a cool drink. Mostly theology, education, anything that strikes my fancy. Edited May 15, 2012 by justamouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I like to read nonfiction, but I usually skim rather than reading it word for word in a linear fashion. Two I read this year and really enjoyed are Quiet and You Are Not So Smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I'm happily reading Science Matters. I really, REALLY enjoyed the Lyttelton-Hart Davis letters last year (you can start with the edited version). I also liked The War Against Grammar, which is short. If you've never given Guns Germs and Steel a whirl, that is worthwhile, and I also enjoyed The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz (he was on the road with Cortez, and dictated the book in his 80s to "set the record straight"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Two of my favorites...Seabiscuit and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Excellent books...well written and throughly researched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I love nonfiction! It's most of what I read for fun these days. I really have to work hard to convince myself to read fiction. I was an English major ten billion years ago, and I think I got fiction-ed out and still haven't recovered. :tongue_smilie: Earlier this year I read Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick and loved it. I couldn't stop talking about it. It's about North Korea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzymom Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read non-fiction the majority of the time. I also loved Nothing to Envy and am awaiting Escape From Camp14. The Three-Legged Woman and Other Excursions in Teachingis next on my list, though right now I am reading Divergent with my daughter. Keep the recommendations coming! I love to have a long list of books to anticipate!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hthnmamax2 Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Me, me, me! I prefer to read about Ancient Egypt and the history and archaeology of the Middle East, but right now I'm going through a phase about the history of Forensic Science. :D Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlgirl Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Yes. I love a good fiction book but have a hard time finding them. So, I read non-fiction and I really think I like non-fiction better. Besides, I convince myself that it is educational and therefore not wasting time. Or something. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read nonfiction interspersed and usually a bit slower than fiction, so I usually have a nonfiction book going at the same time as three or four fiction books. I'm reading Quiet right now and really loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 The older I get, the more I read non-fiction. Right now I am enjoying Sister Queens, about Katherine of Aragon & Juana of Castille. For fiction, I tend towards mysteries, preferably English, preferably by women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Hey, I just re-read the whole GOT series too! I'm doing some light fiction reading now and then I'm going to read the books from MFW ECC 7th-8th grade supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I prefer non-fiction, unless I'm reading kids' literature. Go figure :) This is pretty much me, too. There are some that I have on the shelf that I'll re-read many times, such as Ruth Reichl. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I love fiction, but still read non-fiction. A couple of non-fiction books I've read this year are Swimming to Antarctica and The Geography of Bliss. Both were pretty interesting. Some of my favorite non-fiction books: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford Born to Run by Christopher McDougall Fatu-Hiva by Thor Heyerdahl Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs Can anyone recommend a version of The Travels of Marco Polo (by Marco Polo) that is good? I'd really like to find one that has some great notes & a map to go along w/ it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAmom Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 :bigear: I'm actually looking for fiction recommendations...but think I may be a non-fiction lover that can learn from what I read (I know you can with some fiction too)....so listenining in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Absolutely prefer non-fiction but am enjoying reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy right now. Other than that, on my nightstand are: 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son by Vicki Courtney 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Courtney Money, Possesions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn Next in line is Team of Rivals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I spend about an equal amount of time reading fiction and non-fiction. I recently finished The Band Played On about Titanic's band. This was a fiction week, I read 3 Christopher Moore books. Next week I am starting a new book on Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick_Mom Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I greatly prefer non-fiction and have to force myself to read fiction. ;) Reading a lot of books to my dc has forced me to expand! Recently I read Quiet (loved it) and just finished a biography of George Washington by Paul Johnson. Also just finished a fascinating book on regional eating/cooking traditions, based on a WPA project that had lain dormant for something like 70 years. On tap next in non-fiction is Introverts in the Church. Meanwhile, I'm also working my way through Rosemary Sutcliff's books, because I love reading about ancient Britain. For some reason, I enjoy historical fiction more than just "general" fiction -- maybe because the historical setting anchors it to something. I just have a hard time suspending disbelief when I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 YES! Like you, I alternate. I'm currently reading The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived The Great American Dust Bowl. My grandparents farmed through the Dust Bowl in north-central Kansas and I've always been intrigued by it. I cannot image the hardships they managed to survive. I have that book, it is interesting. I also split my reading between fiction and non-fiction. I am currently reading a biography on Arthur Conan Doyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I'm reading more and more non-fiction as the years go on, mostly because fiction has started to frustrate me. More and more I find myself thinking, "Why did the author have to say that/do that, they've just ruined the book." It is very rare any more that I find a fiction book that leaves me feeling satisfied after I read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I find the older I get, the more I enjoy reading nonfiction for "fun". I read books about education, finance, travel, parenting, as well as how-to books, autobiographies/memoirs, cooking; all kinds of topics. I"m off to check out your two suggestions now :) :iagree::iagree: I always forget to add the non-ficton to my 52 in 52 book count. Lol. Maybe that is because I tend to read non-fiction differently. Like right now I am reading a stack of container/square foot gardening books.....but I am not reading them cover to cover....I am skipping around reading all about tomatoes....then all about flowers....then all about herbs.... I may not finish the books in entirety, But I am gathering lots of useful information. Biographies, auto-biographies, memoirs etc.....those I read cover to cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Yes, I adore non-fiction and read a great deal of it. Not so much at the moment, I need escape from some of the stress around here but I am normally a fan. I really enjoy a good biography, helps to illuminate time periods for me. I love books such as The Great Molasses Flood and others like it. I adore David McCullough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 When I was young I read mostly fiction fluff. Sometime after graduating college I switched over completely to non-fiction. It has only been in the last 2 years that I started reading classics and children's classics. That happened b/c I want to do classical ed with dd and there are lots of classics that I had never read. I am enjoying some of them, but some of them are blah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I also prefer non-fiction. My most recent books have been The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, Tiger Trap: America's Secret Spy War With China, and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. Currently, I'm reading Pearl Buck's The Good Earth. I'm reading it for the third time, which is extremely unusual for me. Dd is reading it for school. I remembered how much I liked it in the past and thought it would be fun to be able to talk about it with her. I don't retain much of what I read, so it's like reading a new book. ;) I"m appreciating this thread. It will give me new titles to look for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I used to think that non-fiction was boring but the older I get, the more I am reading it. Now, I think I read more non-fiction than fiction. Right now I am reading 'Unlocking Harry Potter' and 'Finding God in Harry Potter' (can you tell that my dd and I are having a summer discussion on HP? :D) Also on my pile are 'The Trivium' by Sister Marian Joseph and 'Ideas Have Consequences' by Richard Weaver. I did try to read 'Surprised by Oxford' and the 'Memory Palace' byt I wasn't in the right head space for them. I will try them again later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 The older I get, the more I read non-fiction. Right now I am enjoying Sister Queens, about Katherine of Aragon & Juana of Castille. For fiction, I tend towards mysteries, preferably English, preferably by women. When you are finished with that, you may want to look at Four Queens, about four daughters of the count of Provence who ended up the queens of France, England, Germany, and Sicily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I like a mix of fiction and nonfiction. So far this year, out of 27 books, 8 have been non-fiction: * Outwitting History--about efforts to save Yiddish books * Monster of Florence--out a serial killer in Florence and the absolutely botched investigation and prosecution of the case * On Writing--Stephen King's part memoir, part writing guide * In the Garden of Beasts--about the US ambassador to Berlin in the 1930s * Galileo's Daughter--biography of Galileo as told (mostly) through letters his daughter wrote to him from her convent * Book of Mormon Girl--memoir of growing up Mormon by a woman I went to college with * Brunelleschi's Dome--the story of the amazing construction and design of the Duomo in Florence * The First Paul--textual analysis of Paul's letters by Borg and Crossan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 All I have read in the last 15 years has been non fiction, except for the re-read of classics I teach. I have read for parenting, homeschooling, addiction, counseling, psychology, poker (ok, some fiction there ;)), Christian and spiritual stuff. I am liberating myself and reading *fiction*. Of course, I had to do that in a planned way by googling "contemporary classics"........... :lol::chillpill: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Slightly OT, but for the few of you who have mentioned wanting to include more fiction among your non-fiction reading, there's some interesting scientific evidence related to reading fiction.... (It's the kind of article that appeals to non-fiction readers, I think, because the article is non-fiction. ;):lol:) ------------- Kind of a cool op-ed piece from the NY Times: Your Brain on Fiction By ANNIE MURPHY PAUL Published: March 17, 2012 "AMID the squawks and pings of our digital devices, the old-fashioned virtues of reading novels can seem faded, even futile. But new support for the value of fiction is arriving from an unexpected quarter: neuroscience. Brain scans are revealing what happens in our heads when we read a detailed description, an evocative metaphor or an emotional exchange between characters. Stories, this research is showing, stimulate the brain and even change how we act in life. Researchers have long known that the “classical†language regions, like Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, are involved in how the brain interprets written words. What scientists have come to realize in the last few years is that narratives activate many other parts of our brains as well, suggesting why the experience of reading can feel so alive. Words like “lavender,†“cinnamon†and “soap,†for example, elicit a response not only from the language-processing areas of our brains, but also those devoted to dealing with smells." Read the rest of the article here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Ever since Dick Francis passed away I haven't read anything fiction and honestly, don't miss it. I prefer non-fiction. Right now I've just started Peter Hessler's trilogy starting with River Town (a series about his years in China). http://www.amazon.com/River-Town-Two-Years-Yangtze/dp/0060953748 It's very well written and is definitely "my" genre. Others I've read and recommend are: Open Lands - Travels Through Russia's Once Forbidden Place by Mark Taplin http://www.amazon.com/Open-Lands-Travels-Through-Forbidden/dp/1883642876/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337092457&sr=1-1 And both of Peter Allison's books/tales about being a safari guide in Botswana (these are humorous too): Whatever You Do, Don't Run http://www.amazon.com/Whatever-You-Do-Dont-Run/dp/0762745657/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337092529&sr=1-3 Don't Look Behind You http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Look-Behind-You-Encounters/dp/1599214695/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337092637&sr=1-4 AND, by looking these up I see he has a new one out. I now know what I'm getting my mom for her birthday this summer (then she gives them to me for my birthday or Christmas pending when she's finished with them). ;) http://www.amazon.com/How-Walk-Puma-Learned-Stumbling/dp/0762777567/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337092637&sr=1-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Earlier this year I read Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick and loved it. I couldn't stop talking about it. It's about North Korea. This was an excellent book, and I think I first heard of it here in another thread. At the same time, my sister recommended (fictional) The Orphan Master's Son, so I read that immediately after. Knowing the background in the nf book went a long way toward understanding less obvious things in the fiction book. It was a great combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I much prefer non-fiction, though mostly biographies, and especially biographies with a historical or cultural perspective. About every 10th book or so, I'll read a good mystery or a Dicken's novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Oh, if you like biographies, I highly recommend Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark. Another great book I forgot to mention earlier: Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley & Livingstone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 Slightly OT, but for the few of you who have mentioned wanting to include more fiction among your non-fiction reading, there's some interesting scientific evidence related to reading fiction.... (It's the kind of article that appeals to non-fiction readers, I think, because the article is non-fiction. ;):lol:) ------------- Kind of a cool op-ed piece from the NY Times: Your Brain on Fiction By ANNIE MURPHY PAUL Published: March 17, 2012 "AMID the squawks and pings of our digital devices, the old-fashioned virtues of reading novels can seem faded, even futile. But new support for the value of fiction is arriving from an unexpected quarter: neuroscience. Brain scans are revealing what happens in our heads when we read a detailed description, an evocative metaphor or an emotional exchange between characters. Stories, this research is showing, stimulate the brain and even change how we act in life. Researchers have long known that the “classical†language regions, like Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, are involved in how the brain interprets written words. What scientists have come to realize in the last few years is that narratives activate many other parts of our brains as well, suggesting why the experience of reading can feel so alive. Words like “lavender,†“cinnamon†and “soap,†for example, elicit a response not only from the language-processing areas of our brains, but also those devoted to dealing with smells." Read the rest of the article here. That is interesting. I love fiction with beautiful language and descriptions. For people that are just beginning in neuroscience, Brain Rules is a terrific starting point. It is very accessible and will give you confidence to tread deeper in brainy books. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TippyCanoe Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 I love fiction, but still read non-fiction. A couple of non-fiction books I've read this year are Swimming to Antarctica and The Geography of Bliss. Both were pretty interesting. Some of my favorite non-fiction books: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford Born to Run by Christopher McDougall Fatu-Hiva by Thor Heyerdahl Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs Can anyone recommend a version of The Travels of Marco Polo (by Marco Polo) that is good? I'd really like to find one that has some great notes & a map to go along w/ it. I haven't found one yet, but I see that the author of Over the Edge of the World also has a book on Marco Polo (but it is lacking maps). I'm putting that one on my list because I really enjoyed the Magellan book. While I'm remembering adventurous books, this year I've enjoyed In the Heart of the Sea and Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read quite a lot of non-fiction, actually. I'm currently reading The Dancing Wu Li Masters. It's about quantum physics. Usually I tend towards books on physics, philosophy/religion/ and history. I also switch between fiction and non-fiction. I usually have one of each going at the same time depending on what I'm in the mood for :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I haven't found one yet, but I see that the author of Over the Edge of the World also has a book on Marco Polo (but it is lacking maps). I'm putting that one on my list because I really enjoyed the Magellan book. Ah, actually I've read that Marco Polo book. That's part of what spurred me into to wanting to read Marco Polo's original account (& to have an included map).... And, since you also mentioned adventure reads (which I love), National Geographic Adventure Magazine has a list of Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read quite a lot of non-fiction, actually. I'm currently reading The Dancing Wu Li Masters. It's about quantum physics. Usually I tend towards books on physics, philosophy/religion/ and history.I also switch between fiction and non-fiction. I usually have one of each going at the same time depending on what I'm in the mood for :) That was the book that made me fall in love with physics. :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read quite a lot of non-fiction, actually. I'm currently reading The Dancing Wu Li Masters. It's about quantum physics. That sounds good. I just requested it from my library. Thanks for mentioning it. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 Thanks! Now I know what I'm reading this summer. :D From a first look, I've read fewer than 25% of those. Over the winter I read science fiction/ fantasy books from this list that I had missed, but I was closer to 75% of that list to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 That sounds good. I just requested it from my library. Thanks for mentioning it. :001_smile: It's a bit slow to get started - he goes over some very basic Newtonian physics for anyone not familiar - but after page 75 or so, it gets good :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read both non-fiction and fiction. I started a new memoir last night called Piano Lessons by Anna Goldsworthy and I'm already really enjoying it. Great read for musical houses. It starts when the author was 9 and started lessons with a world class Russian pianist. She ends up as a concert pianist. http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Lessons-Memoir-Anna-Goldsworthy/dp/0312646283/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1XJU3J0DO4F3E&colid=1WVVJ847KWUBQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I read about half-and-half, but then a lot of the fiction is mysteries! I love to read history, travel, social issues, science, all sorts of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.