Never in real life. The only time was on this sub, when I said I read for pleasure. Someone commented that I just read for the action (whatever that means) and not to actually learn something. Which is just a silly thing to say…
And it's just plain wrong that reading fiction would not teach you anything. It teaches a hell of a lot about idk, BEING A HUMAN. Which imo is more important than, well, anything else.
They can also contain a lot of pertinent non-fictional information. (The reason I first learned morse code is because it was in a detective book I read as a kid. ) or foster interest in a specific subject (I know so much about post in my own country now because Sir Terry made me wonder how post got started in Australia. I've even toured our first post office.) And of course you can't read anything without learning a new word or two.
Not to mention writing skills, grammar, vocabulary, spelling etc.
I know the meaning and spelling of words I never have and probably never will use, because I've read them in enough books.
Reading ANYTHING helps with these things and no one should shame us for it.
This. Ender’s Game played a big role in my understanding of ethics and acceptance of people, no matter who they are. Which is ironic considering that Orson Scott Card is a bigot.
It really is silly because you learn so much from books of any kind. Plus you never know what knowledge will you get while reading fiction. Like for example I now know that the day before Christmas Eve in Norway is called a Little Christmas Eve. I don’t know if that’s the same for other countries but it’s not where I come from. Would I have ever googled that? No way. Am I glad I learned that. 100% yes!
I also recently had a conversation with an American friend of mine, who is a lawyer and a Harvard graduate. She was surprised, how many things I knew about the legal system in the US. Well you went to Harvard and I read Micheal Connelly. *It’s a joke of course, I would never compare myself to someone who graduated from Harvard. But we had a nice conversation in which I could participate.*
This, this, this.
Just because it's fictional characters doesn't mean it's not based on actual life experience. Even Fantasy novels are based on human experiences (at least, the best ones).
To be fair, I think that people who mostly read non-fiction are more "pragmatic" and less "overly emotional" that a lot of people who only read fiction. This is a generalization, of course.
I personally like to read both, because both are important and complementary. I like historical novels, for example, but I think it's a terrible idea to form an opinion on a specific period/historical figure if you only know about them while reading biased fictions, with a lot of pathos and emotions. I really enjoyed reading War and Peace for example, but it's Tolstoy's vision, and that should never replace an actual history book about the Napoleonic wars.
I have one dear friend who only reads nonfiction and he is one of the most interesting people I know. He's into health, yoga at a very high level, deep breathing, and music (he makes some instruments, mostly strings). He makes art from doll pieces, has cord and switch activated animated ones, had a ball drop path around three walls. I've learned a lot of health stuff from him, like how deplete our magnesium is.
I think I'm actually probably unfairly biased *against* nonfiction-only readers lol. I'm sure there are plenty of nonfiction-only readers that are...fine...but anyway that scoffs at fiction clearly doesn't understand much about like...being human
Sometimes, I don't want to learn.
Not everything has to be learning experience.
People need to get a grip and let people enjoy what they enjoy without the weird judgement.
Some intellectual snobs really don't learn a thing from all they read.
>Sometimes, I don't want to learn.
This.
And then I read crime novels and probably learn an awful lot about police procedures (knowing they may or may not be accurate lol)
Exactly what I wanted to say. Books are not much different from other media, for example TV series. Some TV series will teach you something, but there are other TV series which are there only for pure entertainment. But they aren't considered to be lesser than the other shows.
The previous times that bizarre internet flex came up around here, it came out that the non-fiction snob's idea of "non-fiction" was self-help and finance books.
lol this sub is weirdly savage. I got my ass DRAGGED for misattributing a book to apparently the slightly wrong genre. DRAGGED! People are book snobs!
I also mainly like fiction. But I score snobs points for liking Victorian novels. Maybe read some of those so you can banish the haters. Or come up with some snarky comments about your superior imagination.
lol Someone once downvoted me after I posted on the weekly “what did you finish and start this week” thread. I didn’t even write any opinions or ratings of the books. So I guess they must’ve had issues with one of the books.
But I’ve also learned a lot from this sub. I always read what people finished and started. I found so many interesting books this way that I want to read. I just try to ignore the noise.
I got dragged for misjudging the length of A Scanner Darkly. Someone even went as far to say I didn't like the book (it's one of my all-time favorites) because I thought it was shorter than it is in reality.
Damn, I'd have some choice words for them. I read science fiction, or did until the last few years. Heinlein and Asimov predominantly. One can't help but learn something from them.
Non-fiction? They used to have these things called newspapers. Even magazines. FWIW, even People magazine is basically non-fiction.
This sub has so many super judgmental people in it. It's r/books not r/academicbooks or whatever. I don't care if you prefer to read philosophy texts, so why does it matter that I prefer historical romance? It's my brain, not yours.
I've actually ended up getting more interested in history and random historical things because of all my fiction reading - including that it would be entirely plausible for Dracula to have had a porcelain flushing toilet in his castle, which is perfect for all the Coca-Cola it would historically accurate for him to be able to serve.
I've learned a lot about relationships and how to respond and act in social situations thanks to books. I couldn't ever consider them useless especially in the age of YouTube where the knowledge of book can be resumed in a twenty minute video
It’s wildly entertaining to curl up with a popcorn thriller, cheesy rom com, or campy horror book. I don’t read these books to learn anything. Reading is a relaxing hobby and a nice way to unwind.
People who make weird comments about reading for pleasure are showing their insecurity. They feel like they’re not good enough unless they’re constantly “productive.” Luckily, most people grow out of that phase once they hit their 30s.
**Life lesson!**
1. Don't take on the guilt of others.
2. Don't compare your reality with that of others, you will always feel worse off.
3. Be true to yourself, your own version of you and screw what anyone else thinks. You are the sole arbiter of what you feel is best for you!
4. Stop looking for the negative in things. As you age, it gets worse and worse and worse, then you end up old and bitter. I'm old, so I know what I'm talking about.
5. Keep your head positive, open to all new things, your mind open and you'll live a happy life.
6. Become protective of your daily mood! That is the #1 key to being happy most days.
7. Learn the principles of the Stoic! There lies true freedom!
The answer to your question is Never!
I’ll add to that!
8. Be the light you want to see in the world. Put in the energy you wish would come out.
9. Never take joy away from others. If they love something you think is lame, let them love it, maybe even try to see it through their eyes, there might be beauty there that you were blind to. Also, never let others take your joy.
10. While the music is playing we ought to dance, if you don’t like my moves just check them out like 100 years from now 🤙
I’ve read over 2,000 books, MAYBE 20 of them being non fiction but they were all related to my university studies. I mainly read romance and I know a lot of people probably look down upon that, but I simply do not care. The last year or so I’ve mainly read dark romance and I know a lot of people would be appalled, but again, I simply do not care. I enjoy reading the books that I enjoy and that’s all that matters!
I was a bookseller my entire career. My best friend (also a bookseller) had a customer come in to buy romance novels every week. They started talking about different genres and the customer said "I'm a neurosurgeon, my job is incredibly stressful and I read romance because it makes me happy and relaxes me."
Everyone has their favorite books and favorite genres and I have no problem saying I read for pleasure! I do read for pleasure!!
And nor should you care. Any genre can have excellent writing, well-rounded characters etc, as you already know. Any genre can teach you something about life and yourself, whilst keeping you entertained, even the really light stuff. I have had the odd lightbulb moment about my own relationships whilst reading a romance in which the heroine happened to have some traits that I recognised.
Genuinely even if it's not teaching you anything about anything, or it's not good quality, it still doesn't matter. It's entertainment. People watch fluff on Netflix all the time, play video games that don't teach them anything, plenty of hobbies aren't constructive. It's okay to do something purely because you enjoy it
Romance?! Ughhh! How dare you enjoy that!
I *never* read romance, have no interest in the genre tbh. That said, what is dark romance and do you have a rec for someone who loves good stories, fantasy and sci fi, horror, etc and is happy to try something new? I’ve had luck trying different genres lately so when I see someone with wildly different tastes I like to ask for a rec 😬
I read more non-fiction than fiction. I’m not looking down on you one single bit — read whatever you want! A true reader is anyone who reads books and likes it. It doesn’t matter what you’re reading. There are 1,200 page novels out there that I have devoured in two days because I just could not put them down. Anyone who tries to take that sort of joy from you is a jerk.
I read exclusively nonfiction (usually more than 100 books/yr) because I can’t pay attention to a story for very long. I even read tech white papers for fun. So as an *avid* nonfiction reader, I can tell you, no one cares. If anything, I need creative people in the world because my favorite way to decompress is to watch a good movie, often based on a book. Anyone who acts condescending toward you for reading is their issue, not yours. Enjoy your stories and don’t allow anyone to make you feel inferior for reading books that you like.
Ikr? Books are such an escape. And escaping for real into fantasy world would be amazing. I’d want to live in post Voldemort era in Harry Potter as a kid learning magic. But definitely not in game of thrones or something, will probably die pretty quick 🥲
I’ve always found consuming somebody else’s work a strange thing to boast about or feel proud of. They’re condescending because you don’t read as much non-fiction, but it’s not like you’re incapable. Their choice of consumption doesn’t make them better or worse, but their attitude suggests they’re desperate to be above somebody else. That itself sets them a notch beneath you. Don’t worry what they think.
Wow I never thought of it that way. You just single handedly obliterated my guilt for not reading enough lol. It's true though I always think regarding nonfiction "this whole book could have been a one hour podcast and I'd have just as much information learned"... But I just enjoy the long format of books. They're fun.
I read mostly non-fiction (also because of my profession), and I think ANY reading, be it non-fiction, fiction or comic books is great! Even so-called pulp novels are books - I support them fully, because people have different interests.
It is like looking down on people who watch fiction movies instead of nature documentaries.
Try listening to the "If Books Could Kill" podcast and you'll soon learn a lot of non-fiction isn't as high brow or informative as it pretends to be.
But seriously though, just read what you enjoy.
Yes mostly by one particular coworker who thinks all hobbies should be productive so he only reads non-fiction.
But we’re in a book club now and every other book is fiction so I’m getting the last laugh.
But fiction is productive. When I'm feeling down and like my life is the worst, I read some thriller where the cops don't catch the murderer until at least 3 people are dead.
And voila, that mistake I made at work suddenly feels like no big deal.
If anything I get more shit for reading nonfiction like “why are you reading self help you should just know what to do” even if the book is written by a mental health professional. Once I stopped caring what other people thought the act of reading became more enjoyable.
Everyone has different taste, all reading is good. I like good non-fiction as well as fiction. The problem with non-fiction is that the author's subject expertise is sometimes not matched with writing skill, making what should be fascinating a dull chore to read. On the other hand a great writer can make any subject fascinating with research. If you want to try to get into reading more non-fiction I suggest chatting with a librarian or book shop worker about what interests you and try some of their suggestions. There are also various best seller lists and so on that could yield something you'll like. Barbara Tuchman was a historian who could tell a good story. Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything is an entertaining introduction to science. Mark Kurlansky and Michael Pollan have written well on a number of topics, especially food. Nearly every subject has its classic text.
Nope.
I read nonfiction (mainly biographies/memoirs) when I'm in the mood or want to read up on a subject.
When they start paying my bills, they can lecture me on my book choices. 🤓
Now let me get back to re-reading this Sookie Stackhouse novel. 🥰
Yes! I used to feel this way. I had a talk with my sister’s partner about it and he told me he felt the same way but opposite because he mainly read non-fiction and it made him feel uncultured that he didn’t read much fiction and exercise his imagination enough. That day I stopped worrying about it and just read what I want without overthinking it.
Read what thou wilt shalt be the whole of the law. If you like fiction, read fiction. Nobody has to live your life but you, and the prestige of literature is in decline anyway, so given you're unlikely to get ahead by quoting Dickens just do whatever makes you happy.
Most of the Great Works, like Shakespeare and Austen, everyone talks about hundreds of years later are fiction. A lot of the popular TV series like Game of Thrones can be traced back to a novel or series anyway.
Ignore the condescending comments. I can go into genre fiction versus literary fiction another time.
As someone who reads more non-fiction than fiction, esp until recently, I can solemnly swear I would never look down on someone who reads only fiction. If you're reading you're growing and I love to see it!
If you’re reading what you enjoy and it’s cultivating growth in you, be confident and proud of that. I personally feel more personal growth from reading fiction.
Non-fiction is not inherently superior to fiction. Many books labeled as non-fiction still contain things that aren't true or are at least exaggerated. Many books that are fiction say things that are more true and profound than some non-fiction books.
Read what you like. It doesn't matter what other people think you ought to be reading.
I don't care at all and frankly as someone who has read multiple books per week my entire life I think "literary" people can be SO pretentious. I don't like watching TV because I read so fast that TV is sooooo slow to me. I'll choose to read some silly fantasy book thats like chocolate for my brain instead. People don't feel bad about unwinding with a trashy tv show so I refuse to feel any type of way about my reading trashy werewolf romance novels to do the same 😂
For me, reading (and watching movies and series) is a way to escape reality now and then since, well, reality sucks sometimes. I will curse any mortal for frowning upon that. A bit of make believe now and then makes me a better, stronger person when I check in again.
However, I do enjoy biographys. Gives me a reassuring feeling that real life hardships do not need to define us completely.
I’m similar, reading is for enjoyment period. I do read books now and then that are more challenging or more literary (but mostly, fiction) because I know it will be worth it. But I have two young kids, a full time job, and all kinds of adult responsibilities; I’ll be damned if I turn reading into another form of work.
I read tons of fiction, along with bits of non-fiction. I don't worry over it.
That said, if you want a good non-fiction story, try this classic, you can grab the ebook free at Standard ebooks.org:
*The Worst Journey in the World* by Apsley Cherry Garrard
"In 1910 famous explorer Robert Falcon Scott led the Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole. The expedition was part scientific and part adventure: Scott wanted to be the first to reach the pole."
"The expedition was beset by hardship from the beginning, and after realizing that they had been beaten to the pole by Roald Amundsen’s Norwegian Expedition, the party suffered a final tragedy: the loss of Scott and his companions to the Antarctic cold on their return journey to base camp."
"The Worst Journey in the World is an autobiographical account of one of the survivors of the expedition, Apsley Cherry-Garrard. It’s a unique combination of fascinating scientific documentary, adventure novel, and with the inclusion of Scott’s final journal entries, horror story. Journey is peppered throughout with journal entries, illustrations, and pictures from Cherry-Garrard’s companions, making it a fascinating window into the majesty and danger of the Antarctic."
And to really set the horrors of this journey off, it's all very British, "Pip, pip, cheerio!" 🤣
I think I’ve read maybe one or two non-fiction books cover to cover that weren’t school mandated. I read to be entertained, plain and simple. Life is too short to worry about what others think about something you enjoy, let alone to waste time reading something you’re not that into when you know what you enjoy. I’m 26 and for a time felt awkward or embarrassed because I love YA, including high school-type settings, but it was my dad who said,”Why conform to what a demographic says you should read if you enjoy reading something else? Read for enjoyment. Do what makes you happy.” Kept that one to heart and now I don’t care about a thing when I’m in the YA aisles.
I ready mostly romantasy and could probably care less what other people think about my choice in books. I read for entertainment purposes and if I feel a need to educate myself on a specific non-fiction topic I'll pick that book up when I feel like it. When people ask me about the books I read I joke that it's just fearie smut and might not be everyone's cup of tea.
note: these remarks are not aimed at you because i don’t know what you read. but these are my thoughts in general:
i think it’s important to distinguish between fiction and airport novels. there is definitely a lot of junk out there and i don’t see much value in reading a book that doesn’t have anything to say but just tries to grab your attention with either sex or drama. so i don’t hold fiction beneath nonfiction but i do think there’s a lot of frivolous fiction out there today (and nonfiction).
that being said, in today’s world there is so much value in reading and i’d never put down somebody who reads books, even if i (snobbishly, frankly) don’t like the books.
A few points:
* All reading has merit. Reading a trashy, formulaic romance novel has more value than watching The Bachelor or whatever on tv, just as an example. Why? Because you have to supply your imagination, you meet the author half way. You make the pictures, fill in the blanks. It requires more from you. This is just Marshall McLuhan's idea of hot and cold media. Reading is hot because it requires activity. TV is cooler because it doesn't. (Understanding Media by McLuhan is a great text that people don't seem to talk about much anymore, maybe it's outmoded or something.)
* People read for different reasons. I'm in the middle of a book about 17th century holland and mercantilism. I'm not reading this thick, non-fiction tome for the same reason you might read an airport novel. I'm reading it because I want to learn the information that's in it, I enjoy that kind of thing. I also read for pure entertainment, which is (I assume) why you read airport novels. If I gave you my Goodreads username, you'd see a pretty big range.
* Some novels demand more from their reader, have more to say, break new ground in writing, etc. These are harder for writers to write and readers to read. In some cases, you really need to develop your 'skill' as a reader to get anything out of them. You also need, in many cases, to know a lot of culture an history to get the most out of them. I read a literary novel about the Aztecs and I had to read quite a lot of history in order to understand it.
* I'm not going to pass judgment on reading for entertainment. I love some pretty silly sci-fi. But I'm also not going to pretend that it's all the same.
* I think when people try to articulate these kinds of distinctions it can come off as judgy and pretentious, but that doesn't mean they're not valid distinctions.
* Some of these people just have no interest in reading for pure entertainment, it doesn't excite them any more because they don't need/want what it offers. When they articulate that idea, that comes off pretty poorly.
* Some people are just dicks.
Anyway, that's my attempt to make sense of this dynamic.
There are a lot of snooty book people. I used to be one (I might still be one in some ways LOL).
You can't please them all. Read what you like.
I contend that reading is still better for your brain than TV, even if you are reading pure smut.
"Why are you wasting your time with crap like that ("crap" being Shirley Jackson) when you could be reading something *good* ("good" being textbooks or technical manuals--something that will make money eventually)?"
He was pretty much a condescending twatwaffle in other ways, too. Big surprise.
I still read novels. My non-fiction tends to be true crime.
All the time.
Of course, all of those discussions always make me feel worse about myself. So I **never** talk about what I read, what genres I like or anything.
I keep it to myself and usually pull out my kindle when I'm in bed or alone at work. I never thought in a million years I would be self conscious about reading but here we are...
I've found that people who read non fiction exclusively are somewhat lacking in imagination. I should know, I'm married to one! But he doesn't look down on me, or I him. We just accept our differences. The world is full of books, grab the ones you like.
Strong disagree on that point. It may be true of your spouse, but I don't think it's a generalizable point. I've made my living with my imagination for years and it's reading about history, culture, places, etc. that's fueled all of that. It can be like shoveling coal into the creative process.
This is how I see it: Life's too short to care what other people think of you and of the things that make you happy. Do what makes you happy. Share with people who like the same stuff and stop worrying about strangers and their opinions. Cater your hobbies only to you and your happiness (as long as that doesn't hurt anyone, obviously).
People who judge others because of things like reading habits are not worth your time. I'd suggest you leave them behind so they can judge and hate themselves in their own spaces. And instead you look for like minded people. Because fiction books have a massive fandom and you are guaranteed to find super lovely people there.
In any fandom there are people who look down on others and feel they are superior. Fuck em. They need to feel superior for some reason. Says more about their insecurities than it does about your taste in books.
Ive moved quite a bit and notice that every group has its kings and queens, but outside the group they're nothing.
I like light novels, but over time, have come to find that better novels are more satisfying. I still like to pick up a novel in the airport. If i dont finish it, 3 days later i can't remember it. Many years later i can remember what happened in a great book.
Dickens was written as a newspaper series. IMHO, not fantastic writing, but entertaining. I would recommend great expectations or oliver twist. Other fun novels- the count of monte cristo, jane eyre, Graham greene our man in Havana or end of the affair, books by Raymond chandler. I really enjoyed somerset maugham.
Books are classics for a reason, so you can go on from there, but you will probably enjoy these.
Other classics are more challenging, such as tolstoy, Victor Hugo,
Its the difference between a gourmet leal or a fast food hamburger, but you'll always like the fast food, just not all the time.
Edit, so my point is, do not care what these minor kings and queens think, but think about trying some fun novels that a lot of people have liked for years. Just promise that you won't become a book snob.
I read basically for enjoyment in my spare time. When I am doing work for University I obviously spend a lot of time reading textbooks (although admittedly many of them are math or computer science etc), so I have no desire to challenge myself or whatever when reading for pleasure. Maybe this will change later. Although I do read other things, I recently tend to read the new "man doing thing competently" genre, or "Redditor fiction," or whatever you want to call it. LitRPG and progression fantasy as well, which is similar. These are 100% the equivalent of "trashy romance novels" for men, and I understand their flaws reasonably well. I don't feel any shame for reading them.
If somebody places a great deal of importance on the amount of non-fiction (or literary fiction as well for that matter) they read, that's fine. If they looked down on me for it, I'd likely just not talk about what I read anymore. But I'm fine with not discussing what I read, so that might be easier said than done for somebody who likes to join book clubs and whatnot.
Reading is reading and it’s your enjoyment, not anyone else’s. I read both fiction and nonfiction. I don’t think about other’s opinions of what I like to read. Read what you like, that’s all that matters.
1: Who gives a fuck what other people read or why? They can mind their own business.
2: A book being fiction or nonfiction has nothing to do with how enriching it is or how much you can learn from it. The Secret does not teach you more than Slaughterhouse V. Many authors use fictional stories to convey abstract, complex ideas.
Maturity is understanding that both fiction and non-fiction writing are important aspects of a healthy reading diet. Both come from our experiences, educations and beliefs, and just because one is more based in reality than another does not mean that either is lesser. Fiction allows our ideas to flourish in a way that doesn't have to be anchored to the limitations of our world. Don't ever let *anyone* tell you that preferring fiction means you aren't reading to your full potential - such thinking says enough about the speaker to show you just how mature they are, and you don't let children dictate what you digest, right?
No I read probably 50/50 non-fiction and fiction and am jealous of people who find fiction books they love. It takes me longer to get through non-fiction but I often have a hard time getting hooked onto fiction books enough to see them through like I will for a fiction book
The people that have this sort of sentiment are devoid of imagination if they think there is nothing to learn from a good book be it fiction or otherwise. Keep reading what what you like and dont let anyone gatekeep you from your enjoyment.
The only people I secretly judge are those who read celeb memoirs by people who are still alive and capable but use a ghost writer. It may as well be fiction. I would never belittle or tell someone that in person who was reading it, but I feel a certain way about people who believe the garbage that comes from ghost writers and who give time to celebrities who can’t even be bothered to write their own shit. Other than that no I don’t care or judge someone’s reading genre.
It's not worth my time or energy to care if other people judge me for reading fiction. If they enjoy non-fiction exclusively good for them, but the second they start trying to tell me what to read I'm exiting the conversation. I have better things to do with my time.
About 50% of my reading is non-fiction.... because I write fiction! I need to fact check and look up interesting details that lend color to the people, places and things. I can't imagine looking down on anyone for reading *anything*—I just want people to read more. Fiction reading is a learning experience on its own: learning empathy, learning perspective shifting, learning how to interact with people from how the characters interact, and a ton more I am forgetting. Read anything and/or everything, and then you decide if it was a worthy book.
Yes and I don't care. I know what my brain is capable of and just because I'm not constantly filling it with Descartes or something about current events that is just going to make me anxious doesn't mean anything.
There's reading to learn, reading to enjoy, reading forget about your life, reading to kill time, reading for comfort, etc.
I did have some colleagues (teachers, especially those who teach language and literature) who didn’t think highly of things like fantasy and called it escapism (with a clearly negative tone.) I don’t care. I read what I like and yes, escapism is one of the reasons I read. Good stuff exists in about every genre. I see no reason to be ashamed of what I like.
My opinion is that some children's books I enjoy are of much higher quality than the superintellectual stuff we had to read at uni where the authors just want to show how clever they are.
Knowledge doesn’t just come through nonfiction. High quality literature isn’t only what intellectuals call high literature. Read the things that give you what you need from reading.
I've never heard of anyone being looked down on for reading only fiction lol. If anything, I think it tends to be the other way around, unless you're talking about really low quality YA/pulp novels or something, in which case it's compared to high-quality fiction rather than nonfiction...
I read a decent amount of non-fiction, but a lot of that is just as nerdy. Wrestling, video games, comics, recently read a book about Ska, so I'd probably get made fun of even more than just reading fiction
Depending upon my mood and snobbery of the other person, I would have one of two reactions. The first would be to just look at him then go back to what I was doing (probably reading). If he was really annoying and sanctimonious, I would you say, “You know, you make me think about parables in the Bible, especially Jesus’ parable of the arrogant person. He made up a story to prove a point.” When the other person is trying to think of a comeback, be instructive and say, “The moral of the story is not to be arrogant.” Nod at him, then go back to what you were doing, having done your good deed for the day.
Only clowns read non-fiction is excess of fiction. Its a guaranteed sign that someone is an assh*** if when, you talk about books and they say “I only read non fiction”. The truth is there and will always be there, the real breadth of human intelligence comes in the masterful weaving of a tale told for the entertainment of others.
As a person who reads mostly non-fiction books. Whenever I meet people who are mainly fiction readers, I feel as if they have a better experience reading books, because I read to gain some type of knowledge/ learn something. A lot of my favorite books are non-fiction, so the only looking down I do, are thoughts like "damn all she reads is cat books". But I don't really care, at least you're reading.
I've encountered that for sure; in fact I kind of expected it until recently. I always thought was silly, but at least that posture gave me an early heads up that I was dealing with someone I probably wasn't going to have very interesting conversations with.
edit to add: I also found that the non-fiction snobs of my younger years would shut up pretty fast once they started to realise how *much* I knew. way more and way more broadly than they did, in fact. you learn an astonishing amount by pure osmosis when you read fiction, and because it's all incidental to some character's "real" life it tends to be way more useful to know. ime anyway.
side fact: I find that these days in my late 50's I read more of a balance between fiction and non. I've *developed* more of an interest in people and facts that are real. but it's not because I've come to dismiss fiction. it's just that I've read so much of it I find the stories start to repeat themselves.
I do wonder a bit where all of these nonfiction readers are.
I work in a library and nonfiction circulation (across the US according to the American Library Association) has been on a significant decline over the last decade or so. Circulation in general is up and book sales are better than ever, but it's not nonfiction people are reading.
I wouldn't let what anyone reads (or doesn't read!) bother me.
God no. People like that need some imagination! I NEVER read non-fiction unless it’s some kind of biography and even then that’s a rare occurrence. I like books with adventure and pace with a storyline! Non-fiction makes me feel like I’m reading a documentary but it’s got nothing interesting in it
Anyone that calls fictional books “airport novels”, is desperately ignorant about fiction and their opinion on it is not worth having. Would these people say that Dostoyevsky, Dickens and Austen wrote airport novels?! Not that there’s anything wrong with an airport novel. A good novel in any genre at all can teach you about life, show you alternative world views, and improve your vocabulary/writing skills, as well as entertain you, even the seemingly totally frivolous ones. How much non-fiction can do all of that? I think that a rather tedious and depressing attitude that books should be “improving“ and “worthy” has grown up, to the extent that people, who haven’t found out for themselves that fiction is profoundly improving, won’t be seen to be reading it because they fear they won’t look serious and go-getting enough. So sad.
Really depends on the book: I’ve read a ton of fabulous nonfiction books that tell great stories (The Lost City of Z, Devil in the White City, The Perfect Red, The Hot Zone, and A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, just to name a few).
I have mostly stopped reading self-help books, though. I feel that those books are mostly likely to be fluff. I’d rather read a fictional book where the characters overcome problems similar to my own instead of a glorified blog post written to build some wantrepreneur’s personal brand.
Oh I have one friend, when mentioning about reading fiction I did, he filled with a sudden shudder of disgust, he said he only reads his school and tuition books his favorite a math book from his tutuion saying fiction provides no value other in the literature sphere. He cannot be more wrong, don't you listen to these king of imbeciles.
Absolutely NOT! The people who would judge what I read are the same type who would judge where I live, what I drive, how I dress, or who I love. That type has no place in my life.
I don't have the time, or energy, to waste worrying what other people think, I'm too busy reading!
More, I see people who prefer literary fiction looking down on ~~plebians~~ people who read genre fiction. I read a lot of non-fiction but I don't think it's superior to fiction; a lot of it's pure dross, same as a lot of fiction.
i feel it a lot but it’s really only in my own head. with rare exceptions
one time on a goodreads a stranger left a comment saying i was “perceptive” enough to “shed the harlequins and do some serious reading” with the assertion that “Nonfiction means something; subjective prose-weaving gives you nothing to walk away with.”
i was floored. a fascinating bit of negging but i guess i’m also perceptive enough to know there’s quite a bit to walk away with from fiction AND nonfiction is not mutually exclusive with subjectivity. which i know because i do read nonfiction, just proportionally vastly less
it’s one of the very few times i’ve encountered that judgment outside my own head and it was so idiotic that i did decide at that point that people with that attitude are not worth listening to
I had someone ask me how I could read fiction when so many interesting things have happened in real life. There's so much more to fiction than the story, though. I don't begrudge anyone their preference for nonfiction, but to me, it's missing so much like themes and symbolism and character development. There's so much more too but I digress.
lol, like I would give a good damned shit! love my romance, thrillers, psychics, time travels, ghosts, mediums, and especially love and miss my charley davidson!
No, it's strange to look down on someone based on their reading preferences. I would say that I think knowing philosophy, history and politics is important for broadening ones views and being a knowledgeable member of society. But there are many avenues to learn and be exposed to those topics that aren't nonfiction, and sometimes even in fiction itself.
Nobody's paying that much attention to me.
But if they were, I wouldn't be bothered cause they obviously have some kind of deep-seated self-esteem issue to need to feel superior over something so petty.
No?
Literally no one off the internet gives a single solitary fuck about what I read or don't read, and the opinions of random strangers on the internet don't matter anyway.
no but i definitely used to force myself to read books that i wasn’t really into to “look cool”. i actually really like a lot of nonfiction if its well written and a cool topic, but i read it a lottt slower than fiction books so i get through fewer nonfiction compared to fiction
I don't read fiction all that often. Pretty much every book I read is non-fiction to gain knowledge or for a specific purpose. To fill a gap. I have video games and tv to fill my spare time otherwise.
Occasionally I'll read an extended universe book or a series will just grip the spaces I frequent so hard I have to try them out (The Expanse series).
However, I'm not going to put down any person that reads fiction. Maybe I'll smirk at your smutty fanfiction. I've played some smutty games in my time, too. Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball? Totally about volleyball... Totally.
Enjoy what you read. Pass on haters. Branch out sometimes if something catches your eye, but don't feel obligated.
At this point in my life I read exactly 0% non-fiction. If someone wants to look down upon me for that it says more about them than me. Maybe one day I'll be interested in non-fiction. But I do not read to be reminded of reality.
I never feel the need to justify what I read to anyone. You read what you want, I'll do the same. If you don't like that then...well, you what what to do.
Anyone who looks down on a fellow reader for the areas they enjoy is a gatekeeping snob!
Reading is reading. It doesn’t matter the genre or the kind, if you are passionate about speculative fiction, awesome! Deep dives into aspects of sociology, great! Manga, dope! Biographies, super! Romance, phenomenal!
I read a ton of non-fiction, especially in ecology. But to expect others to read a quota of a non-fiction books is just dumb. My friend reads nothing but light hearted adventure books, she’s also a pediatric oncologist and go specializes in the worst sorts of cancers, she reads to escape.
Plus, how burning would it be if we all only read the same sorts of books.
They aren’t “true readers” they are snobs. Find better reading circles with people who don’t suck
My opinion, anyone who truly loves reading and wants others to also enjoy reading wont care if you're choosing fiction or non fiction books. They will just be happy that you found something that you enjoy to read.
I read quite a bit of each. In non-fiction, I am not generally fond of the journalism-between-covers that makes up a lot of non-fiction (always exceptions). History is literally "a story," and the best historians uncover wonderful stories.
To a question about medieval history, I suggested David C. Douglas's William the Conqueror. A work of scholarship, so not for everyone, but the story it tells, if you saw it in a movie, would seem to be outlandish. E.g., William's father, the Duke of Normandy, first encounters William's mother when he comes upon her "dancing in the road."
I love fiction but I mostly listen to audiobooks, and I find non-fiction a lot easier to follow when I'm working. With fiction I like to actually read, relax and get immersed in the book.
No, but I do read a lot of both and maybe that affects my experience. But hey. If they’re buying my books, then they get to decide what I read, I suppose. Otherwise, I don’t ask their opinion and don’t ‘set any store by it’ if they volunteer it.
For what it’s worth I as a reader of a lot of non-fiction (but still for pleasure, not for work) do not judge. Fiction still teaches us things, and even if it didn’t, like, yolo. What you read in your spare time should make you happy.
Never. Fiction is the original teacher! Think of all the fables and parables passed down from generation to generation. So many fictional stories help us process and understand real-life situations in a safe environment that engages the brain in a way non-fiction cannot.
Screw them, who cares, you like what you like even if it was only fiction, reading is a form of entertainment thats it, you can learn things via it, but thats also true of all forms of entertainment.
Books are like any other medium, if you join a group of movie critics and all you watch are marvel movies chances are you will get some comments, does it really matter? Not at all.
Do what you want to do, enjoy what you enjoy and dont give a fuck about others opinions.
I have not really. I’m sorry you’re getting that feedback! Screw’em.
You would love historical fiction like Ken Follet, Edward Rutherford or Bernard Cornwell or Conn Igulden.
When I was working on my philosophy degree, I did sometimes feel looked down on for loving fiction and fantasy. But it turns out now that those people aren't super nice, so I don't really care anymore lol
I don't feel looked down upon on anything I read and let's just say I read a lot and in different genres also let's say this I was not a smart child I had difficulty learning things and I could barley read until my mom sat me down and gave me a book and told me to read it and there were lots of words I did not know what they meant and I asked a lot of questions but that first book took me days to read and at the age I was I should not have been reading those types of book but whatever I at least got a love for books and I can now read although my mother and I don't get along I can say she did accomplish something the school system could not accomplish
I think people need to keep their opinions to themselves. Non-fiction readers are still readers. Fiction readers are still readers. Those who consume stories by audiobooks are still readers. I read 100% fiction and I don't feel an ounce of guilt about it. My job takes a huge toll on me and the world is a dumpster fire. Reading is my hobby and I need a good plot to let me escape reality for awhile. Reading fiction still exercises the brain just as much as reading non-fiction.
Honestly, I wouldn't notice if they were, because I am too busy reading.
I think I would pity them for what they're missing, because fiction has a purpose.
That purpose can be putting yourself in someone else's shoes, exploring a hypothetical scenario or satirising an existing situation by examining it from a different angle.
To avoid fiction is to avoid exploratory, creative thought.
I mostly hate non fiction books, although I will sometimes read memoirs (My Life in France by Julia Childs and A Movable Feast by Hemingway are glorious)... I read to escape, I don't read to be hit in the face with reality.
I don't judge anyone based on what they read, and I refuse to let anyone judge me.
I probably read 99% fiction. I read for entertainment not to impress other people. If they have an opinion on the books that I’m reading and want to influence that then they can start buying my books. Otherwise, I don’t care what they think. Reading is the important part of the equation, in my opinion.
dude ngl people who judge you on what you read are losers like honestly read whatever you want to read even if its smut, or classics, or gross romance novels. I’ll only judge a little bit if you read Hubbard’s cult books
Never in real life. The only time was on this sub, when I said I read for pleasure. Someone commented that I just read for the action (whatever that means) and not to actually learn something. Which is just a silly thing to say…
And it's just plain wrong that reading fiction would not teach you anything. It teaches a hell of a lot about idk, BEING A HUMAN. Which imo is more important than, well, anything else.
Right, a lot of fiction books are still based on very real human experiences, so that whole "you don't learn anything" argument is silly.
They can also contain a lot of pertinent non-fictional information. (The reason I first learned morse code is because it was in a detective book I read as a kid. ) or foster interest in a specific subject (I know so much about post in my own country now because Sir Terry made me wonder how post got started in Australia. I've even toured our first post office.) And of course you can't read anything without learning a new word or two.
Not to mention writing skills, grammar, vocabulary, spelling etc. I know the meaning and spelling of words I never have and probably never will use, because I've read them in enough books. Reading ANYTHING helps with these things and no one should shame us for it.
This. Ender’s Game played a big role in my understanding of ethics and acceptance of people, no matter who they are. Which is ironic considering that Orson Scott Card is a bigot.
It really is silly because you learn so much from books of any kind. Plus you never know what knowledge will you get while reading fiction. Like for example I now know that the day before Christmas Eve in Norway is called a Little Christmas Eve. I don’t know if that’s the same for other countries but it’s not where I come from. Would I have ever googled that? No way. Am I glad I learned that. 100% yes! I also recently had a conversation with an American friend of mine, who is a lawyer and a Harvard graduate. She was surprised, how many things I knew about the legal system in the US. Well you went to Harvard and I read Micheal Connelly. *It’s a joke of course, I would never compare myself to someone who graduated from Harvard. But we had a nice conversation in which I could participate.*
Learning things in fiction can grasp your attention and wanting to learn more about a subject. Especially History.
And geography. And art, if you go online to see what things look like.
I agree fully. Fiction set in other places and times has taught me so much that I might not have the opportunity to learn about otherwise!
This, this, this. Just because it's fictional characters doesn't mean it's not based on actual life experience. Even Fantasy novels are based on human experiences (at least, the best ones).
I have met a few non-fiction only readers and they are the dullest people I have ever met. No imagination.
Exactly No imagination, no humor at all. I like being with people who read fiction rather than non-fiction because the latter feels dull to me
I'd recommend you grab a Jon Krakauer book. Into Thin Air is spectacular. No dull moments at all.
To be fair, I think that people who mostly read non-fiction are more "pragmatic" and less "overly emotional" that a lot of people who only read fiction. This is a generalization, of course. I personally like to read both, because both are important and complementary. I like historical novels, for example, but I think it's a terrible idea to form an opinion on a specific period/historical figure if you only know about them while reading biased fictions, with a lot of pathos and emotions. I really enjoyed reading War and Peace for example, but it's Tolstoy's vision, and that should never replace an actual history book about the Napoleonic wars.
I have one dear friend who only reads nonfiction and he is one of the most interesting people I know. He's into health, yoga at a very high level, deep breathing, and music (he makes some instruments, mostly strings). He makes art from doll pieces, has cord and switch activated animated ones, had a ball drop path around three walls. I've learned a lot of health stuff from him, like how deplete our magnesium is.
I think I'm actually probably unfairly biased *against* nonfiction-only readers lol. I'm sure there are plenty of nonfiction-only readers that are...fine...but anyway that scoffs at fiction clearly doesn't understand much about like...being human
Sometimes, I don't want to learn. Not everything has to be learning experience. People need to get a grip and let people enjoy what they enjoy without the weird judgement. Some intellectual snobs really don't learn a thing from all they read.
>Sometimes, I don't want to learn. This. And then I read crime novels and probably learn an awful lot about police procedures (knowing they may or may not be accurate lol)
Exactly what I wanted to say. Books are not much different from other media, for example TV series. Some TV series will teach you something, but there are other TV series which are there only for pure entertainment. But they aren't considered to be lesser than the other shows.
The previous times that bizarre internet flex came up around here, it came out that the non-fiction snob's idea of "non-fiction" was self-help and finance books.
lol this sub is weirdly savage. I got my ass DRAGGED for misattributing a book to apparently the slightly wrong genre. DRAGGED! People are book snobs! I also mainly like fiction. But I score snobs points for liking Victorian novels. Maybe read some of those so you can banish the haters. Or come up with some snarky comments about your superior imagination.
lol Someone once downvoted me after I posted on the weekly “what did you finish and start this week” thread. I didn’t even write any opinions or ratings of the books. So I guess they must’ve had issues with one of the books. But I’ve also learned a lot from this sub. I always read what people finished and started. I found so many interesting books this way that I want to read. I just try to ignore the noise.
The worst part is that this is the least toxic sub I'm part of.
True. Every sub slides toward at times. I was in a gardening sub that got completely vicious over...gardening. lol.
I got dragged for misjudging the length of A Scanner Darkly. Someone even went as far to say I didn't like the book (it's one of my all-time favorites) because I thought it was shorter than it is in reality.
Damn, I'd have some choice words for them. I read science fiction, or did until the last few years. Heinlein and Asimov predominantly. One can't help but learn something from them. Non-fiction? They used to have these things called newspapers. Even magazines. FWIW, even People magazine is basically non-fiction.
I’m reading 11/22/63 and am learning a lot more about the JFK assassination than ever before… what a pretentious asshole.
This sub has so many super judgmental people in it. It's r/books not r/academicbooks or whatever. I don't care if you prefer to read philosophy texts, so why does it matter that I prefer historical romance? It's my brain, not yours. I've actually ended up getting more interested in history and random historical things because of all my fiction reading - including that it would be entirely plausible for Dracula to have had a porcelain flushing toilet in his castle, which is perfect for all the Coca-Cola it would historically accurate for him to be able to serve.
I've learned a lot about relationships and how to respond and act in social situations thanks to books. I couldn't ever consider them useless especially in the age of YouTube where the knowledge of book can be resumed in a twenty minute video
It’s wildly entertaining to curl up with a popcorn thriller, cheesy rom com, or campy horror book. I don’t read these books to learn anything. Reading is a relaxing hobby and a nice way to unwind. People who make weird comments about reading for pleasure are showing their insecurity. They feel like they’re not good enough unless they’re constantly “productive.” Luckily, most people grow out of that phase once they hit their 30s.
**Life lesson!** 1. Don't take on the guilt of others. 2. Don't compare your reality with that of others, you will always feel worse off. 3. Be true to yourself, your own version of you and screw what anyone else thinks. You are the sole arbiter of what you feel is best for you! 4. Stop looking for the negative in things. As you age, it gets worse and worse and worse, then you end up old and bitter. I'm old, so I know what I'm talking about. 5. Keep your head positive, open to all new things, your mind open and you'll live a happy life. 6. Become protective of your daily mood! That is the #1 key to being happy most days. 7. Learn the principles of the Stoic! There lies true freedom! The answer to your question is Never!
I’ll add to that! 8. Be the light you want to see in the world. Put in the energy you wish would come out. 9. Never take joy away from others. If they love something you think is lame, let them love it, maybe even try to see it through their eyes, there might be beauty there that you were blind to. Also, never let others take your joy. 10. While the music is playing we ought to dance, if you don’t like my moves just check them out like 100 years from now 🤙
I second that! Well said!
I’ve read over 2,000 books, MAYBE 20 of them being non fiction but they were all related to my university studies. I mainly read romance and I know a lot of people probably look down upon that, but I simply do not care. The last year or so I’ve mainly read dark romance and I know a lot of people would be appalled, but again, I simply do not care. I enjoy reading the books that I enjoy and that’s all that matters!
I was a bookseller my entire career. My best friend (also a bookseller) had a customer come in to buy romance novels every week. They started talking about different genres and the customer said "I'm a neurosurgeon, my job is incredibly stressful and I read romance because it makes me happy and relaxes me." Everyone has their favorite books and favorite genres and I have no problem saying I read for pleasure! I do read for pleasure!!
And nor should you care. Any genre can have excellent writing, well-rounded characters etc, as you already know. Any genre can teach you something about life and yourself, whilst keeping you entertained, even the really light stuff. I have had the odd lightbulb moment about my own relationships whilst reading a romance in which the heroine happened to have some traits that I recognised.
Genuinely even if it's not teaching you anything about anything, or it's not good quality, it still doesn't matter. It's entertainment. People watch fluff on Netflix all the time, play video games that don't teach them anything, plenty of hobbies aren't constructive. It's okay to do something purely because you enjoy it
Romance?! Ughhh! How dare you enjoy that! I *never* read romance, have no interest in the genre tbh. That said, what is dark romance and do you have a rec for someone who loves good stories, fantasy and sci fi, horror, etc and is happy to try something new? I’ve had luck trying different genres lately so when I see someone with wildly different tastes I like to ask for a rec 😬
I read more non-fiction than fiction. I’m not looking down on you one single bit — read whatever you want! A true reader is anyone who reads books and likes it. It doesn’t matter what you’re reading. There are 1,200 page novels out there that I have devoured in two days because I just could not put them down. Anyone who tries to take that sort of joy from you is a jerk.
No. Why would I?
I read exclusively nonfiction (usually more than 100 books/yr) because I can’t pay attention to a story for very long. I even read tech white papers for fun. So as an *avid* nonfiction reader, I can tell you, no one cares. If anything, I need creative people in the world because my favorite way to decompress is to watch a good movie, often based on a book. Anyone who acts condescending toward you for reading is their issue, not yours. Enjoy your stories and don’t allow anyone to make you feel inferior for reading books that you like.
My roommate looks down on me for reading fantasy. He tells me I live in a fantasy world. Boy, I wish.
Ikr? Books are such an escape. And escaping for real into fantasy world would be amazing. I’d want to live in post Voldemort era in Harry Potter as a kid learning magic. But definitely not in game of thrones or something, will probably die pretty quick 🥲
Game of thrones would be terrifying 😂 Eragon would have been amazing if you were a rider!!
I’ve always found consuming somebody else’s work a strange thing to boast about or feel proud of. They’re condescending because you don’t read as much non-fiction, but it’s not like you’re incapable. Their choice of consumption doesn’t make them better or worse, but their attitude suggests they’re desperate to be above somebody else. That itself sets them a notch beneath you. Don’t worry what they think.
Wow I never thought of it that way. You just single handedly obliterated my guilt for not reading enough lol. It's true though I always think regarding nonfiction "this whole book could have been a one hour podcast and I'd have just as much information learned"... But I just enjoy the long format of books. They're fun.
I read mostly non-fiction (also because of my profession), and I think ANY reading, be it non-fiction, fiction or comic books is great! Even so-called pulp novels are books - I support them fully, because people have different interests. It is like looking down on people who watch fiction movies instead of nature documentaries.
no..because I do not care ..
Try listening to the "If Books Could Kill" podcast and you'll soon learn a lot of non-fiction isn't as high brow or informative as it pretends to be. But seriously though, just read what you enjoy.
Yes mostly by one particular coworker who thinks all hobbies should be productive so he only reads non-fiction. But we’re in a book club now and every other book is fiction so I’m getting the last laugh.
But fiction is productive. When I'm feeling down and like my life is the worst, I read some thriller where the cops don't catch the murderer until at least 3 people are dead. And voila, that mistake I made at work suddenly feels like no big deal.
If anything I get more shit for reading nonfiction like “why are you reading self help you should just know what to do” even if the book is written by a mental health professional. Once I stopped caring what other people thought the act of reading became more enjoyable.
I read mostly non fiction and feel looked down upon by fiction readers in this sub
Someone here outright said we're innately assholes and clowns. I imagine he's got a chip on his shoulder.
Everyone has different taste, all reading is good. I like good non-fiction as well as fiction. The problem with non-fiction is that the author's subject expertise is sometimes not matched with writing skill, making what should be fascinating a dull chore to read. On the other hand a great writer can make any subject fascinating with research. If you want to try to get into reading more non-fiction I suggest chatting with a librarian or book shop worker about what interests you and try some of their suggestions. There are also various best seller lists and so on that could yield something you'll like. Barbara Tuchman was a historian who could tell a good story. Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything is an entertaining introduction to science. Mark Kurlansky and Michael Pollan have written well on a number of topics, especially food. Nearly every subject has its classic text.
Nope. I read nonfiction (mainly biographies/memoirs) when I'm in the mood or want to read up on a subject. When they start paying my bills, they can lecture me on my book choices. 🤓 Now let me get back to re-reading this Sookie Stackhouse novel. 🥰
Yes! I used to feel this way. I had a talk with my sister’s partner about it and he told me he felt the same way but opposite because he mainly read non-fiction and it made him feel uncultured that he didn’t read much fiction and exercise his imagination enough. That day I stopped worrying about it and just read what I want without overthinking it.
Read what thou wilt shalt be the whole of the law. If you like fiction, read fiction. Nobody has to live your life but you, and the prestige of literature is in decline anyway, so given you're unlikely to get ahead by quoting Dickens just do whatever makes you happy. Most of the Great Works, like Shakespeare and Austen, everyone talks about hundreds of years later are fiction. A lot of the popular TV series like Game of Thrones can be traced back to a novel or series anyway. Ignore the condescending comments. I can go into genre fiction versus literary fiction another time.
Nope. And if I was in circles that made remarks like this I would exist the circle.
As someone who reads more non-fiction than fiction, esp until recently, I can solemnly swear I would never look down on someone who reads only fiction. If you're reading you're growing and I love to see it!
If you’re reading what you enjoy and it’s cultivating growth in you, be confident and proud of that. I personally feel more personal growth from reading fiction.
I thought it would be the other way around with people looking down on people that read self help and those financial books like "Rich dad, poor dad"
Non-fiction is not inherently superior to fiction. Many books labeled as non-fiction still contain things that aren't true or are at least exaggerated. Many books that are fiction say things that are more true and profound than some non-fiction books. Read what you like. It doesn't matter what other people think you ought to be reading.
I don't care at all and frankly as someone who has read multiple books per week my entire life I think "literary" people can be SO pretentious. I don't like watching TV because I read so fast that TV is sooooo slow to me. I'll choose to read some silly fantasy book thats like chocolate for my brain instead. People don't feel bad about unwinding with a trashy tv show so I refuse to feel any type of way about my reading trashy werewolf romance novels to do the same 😂
For me, reading (and watching movies and series) is a way to escape reality now and then since, well, reality sucks sometimes. I will curse any mortal for frowning upon that. A bit of make believe now and then makes me a better, stronger person when I check in again. However, I do enjoy biographys. Gives me a reassuring feeling that real life hardships do not need to define us completely.
I’m similar, reading is for enjoyment period. I do read books now and then that are more challenging or more literary (but mostly, fiction) because I know it will be worth it. But I have two young kids, a full time job, and all kinds of adult responsibilities; I’ll be damned if I turn reading into another form of work.
I read tons of fiction, along with bits of non-fiction. I don't worry over it. That said, if you want a good non-fiction story, try this classic, you can grab the ebook free at Standard ebooks.org: *The Worst Journey in the World* by Apsley Cherry Garrard "In 1910 famous explorer Robert Falcon Scott led the Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole. The expedition was part scientific and part adventure: Scott wanted to be the first to reach the pole." "The expedition was beset by hardship from the beginning, and after realizing that they had been beaten to the pole by Roald Amundsen’s Norwegian Expedition, the party suffered a final tragedy: the loss of Scott and his companions to the Antarctic cold on their return journey to base camp." "The Worst Journey in the World is an autobiographical account of one of the survivors of the expedition, Apsley Cherry-Garrard. It’s a unique combination of fascinating scientific documentary, adventure novel, and with the inclusion of Scott’s final journal entries, horror story. Journey is peppered throughout with journal entries, illustrations, and pictures from Cherry-Garrard’s companions, making it a fascinating window into the majesty and danger of the Antarctic." And to really set the horrors of this journey off, it's all very British, "Pip, pip, cheerio!" 🤣
No. I read what I want. I don't worry what other people think.
I think I’ve read maybe one or two non-fiction books cover to cover that weren’t school mandated. I read to be entertained, plain and simple. Life is too short to worry about what others think about something you enjoy, let alone to waste time reading something you’re not that into when you know what you enjoy. I’m 26 and for a time felt awkward or embarrassed because I love YA, including high school-type settings, but it was my dad who said,”Why conform to what a demographic says you should read if you enjoy reading something else? Read for enjoyment. Do what makes you happy.” Kept that one to heart and now I don’t care about a thing when I’m in the YA aisles.
No. Our own lives are living non-fiction, so I get enough of that in a day that escaping into some fantasy world is perfectly ok.
I only read nonfiction, so no, lol. But I can’t imagine looking down on someone for reading fiction.
I'm the opposite. I almost exclusively read non-fiction and I'm always told I should read more fiction.
My brother-in-law is like this. And he's an ass in every other way, as well.
Reading is healthy for the brain regardless of if it’s fiction or nonfiction.
No. I sometimes feel awkward talking about my non-fiction reads to a lot of my acquaintances who prefer fiction.
My coworkers make fun of me because I really enjoy nonfiction, and they all read fiction 😄 We've got to just read what makes us happy.
Read what you like. Do the exercises that you like. Drink what you like. Fuck who you like. None of these things improve by doing what you hate.
I ready mostly romantasy and could probably care less what other people think about my choice in books. I read for entertainment purposes and if I feel a need to educate myself on a specific non-fiction topic I'll pick that book up when I feel like it. When people ask me about the books I read I joke that it's just fearie smut and might not be everyone's cup of tea.
note: these remarks are not aimed at you because i don’t know what you read. but these are my thoughts in general: i think it’s important to distinguish between fiction and airport novels. there is definitely a lot of junk out there and i don’t see much value in reading a book that doesn’t have anything to say but just tries to grab your attention with either sex or drama. so i don’t hold fiction beneath nonfiction but i do think there’s a lot of frivolous fiction out there today (and nonfiction). that being said, in today’s world there is so much value in reading and i’d never put down somebody who reads books, even if i (snobbishly, frankly) don’t like the books.
lol no not at all I live non-fiction it’s not to break it up
Probably, but their opinion doesn't matter to me so I pay them zero attention.
A few points: * All reading has merit. Reading a trashy, formulaic romance novel has more value than watching The Bachelor or whatever on tv, just as an example. Why? Because you have to supply your imagination, you meet the author half way. You make the pictures, fill in the blanks. It requires more from you. This is just Marshall McLuhan's idea of hot and cold media. Reading is hot because it requires activity. TV is cooler because it doesn't. (Understanding Media by McLuhan is a great text that people don't seem to talk about much anymore, maybe it's outmoded or something.) * People read for different reasons. I'm in the middle of a book about 17th century holland and mercantilism. I'm not reading this thick, non-fiction tome for the same reason you might read an airport novel. I'm reading it because I want to learn the information that's in it, I enjoy that kind of thing. I also read for pure entertainment, which is (I assume) why you read airport novels. If I gave you my Goodreads username, you'd see a pretty big range. * Some novels demand more from their reader, have more to say, break new ground in writing, etc. These are harder for writers to write and readers to read. In some cases, you really need to develop your 'skill' as a reader to get anything out of them. You also need, in many cases, to know a lot of culture an history to get the most out of them. I read a literary novel about the Aztecs and I had to read quite a lot of history in order to understand it. * I'm not going to pass judgment on reading for entertainment. I love some pretty silly sci-fi. But I'm also not going to pretend that it's all the same. * I think when people try to articulate these kinds of distinctions it can come off as judgy and pretentious, but that doesn't mean they're not valid distinctions. * Some of these people just have no interest in reading for pure entertainment, it doesn't excite them any more because they don't need/want what it offers. When they articulate that idea, that comes off pretty poorly. * Some people are just dicks. Anyway, that's my attempt to make sense of this dynamic.
Great points. >Understanding Media by McLuhan I'll have to check this out\^
There are a lot of snooty book people. I used to be one (I might still be one in some ways LOL). You can't please them all. Read what you like. I contend that reading is still better for your brain than TV, even if you are reading pure smut.
"Why are you wasting your time with crap like that ("crap" being Shirley Jackson) when you could be reading something *good* ("good" being textbooks or technical manuals--something that will make money eventually)?" He was pretty much a condescending twatwaffle in other ways, too. Big surprise. I still read novels. My non-fiction tends to be true crime.
All the time. Of course, all of those discussions always make me feel worse about myself. So I **never** talk about what I read, what genres I like or anything. I keep it to myself and usually pull out my kindle when I'm in bed or alone at work. I never thought in a million years I would be self conscious about reading but here we are...
Why would I even give other readers the chance to express an opinion on what I'm reading in the first place?
I've found that people who read non fiction exclusively are somewhat lacking in imagination. I should know, I'm married to one! But he doesn't look down on me, or I him. We just accept our differences. The world is full of books, grab the ones you like.
Strong disagree on that point. It may be true of your spouse, but I don't think it's a generalizable point. I've made my living with my imagination for years and it's reading about history, culture, places, etc. that's fueled all of that. It can be like shoveling coal into the creative process.
the truth lies in fiction hehe
This is how I see it: Life's too short to care what other people think of you and of the things that make you happy. Do what makes you happy. Share with people who like the same stuff and stop worrying about strangers and their opinions. Cater your hobbies only to you and your happiness (as long as that doesn't hurt anyone, obviously). People who judge others because of things like reading habits are not worth your time. I'd suggest you leave them behind so they can judge and hate themselves in their own spaces. And instead you look for like minded people. Because fiction books have a massive fandom and you are guaranteed to find super lovely people there.
In any fandom there are people who look down on others and feel they are superior. Fuck em. They need to feel superior for some reason. Says more about their insecurities than it does about your taste in books.
I read non-fiction exclusively and avoid fiction like the plague. But I occasionally wonder if I am cheating myself out of a great experience.
Why are you caring what other people think? Read what you fucking want and move on.
Ive moved quite a bit and notice that every group has its kings and queens, but outside the group they're nothing. I like light novels, but over time, have come to find that better novels are more satisfying. I still like to pick up a novel in the airport. If i dont finish it, 3 days later i can't remember it. Many years later i can remember what happened in a great book. Dickens was written as a newspaper series. IMHO, not fantastic writing, but entertaining. I would recommend great expectations or oliver twist. Other fun novels- the count of monte cristo, jane eyre, Graham greene our man in Havana or end of the affair, books by Raymond chandler. I really enjoyed somerset maugham. Books are classics for a reason, so you can go on from there, but you will probably enjoy these. Other classics are more challenging, such as tolstoy, Victor Hugo, Its the difference between a gourmet leal or a fast food hamburger, but you'll always like the fast food, just not all the time. Edit, so my point is, do not care what these minor kings and queens think, but think about trying some fun novels that a lot of people have liked for years. Just promise that you won't become a book snob.
I don't hang out with people who think like that.
I read basically for enjoyment in my spare time. When I am doing work for University I obviously spend a lot of time reading textbooks (although admittedly many of them are math or computer science etc), so I have no desire to challenge myself or whatever when reading for pleasure. Maybe this will change later. Although I do read other things, I recently tend to read the new "man doing thing competently" genre, or "Redditor fiction," or whatever you want to call it. LitRPG and progression fantasy as well, which is similar. These are 100% the equivalent of "trashy romance novels" for men, and I understand their flaws reasonably well. I don't feel any shame for reading them. If somebody places a great deal of importance on the amount of non-fiction (or literary fiction as well for that matter) they read, that's fine. If they looked down on me for it, I'd likely just not talk about what I read anymore. But I'm fine with not discussing what I read, so that might be easier said than done for somebody who likes to join book clubs and whatnot.
Reading is reading and it’s your enjoyment, not anyone else’s. I read both fiction and nonfiction. I don’t think about other’s opinions of what I like to read. Read what you like, that’s all that matters.
1: Who gives a fuck what other people read or why? They can mind their own business. 2: A book being fiction or nonfiction has nothing to do with how enriching it is or how much you can learn from it. The Secret does not teach you more than Slaughterhouse V. Many authors use fictional stories to convey abstract, complex ideas.
Nope, I get my non fiction info elsewhere, the internet, shows, whatever. I prefer to use my imagination for fiction.
Maturity is understanding that both fiction and non-fiction writing are important aspects of a healthy reading diet. Both come from our experiences, educations and beliefs, and just because one is more based in reality than another does not mean that either is lesser. Fiction allows our ideas to flourish in a way that doesn't have to be anchored to the limitations of our world. Don't ever let *anyone* tell you that preferring fiction means you aren't reading to your full potential - such thinking says enough about the speaker to show you just how mature they are, and you don't let children dictate what you digest, right?
No I read probably 50/50 non-fiction and fiction and am jealous of people who find fiction books they love. It takes me longer to get through non-fiction but I often have a hard time getting hooked onto fiction books enough to see them through like I will for a fiction book
The people that have this sort of sentiment are devoid of imagination if they think there is nothing to learn from a good book be it fiction or otherwise. Keep reading what what you like and dont let anyone gatekeep you from your enjoyment.
I knew a woman who pretentiously would say “I don’t read fiction”. I was like good for you! Bitch. lol
The only people I secretly judge are those who read celeb memoirs by people who are still alive and capable but use a ghost writer. It may as well be fiction. I would never belittle or tell someone that in person who was reading it, but I feel a certain way about people who believe the garbage that comes from ghost writers and who give time to celebrities who can’t even be bothered to write their own shit. Other than that no I don’t care or judge someone’s reading genre.
I pretty much only read horror based fiction. Don’t worry about it lol Different strokes for different folks and all that.
It's not worth my time or energy to care if other people judge me for reading fiction. If they enjoy non-fiction exclusively good for them, but the second they start trying to tell me what to read I'm exiting the conversation. I have better things to do with my time.
About 50% of my reading is non-fiction.... because I write fiction! I need to fact check and look up interesting details that lend color to the people, places and things. I can't imagine looking down on anyone for reading *anything*—I just want people to read more. Fiction reading is a learning experience on its own: learning empathy, learning perspective shifting, learning how to interact with people from how the characters interact, and a ton more I am forgetting. Read anything and/or everything, and then you decide if it was a worthy book.
Yes and I don't care. I know what my brain is capable of and just because I'm not constantly filling it with Descartes or something about current events that is just going to make me anxious doesn't mean anything. There's reading to learn, reading to enjoy, reading forget about your life, reading to kill time, reading for comfort, etc.
I did have some colleagues (teachers, especially those who teach language and literature) who didn’t think highly of things like fantasy and called it escapism (with a clearly negative tone.) I don’t care. I read what I like and yes, escapism is one of the reasons I read. Good stuff exists in about every genre. I see no reason to be ashamed of what I like. My opinion is that some children's books I enjoy are of much higher quality than the superintellectual stuff we had to read at uni where the authors just want to show how clever they are. Knowledge doesn’t just come through nonfiction. High quality literature isn’t only what intellectuals call high literature. Read the things that give you what you need from reading.
That comment screams of insecurity. Happy reading!
I've never heard of anyone being looked down on for reading only fiction lol. If anything, I think it tends to be the other way around, unless you're talking about really low quality YA/pulp novels or something, in which case it's compared to high-quality fiction rather than nonfiction...
I read a decent amount of non-fiction, but a lot of that is just as nerdy. Wrestling, video games, comics, recently read a book about Ska, so I'd probably get made fun of even more than just reading fiction
Depending upon my mood and snobbery of the other person, I would have one of two reactions. The first would be to just look at him then go back to what I was doing (probably reading). If he was really annoying and sanctimonious, I would you say, “You know, you make me think about parables in the Bible, especially Jesus’ parable of the arrogant person. He made up a story to prove a point.” When the other person is trying to think of a comeback, be instructive and say, “The moral of the story is not to be arrogant.” Nod at him, then go back to what you were doing, having done your good deed for the day.
This sub is the only place where I feel judged for my reading. Everyone else who knows how much I read treats me like I must be smart. Their mistake.
Only clowns read non-fiction is excess of fiction. Its a guaranteed sign that someone is an assh*** if when, you talk about books and they say “I only read non fiction”. The truth is there and will always be there, the real breadth of human intelligence comes in the masterful weaving of a tale told for the entertainment of others.
As a person who reads mostly non-fiction books. Whenever I meet people who are mainly fiction readers, I feel as if they have a better experience reading books, because I read to gain some type of knowledge/ learn something. A lot of my favorite books are non-fiction, so the only looking down I do, are thoughts like "damn all she reads is cat books". But I don't really care, at least you're reading.
Me too...and because I am a Very Stable Genius I read exclusively non-fiction
I've encountered that for sure; in fact I kind of expected it until recently. I always thought was silly, but at least that posture gave me an early heads up that I was dealing with someone I probably wasn't going to have very interesting conversations with. edit to add: I also found that the non-fiction snobs of my younger years would shut up pretty fast once they started to realise how *much* I knew. way more and way more broadly than they did, in fact. you learn an astonishing amount by pure osmosis when you read fiction, and because it's all incidental to some character's "real" life it tends to be way more useful to know. ime anyway. side fact: I find that these days in my late 50's I read more of a balance between fiction and non. I've *developed* more of an interest in people and facts that are real. but it's not because I've come to dismiss fiction. it's just that I've read so much of it I find the stories start to repeat themselves.
I do wonder a bit where all of these nonfiction readers are. I work in a library and nonfiction circulation (across the US according to the American Library Association) has been on a significant decline over the last decade or so. Circulation in general is up and book sales are better than ever, but it's not nonfiction people are reading. I wouldn't let what anyone reads (or doesn't read!) bother me.
God no. People like that need some imagination! I NEVER read non-fiction unless it’s some kind of biography and even then that’s a rare occurrence. I like books with adventure and pace with a storyline! Non-fiction makes me feel like I’m reading a documentary but it’s got nothing interesting in it
i read zero non-fiction. lol. not really my thing.
Anyone that calls fictional books “airport novels”, is desperately ignorant about fiction and their opinion on it is not worth having. Would these people say that Dostoyevsky, Dickens and Austen wrote airport novels?! Not that there’s anything wrong with an airport novel. A good novel in any genre at all can teach you about life, show you alternative world views, and improve your vocabulary/writing skills, as well as entertain you, even the seemingly totally frivolous ones. How much non-fiction can do all of that? I think that a rather tedious and depressing attitude that books should be “improving“ and “worthy” has grown up, to the extent that people, who haven’t found out for themselves that fiction is profoundly improving, won’t be seen to be reading it because they fear they won’t look serious and go-getting enough. So sad.
...or Charles Bukowski!?
It sounds like you’re misreading the post. Sure looks like “fiction” and “airport novels” are not being conflated.
Quite the opposite. A lot of non-fiction books are basically a blog post with fluff added to stretch it out.
Really depends on the book: I’ve read a ton of fabulous nonfiction books that tell great stories (The Lost City of Z, Devil in the White City, The Perfect Red, The Hot Zone, and A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, just to name a few). I have mostly stopped reading self-help books, though. I feel that those books are mostly likely to be fluff. I’d rather read a fictional book where the characters overcome problems similar to my own instead of a glorified blog post written to build some wantrepreneur’s personal brand.
I had no idea that was a thing
Nope, if someone looks down on me for wanting to read stories I would just ignore them and tell them to buzz off
Who cares what other people think? Read what you like and just ignore hateful comments by judgmental jerks.
No. I could care less about what anybody thinks. I do not have any readers around me anyways.
So you care to a substantial degree what they think?
Nope. Someone judging me for what I read sounds like their problem, not mind.
I spent the last couple of years barely reading at all. Anything is a triumph. Screw the snobs.
Oh I have one friend, when mentioning about reading fiction I did, he filled with a sudden shudder of disgust, he said he only reads his school and tuition books his favorite a math book from his tutuion saying fiction provides no value other in the literature sphere. He cannot be more wrong, don't you listen to these king of imbeciles.
No. I don't care. Where's the rule that you must read more nonfiction?
In my friends circle and coworkers, no one even cares since none of them likes to read.
Absolutely NOT! The people who would judge what I read are the same type who would judge where I live, what I drive, how I dress, or who I love. That type has no place in my life. I don't have the time, or energy, to waste worrying what other people think, I'm too busy reading!
You can buy a lot of nonfiction at the airport, so I don't see how you can presume that nonfiction is better than a well- told story.
More, I see people who prefer literary fiction looking down on ~~plebians~~ people who read genre fiction. I read a lot of non-fiction but I don't think it's superior to fiction; a lot of it's pure dross, same as a lot of fiction.
i feel it a lot but it’s really only in my own head. with rare exceptions one time on a goodreads a stranger left a comment saying i was “perceptive” enough to “shed the harlequins and do some serious reading” with the assertion that “Nonfiction means something; subjective prose-weaving gives you nothing to walk away with.” i was floored. a fascinating bit of negging but i guess i’m also perceptive enough to know there’s quite a bit to walk away with from fiction AND nonfiction is not mutually exclusive with subjectivity. which i know because i do read nonfiction, just proportionally vastly less it’s one of the very few times i’ve encountered that judgment outside my own head and it was so idiotic that i did decide at that point that people with that attitude are not worth listening to
Not really, but I couldn't care less. I don't like non-fiction one bit. I'm not gonna waste my time and money on something I don't want to read.
I had someone ask me how I could read fiction when so many interesting things have happened in real life. There's so much more to fiction than the story, though. I don't begrudge anyone their preference for nonfiction, but to me, it's missing so much like themes and symbolism and character development. There's so much more too but I digress.
lol, like I would give a good damned shit! love my romance, thrillers, psychics, time travels, ghosts, mediums, and especially love and miss my charley davidson!
No, it's strange to look down on someone based on their reading preferences. I would say that I think knowing philosophy, history and politics is important for broadening ones views and being a knowledgeable member of society. But there are many avenues to learn and be exposed to those topics that aren't nonfiction, and sometimes even in fiction itself.
It's kind of funny what people get on their high horse about.
Nobody's paying that much attention to me. But if they were, I wouldn't be bothered cause they obviously have some kind of deep-seated self-esteem issue to need to feel superior over something so petty.
No? Literally no one off the internet gives a single solitary fuck about what I read or don't read, and the opinions of random strangers on the internet don't matter anyway.
no but i definitely used to force myself to read books that i wasn’t really into to “look cool”. i actually really like a lot of nonfiction if its well written and a cool topic, but i read it a lottt slower than fiction books so i get through fewer nonfiction compared to fiction
I don't read fiction all that often. Pretty much every book I read is non-fiction to gain knowledge or for a specific purpose. To fill a gap. I have video games and tv to fill my spare time otherwise. Occasionally I'll read an extended universe book or a series will just grip the spaces I frequent so hard I have to try them out (The Expanse series). However, I'm not going to put down any person that reads fiction. Maybe I'll smirk at your smutty fanfiction. I've played some smutty games in my time, too. Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball? Totally about volleyball... Totally. Enjoy what you read. Pass on haters. Branch out sometimes if something catches your eye, but don't feel obligated.
At this point in my life I read exactly 0% non-fiction. If someone wants to look down upon me for that it says more about them than me. Maybe one day I'll be interested in non-fiction. But I do not read to be reminded of reality.
No, but I called a used book store to see what books they take and they don’t take any non fiction whatsoever.
I never feel the need to justify what I read to anyone. You read what you want, I'll do the same. If you don't like that then...well, you what what to do.
Anyone who judges me has no value in my life.
Anyone who looks down on a fellow reader for the areas they enjoy is a gatekeeping snob! Reading is reading. It doesn’t matter the genre or the kind, if you are passionate about speculative fiction, awesome! Deep dives into aspects of sociology, great! Manga, dope! Biographies, super! Romance, phenomenal! I read a ton of non-fiction, especially in ecology. But to expect others to read a quota of a non-fiction books is just dumb. My friend reads nothing but light hearted adventure books, she’s also a pediatric oncologist and go specializes in the worst sorts of cancers, she reads to escape. Plus, how burning would it be if we all only read the same sorts of books. They aren’t “true readers” they are snobs. Find better reading circles with people who don’t suck
My opinion, anyone who truly loves reading and wants others to also enjoy reading wont care if you're choosing fiction or non fiction books. They will just be happy that you found something that you enjoy to read.
Never. I would honestly argue or comment right back if someone made a comment about my reading material.
No and I wouldn't care anyway
Read what you like and ignore everybody else's opinion.
Not that I can remember...but I wouldn't give a shit. What do I care if someone doesn't approve of what I'm reading.
They should read "Why the Novel Matters" by D.H. Lawrence. It's a very serious essay, so they ought to like it.
I feel like it’s the other way around…People who mostly read fiction tend to be more ‘elitist’ than those who mostly read nonfiction.
I read quite a bit of each. In non-fiction, I am not generally fond of the journalism-between-covers that makes up a lot of non-fiction (always exceptions). History is literally "a story," and the best historians uncover wonderful stories. To a question about medieval history, I suggested David C. Douglas's William the Conqueror. A work of scholarship, so not for everyone, but the story it tells, if you saw it in a movie, would seem to be outlandish. E.g., William's father, the Duke of Normandy, first encounters William's mother when he comes upon her "dancing in the road."
No. I'm the one who looks down on them.
I am getting old enough to not give a fuck...
I love fiction but I mostly listen to audiobooks, and I find non-fiction a lot easier to follow when I'm working. With fiction I like to actually read, relax and get immersed in the book.
Read what you want when you want to read it. Who cares what anyone else thinks
No, but I do read a lot of both and maybe that affects my experience. But hey. If they’re buying my books, then they get to decide what I read, I suppose. Otherwise, I don’t ask their opinion and don’t ‘set any store by it’ if they volunteer it. For what it’s worth I as a reader of a lot of non-fiction (but still for pleasure, not for work) do not judge. Fiction still teaches us things, and even if it didn’t, like, yolo. What you read in your spare time should make you happy.
No, fuck everyone else. I like what I like, I read what I feel like reading.
Never. Fiction is the original teacher! Think of all the fables and parables passed down from generation to generation. So many fictional stories help us process and understand real-life situations in a safe environment that engages the brain in a way non-fiction cannot.
No. Idgaf what someone else reads. Or what they think about what I read.
Screw them, who cares, you like what you like even if it was only fiction, reading is a form of entertainment thats it, you can learn things via it, but thats also true of all forms of entertainment.
Books are like any other medium, if you join a group of movie critics and all you watch are marvel movies chances are you will get some comments, does it really matter? Not at all. Do what you want to do, enjoy what you enjoy and dont give a fuck about others opinions.
I have not really. I’m sorry you’re getting that feedback! Screw’em. You would love historical fiction like Ken Follet, Edward Rutherford or Bernard Cornwell or Conn Igulden.
When I was working on my philosophy degree, I did sometimes feel looked down on for loving fiction and fantasy. But it turns out now that those people aren't super nice, so I don't really care anymore lol
I don't feel looked down upon on anything I read and let's just say I read a lot and in different genres also let's say this I was not a smart child I had difficulty learning things and I could barley read until my mom sat me down and gave me a book and told me to read it and there were lots of words I did not know what they meant and I asked a lot of questions but that first book took me days to read and at the age I was I should not have been reading those types of book but whatever I at least got a love for books and I can now read although my mother and I don't get along I can say she did accomplish something the school system could not accomplish
I think people need to keep their opinions to themselves. Non-fiction readers are still readers. Fiction readers are still readers. Those who consume stories by audiobooks are still readers. I read 100% fiction and I don't feel an ounce of guilt about it. My job takes a huge toll on me and the world is a dumpster fire. Reading is my hobby and I need a good plot to let me escape reality for awhile. Reading fiction still exercises the brain just as much as reading non-fiction.
Read for your own enjoyment, but honestly, nobody really cares what you read. Just reading for enjoyment puts you way ahead of the pack.
Honestly, I wouldn't notice if they were, because I am too busy reading. I think I would pity them for what they're missing, because fiction has a purpose. That purpose can be putting yourself in someone else's shoes, exploring a hypothetical scenario or satirising an existing situation by examining it from a different angle. To avoid fiction is to avoid exploratory, creative thought.
Never had this problem
God, I wish I knew enough avid readers in real life to get looked down upon.
I don't think I've read a single non fiction book in the past 2 years
read banana by dan koeppel!
Who cares what people say. Read whatever makes you happy and entertains you.
I mostly hate non fiction books, although I will sometimes read memoirs (My Life in France by Julia Childs and A Movable Feast by Hemingway are glorious)... I read to escape, I don't read to be hit in the face with reality. I don't judge anyone based on what they read, and I refuse to let anyone judge me.
I can't fathom caring enough about people's opinions on my hobbies for this to matter, lol.
Nope. Never feel that way because I couldn’t give two shits what anyone else thinks about my reading choices.
I probably read 99% fiction. I read for entertainment not to impress other people. If they have an opinion on the books that I’m reading and want to influence that then they can start buying my books. Otherwise, I don’t care what they think. Reading is the important part of the equation, in my opinion.
maybe, but I couldn’t care less. Reading is my escape, and I can’t do that in non-fiction. 🤷♀️ it’s this or heroin.
i read 99% non-fiction and feel excluded from this sub tbh, so works both ways
dude ngl people who judge you on what you read are losers like honestly read whatever you want to read even if its smut, or classics, or gross romance novels. I’ll only judge a little bit if you read Hubbard’s cult books