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Sweet nossy Send a noteboard - 14/09/2009 10:09:21 PM
Over half of the books I own are non-fiction. When one walks into bookstores (if anyone does that anymore), fiction usually accounts for half to a bit less than half of the store. Sure, some of the books are self-help crap and how-to books, but there is a significant volume of histories, biographies, books on philosophy and political theory, books on current events and topics and books on world cultures and religions.

As noted by a recent guest, I have much more non-fiction than I had realized. I think they sneak into my book purchases, because I can't resist being intrigued, and whenever I read them, I travel off on tangents. Almost like wiki-jumping.

I think it is worthwhile to post a survey to start people talking more about non-fiction on this website as well. To me, reading fantasy and science fiction all the time is a bit like eating junk food or playing computer games - it's fun and entertaining, but when you're done and look back on the time spent you sometimes sit there and say, "What have I done?!"

I agree. I used to read a ton of dragonlance silliness, but I grew out of it. I still want the occasional cheeto, but I usually avoid.

1. Do you read non-fiction on a regular basis? If so, what do you typically read?

Yes. Whatever. History is addictive, but I tend to read more about philosophies.

- history

check

- biography

check, depending

- religion

definitely check. I love religious history

- world cultures

I would read more, I just don't own much yet.

- science and mathematics

science yes.

- political theory

yes.

- philosophy

check, check.

- art and architecture (including film and TV)

I studied some of this in college, and still have my books (art and arch)

- psychology

- literary criticism

3. What is your favorite work of non-fiction (please exclude religious/devotional works from this question)?

This is an amazingly difficult question to answer. I like the reading I've done on American Indians, as a group, and biblical history. I don't know if I can pick a certain book for either.

4. Would you be interested in reviews of non-fiction books on this site?

Yes.

5. Have you read any non-fiction book recently that was terrible? If so, what?

There is one that was not terrible (Young, on Vietnam), but I'm just really tired of finding so many books that are biased. It's put me off a little. I'd like to be able to read something objective so I could turn my cynic-o-meter off.

6. Was there a non-fiction book that you read that changed the way you thought or felt about world issues (again, please exclude religious and devotional works from this question) ?

You don't like him, I think, but when I read Fisk, I was surprised to find out how much we are not taught unless we take specific history in college. I've been on a bit of a personal quest to learn more since then.

7. Do you consider books about the occult to be non-fiction or fiction? Why?

Depends who wrote them. From very limited experience with them, I'd say that some people try to stick only to what they truly think they can support. Others go a bit crazy.

8. In your personal library at home, what percentage of your books are non-fiction?

25%. Maybe.

Reply to message
Non-Fiction survey Tom - 14/09/2009 05:38:04 PM 1224 Views
Heh. jh - 14/09/2009 05:58:59 PM 936 Views
You associate non-fiction with work? Are you a non-fiction book reviewer by day? Tom - 14/09/2009 06:35:59 PM 775 Views
Nah... jh - 14/09/2009 06:56:41 PM 790 Views
I like non-fiction as long as it's not preachy. Darth_Katie - 14/09/2009 06:25:42 PM 955 Views
So...Bill O'Reilly's out but Aleister Crowley is in, right? Tom - 14/09/2009 06:34:38 PM 850 Views
I didn't say I wanted to read occult books. Darth_Katie - 14/09/2009 09:40:40 PM 1387 Views
Fun. Legolas - 14/09/2009 06:31:28 PM 1033 Views
Machiavelli is a good case study for translation vs. original language Tom - 14/09/2009 06:48:46 PM 785 Views
Fact not fiction. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 06:43:32 PM 968 Views
I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio Tom - 14/09/2009 06:58:46 PM 857 Views
Re: I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio Rebekah - 14/09/2009 07:10:01 PM 879 Views
You're going to force me to start a Dan Brown discussion in a different thread. Tom - 14/09/2009 09:00:32 PM 798 Views
Well, I can do it here, no worries, just think of it as non-non-fiction. jh - 14/09/2009 09:06:34 PM 851 Views
This is pretty much it. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:09:18 PM 849 Views
Re: Fact not fiction. Cockatiel of Doom - 17/09/2009 12:40:31 AM 898 Views
Re: Fact not fiction. Rebekah - 17/09/2009 03:08:34 PM 805 Views
Re: Fact not fiction. Cockatiel of Doom - 17/09/2009 11:57:22 PM 748 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey mapthis - 14/09/2009 07:25:20 PM 781 Views
Legacy of Ashes sounds interesting Tom - 14/09/2009 08:59:38 PM 800 Views
Re: Legacy of Ashes sounds interesting mapthis - 14/09/2009 09:09:30 PM 811 Views
So nossy - 14/09/2009 10:14:47 PM 768 Views
Re: So mapthis - 14/09/2009 10:35:40 PM 758 Views
I do read sometimes. Craig - 14/09/2009 08:01:03 PM 983 Views
If you liked Jesus, Interrupted... Tom - 14/09/2009 08:58:26 PM 848 Views
Added to The List. *NM* Craig - 14/09/2009 10:28:14 PM 356 Views
I read it quite a lot, obviously. Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:20:40 PM 879 Views
I have Antonia Fraser's bio of Oliver Cromwell. Tom - 15/09/2009 05:14:06 AM 821 Views
Re: I have Antonia Fraser's bio of Oliver Cromwell. Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:07:28 AM 869 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey random thoughts - 14/09/2009 09:24:35 PM 992 Views
I'd be interested to know the title of that Lincoln book. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 05:11:14 AM 383 Views
Tried by War by James M. McPherson random thoughts - 15/09/2009 07:01:30 PM 855 Views
Thanks! *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:07:50 PM 388 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey ranagrande - 14/09/2009 10:05:56 PM 794 Views
I'm sorry. I just can't take "pro wrestling" seriously enough to comment on it beyond this. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 05:15:13 AM 376 Views
What, pro wrestling is awesome! ranagrande - 16/09/2009 05:59:44 PM 1008 Views
Sweet nossy - 14/09/2009 10:09:21 PM 937 Views
My problem with Fisk is his naivete Tom - 15/09/2009 05:10:00 AM 794 Views
If you're referring to the passages I think you're referring to... Legolas - 15/09/2009 11:06:04 AM 937 Views
I need to read more American Indian books random thoughts - 16/09/2009 07:01:21 PM 783 Views
Good survey! smaug - 14/09/2009 11:40:58 PM 930 Views
Ah...but where do you draw the line on the occult? Tom - 15/09/2009 05:07:14 AM 767 Views
Intent. Craig - 15/09/2009 06:02:39 AM 798 Views
Yea, I would tend to agree. smaug - 15/09/2009 11:10:03 AM 839 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Chas - 15/09/2009 12:25:57 AM 818 Views
You should consider reading more non-fiction. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 05:04:55 AM 401 Views
It's under consideration. Chas - 15/09/2009 11:50:47 PM 702 Views
I read a lot of it for my classes, so I read very little of it for leisure. Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 12:46:23 AM 907 Views
As someone who read Ab Urbe Condita in Latin...the book you reference "delenda est". Tom - 15/09/2009 05:04:05 AM 811 Views
It's infuriating, yes. *NM* Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 06:22:36 PM 377 Views
Mea culpa; the book in question is Zoch's Ancient Rome. Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 06:45:22 PM 729 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Vodalus - 15/09/2009 01:07:13 AM 841 Views
I did a survey about personal libraries, too... Tom - 15/09/2009 05:01:12 AM 808 Views
great survey. Avendesora - 15/09/2009 02:17:26 AM 1063 Views
Re: great survey. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:56:50 AM 846 Views
Interesting questions! Sophy - 15/09/2009 07:20:05 AM 960 Views
I'm not sure if it's a translation issue, but Tom - 17/09/2009 03:10:49 PM 895 Views
That's the English titel yes! Sophy - 18/09/2009 07:03:45 AM 1085 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Jonielle - 15/09/2009 11:35:48 AM 1107 Views
Try reading something new you think you'd like and post a review! *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:11:47 PM 332 Views
Books on Napoleon.... Napoleon62 - 15/09/2009 08:03:55 PM 827 Views
Narcissist. *NM* Craig - 15/09/2009 08:21:44 PM 344 Views
David Chandler's The Campaigns of Napoleon is wonderful. *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:13:03 PM 332 Views
i like non-fiction! temeraire - 15/09/2009 09:40:40 PM 878 Views
Lots of people have recommended The Omnivore's Dilemma to me *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:14:09 PM 388 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Cockatiel of Doom - 17/09/2009 12:49:35 AM 1077 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey ajah - 26/09/2009 01:49:16 AM 855 Views
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