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?!"
Yup. Which is why I find it a little disturbing that so many people read more Fantasy than anything else. It's great and I love it but my brain requires something more.
So...my survey is as follows:
1. Do you read non-fiction on a regular basis? If so, what do you typically read?
Semi-regular, I'd say. I'd read more if I had more quality reading time.
2. Do you enjoy (whether you have read it recently or not) any of the following categories of books?
- history
Most definitely.
- biography
About the right people. I read an amazing biography of Rasputin a few years ago.
- religion
Yes, although I find that more taxing than most.
- world cultures
I used to love this as a child. The high gloss books with photos and snippets of information about a place and culture were marvellous.
- science and mathematics
I don't like it but Camilla et al make me read it.
- political theory
Not so much.
- philosophy
No. It's one thing I'd like to read more of, although that really would require proper reading time, when I'm not tired and can focus.
- art and architecture (including film and TV)
I like looking at pictures and reading art history.
- psychology
Not much.
- literary criticism
No. Camilla bought me a book a few years ago and I just cannot work up the enthusiasm to pick it up and read it. It looks terrifying, and is called The Madwoman in the Attic.
3. What is your favorite work of non-fiction (please exclude religious/devotional works from this question)?
Hm. Difficult to say. The aforementioned biography of Rasputin by Edvard Radzinksy was outstanding. But perhaps The Penguin History of New Zealand. It's very readable and dispells many of the myths we have about our history.
4. Would you be interested in reviews of non-fiction books on this site?
Most definitely.
5. Have you read any non-fiction book recently that was terrible? If so, what?
Not that I can think of right now.
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) ?
Again, no.
7. Do you consider books about the occult to be non-fiction or fiction? Why?
In what way do you mean about? Do you mean an occultist version of The Bible, or similar? Most likely, though, whatever your answer, I'd probably consider it to be non-fiction.
8. In your personal library at home, what percentage of your books are non-fiction?
Hmm. Probably only 25% at the moment. After selling almost all of my books before leaving New Zealand it's taking a long time to build it up again.
*MySmiley*
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
Non-Fiction survey
- 14/09/2009 05:38:04 PM
1152 Views
Heh.
- 14/09/2009 05:58:59 PM
837 Views
You associate non-fiction with work? Are you a non-fiction book reviewer by day?
- 14/09/2009 06:35:59 PM
659 Views
I like non-fiction as long as it's not preachy.
- 14/09/2009 06:25:42 PM
848 Views
Fun.
- 14/09/2009 06:31:28 PM
932 Views
Machiavelli is a good case study for translation vs. original language
- 14/09/2009 06:48:46 PM
691 Views
Fact not fiction.
- 14/09/2009 06:43:32 PM
876 Views
I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio
- 14/09/2009 06:58:46 PM
754 Views
Re: I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio
- 14/09/2009 07:10:01 PM
778 Views
You're going to force me to start a Dan Brown discussion in a different thread.
- 14/09/2009 09:00:32 PM
690 Views
Well, I can do it here, no worries, just think of it as non-non-fiction.
- 14/09/2009 09:06:34 PM
748 Views
Re: Fact not fiction.
- 17/09/2009 12:40:31 AM
793 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey
- 14/09/2009 07:25:20 PM
682 Views
I do read sometimes.
- 14/09/2009 08:01:03 PM
883 Views
I read it quite a lot, obviously.
- 14/09/2009 09:20:40 PM
773 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey
- 14/09/2009 09:24:35 PM
887 Views
I'd be interested to know the title of that Lincoln book. *NM*
- 15/09/2009 05:11:14 AM
338 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey
- 14/09/2009 10:05:56 PM
681 Views
I'm sorry. I just can't take "pro wrestling" seriously enough to comment on it beyond this. *NM*
- 15/09/2009 05:15:13 AM
328 Views
Sweet
- 14/09/2009 10:09:21 PM
844 Views
My problem with Fisk is his naivete
- 15/09/2009 05:10:00 AM
732 Views
If you're referring to the passages I think you're referring to...
- 15/09/2009 11:06:04 AM
834 Views
Good survey!
- 14/09/2009 11:40:58 PM
828 Views
Ah...but where do you draw the line on the occult?
- 15/09/2009 05:07:14 AM
671 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey
- 15/09/2009 12:25:57 AM
723 Views
I read a lot of it for my classes, so I read very little of it for leisure.
- 15/09/2009 12:46:23 AM
770 Views
As someone who read Ab Urbe Condita in Latin...the book you reference "delenda est".
- 15/09/2009 05:04:05 AM
701 Views
Interesting questions!
- 15/09/2009 07:20:05 AM
843 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey
- 15/09/2009 11:35:48 AM
936 Views
Try reading something new you think you'd like and post a review! 
*NM*
- 17/09/2009 03:11:47 PM
294 Views
*NM*
- 17/09/2009 03:11:47 PM
294 Views
i like non-fiction!
- 15/09/2009 09:40:40 PM
772 Views
Lots of people have recommended The Omnivore's Dilemma to me *NM*
- 17/09/2009 03:14:09 PM
343 Views