Every once in a while something non-fictional catches my eye - much like fiction. I just spend more time in the fiction section, so my reading list tends to self-select.
I wouldn't really say "regular basis." More occasionally. And I read anything and anything that actually captures my interest - though it's not always easy to predict what that will be...
If it's really long ago, then sometimes. I've always been fascinated by the history of Ancient Egypt, for example.
Don't think I've read too terribly many biographies, actually.
Religion can be quite fun to read about. Recently finished Jesus, Interrupted, which is about some of the contradictions in and misapprehensions about the Bible.
As with history, it's more the ancient cultures that interest me.
Math, not at all. Science, mostly astronomy and the like. Occasionally wacky physics stuff, but not the really technical parts - just the general overview.
Nah. I'm probably too cynical for such things.
I can read a little bit, but eventually I get bored.
Not particularly.
Absolutely. I'm a psych major. Oliver Sacks is one of my favorite non-fiction writers - he writes books and short stories about very unusual patients. You may have heard of "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat," for instance?
Blaaaaah.
I'm not entirely certain where on this list you would put it, but I also greatly enjoy reading about pseudoscience and conspiracy theories and the like. Mostly debunking them, but sometimes I like to read books by authors who really really believe in this sort of stuff. Graham Hancock and Erich von Däniken are two of my particular favorites. It's entertainment, for me - and that probably means that I'm a horrible and condescending person.
Don't think I really have one. I don't own much non-fiction at all, I just pick it up every now and again.
I don't see the harm. I like books.
No, not really. I've only read a few this year, and they were all pretty good.
I don't know if it really changed the way I thought about things (I'm really very cynical), but We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: stories from Rwanda was very affecting.
I assume you mean books that talk about supposed "real-life" experiences with the occult? Honestly I think it's all about intent. If it's written by a person who clearly believes (or at least is very good at pretending they believe) in the subject, then I would categorize it as "non-fiction."
Well, I kept several of my textbooks from school, but I have barely anything else that would qualify. So, let's look... appears to be approximately 9%. Huh, that's better than I thought.
That's... an awfully sinister ending...
1. Do you read non-fiction on a regular basis? If so, what do you typically read?
I wouldn't really say "regular basis." More occasionally. And I read anything and anything that actually captures my interest - though it's not always easy to predict what that will be...
2. Do you enjoy (whether you have read it recently or not) any of the following categories of books?
- history
- history
If it's really long ago, then sometimes. I've always been fascinated by the history of Ancient Egypt, for example.
- biography
Don't think I've read too terribly many biographies, actually.
- religion
Religion can be quite fun to read about. Recently finished Jesus, Interrupted, which is about some of the contradictions in and misapprehensions about the Bible.
- world cultures
As with history, it's more the ancient cultures that interest me.
- science and mathematics
Math, not at all. Science, mostly astronomy and the like. Occasionally wacky physics stuff, but not the really technical parts - just the general overview.
- political theory
Nah. I'm probably too cynical for such things.
- philosophy
I can read a little bit, but eventually I get bored.
- art and architecture (including film and TV)
Not particularly.
- psychology
Absolutely. I'm a psych major. Oliver Sacks is one of my favorite non-fiction writers - he writes books and short stories about very unusual patients. You may have heard of "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat," for instance?
- literary criticism
Blaaaaah.
I'm not entirely certain where on this list you would put it, but I also greatly enjoy reading about pseudoscience and conspiracy theories and the like. Mostly debunking them, but sometimes I like to read books by authors who really really believe in this sort of stuff. Graham Hancock and Erich von Däniken are two of my particular favorites. It's entertainment, for me - and that probably means that I'm a horrible and condescending person.
3. What is your favorite work of non-fiction (please exclude religious/devotional works from this question)?
Don't think I really have one. I don't own much non-fiction at all, I just pick it up every now and again.
4. Would you be interested in reviews of non-fiction books on this site?
I don't see the harm. I like books.
5. Have you read any non-fiction book recently that was terrible? If so, what?
No, not really. I've only read a few this year, and they were all pretty good.
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) ?
I don't know if it really changed the way I thought about things (I'm really very cynical), but We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: stories from Rwanda was very affecting.
7. Do you consider books about the occult to be non-fiction or fiction? Why?
I assume you mean books that talk about supposed "real-life" experiences with the occult? Honestly I think it's all about intent. If it's written by a person who clearly believes (or at least is very good at pretending they believe) in the subject, then I would categorize it as "non-fiction."
8. In your personal library at home, what percentage of your books are non-fiction?
Well, I kept several of my textbooks from school, but I have barely anything else that would qualify. So, let's look... appears to be approximately 9%. Huh, that's better than I thought.
That's it...for now.
That's... an awfully sinister ending...
I am made of poison.
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
- 658 Views
I like non-fiction as long as it's not preachy.
14/09/2009 06:25:42 PM
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Fun.
14/09/2009 06:31:28 PM
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Machiavelli is a good case study for translation vs. original language
14/09/2009 06:48:46 PM
- 690 Views
Fact not fiction.
14/09/2009 06:43:32 PM
- 875 Views
I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio
14/09/2009 06:58:46 PM
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Re: I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio
14/09/2009 07:10:01 PM
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You're going to force me to start a Dan Brown discussion in a different thread.
14/09/2009 09:00:32 PM
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Well, I can do it here, no worries, just think of it as non-non-fiction.
14/09/2009 09:06:34 PM
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Re: Fact not fiction.
17/09/2009 12:40:31 AM
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Re: Non-Fiction survey
14/09/2009 07:25:20 PM
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I do read sometimes.
14/09/2009 08:01:03 PM
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I read it quite a lot, obviously.
14/09/2009 09:20:40 PM
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Re: Non-Fiction survey
14/09/2009 09:24:35 PM
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I'd be interested to know the title of that Lincoln book. *NM*
15/09/2009 05:11:14 AM
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Re: Non-Fiction survey
14/09/2009 10:05:56 PM
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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
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Sweet
14/09/2009 10:09:21 PM
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My problem with Fisk is his naivete
15/09/2009 05:10:00 AM
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If you're referring to the passages I think you're referring to...
15/09/2009 11:06:04 AM
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Good survey!
14/09/2009 11:40:58 PM
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Ah...but where do you draw the line on the occult?
15/09/2009 05:07:14 AM
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Re: Non-Fiction survey
15/09/2009 12:25:57 AM
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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
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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
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Re: Non-Fiction survey
15/09/2009 11:35:48 AM
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Try reading something new you think you'd like and post a review! *NM*
17/09/2009 03:11:47 PM
- 293 Views
i like non-fiction!
15/09/2009 09:40:40 PM
- 771 Views
Lots of people have recommended The Omnivore's Dilemma to me *NM*
17/09/2009 03:14:09 PM
- 341 Views