tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post807227775027595416..comments2023-09-25T02:24:22.087-07:00Comments on Anne R. Allen's Blog: FICTION VS. NONFICTIONAnne R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-38180930532886148222010-03-12T20:22:38.195-08:002010-03-12T20:22:38.195-08:00Interesting post. I try to balance my fiction and ...Interesting post. I try to balance my fiction and non-fiction, but most of the time fiction wins!Jan Markleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08317561950719847803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-46039773973458801262010-03-11T13:31:23.086-08:002010-03-11T13:31:23.086-08:00Hmmm. I might have been wrong in my assumption tha...Hmmm. I might have been wrong in my assumption that men read less fiction. From the sampling here, I see men reading fiction as much--maybe more? than women. But the fiction is YA, based on historical fact, or in non-traditional formats.<br /><br />Donna, I hear you about people assuming your fiction is disguised memoir. It's sometimes hard to get people to believe you've never lived anything remotely like what you put your fictional characters through.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-86517073707056650302010-03-11T12:06:06.564-08:002010-03-11T12:06:06.564-08:00I'm a guy, and I write fiction. That said, put...I'm a guy, and I write fiction. That said, putting aside comic books, I'd say that what I read is about half fiction, half nonfiction, though 95% of that nonfiction is history (I'm a huge history buff) and, aside from a few historical bios, none of the non fiction is memoir. <br /><br />Toss in all the comics and graphic novels I read, and my fiction ratio increases significantly.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-44713816959403314972010-03-09T20:18:58.741-08:002010-03-09T20:18:58.741-08:00I work in Social Services. I get enough real-life...I work in Social Services. I get enough real-life drama, so don't pick it up often. I read mostly fiction; but unless its a fantasy or paranormal - something one could never equate to real life - I tend to read fiction with a true-to-life feel.<br /><br />I write that way too I guess. Beta's who've read my novel offer sympathy for the hard life I lived. They don't believe me when I assure them it is not mine - or anyone I know - life story.<br /><br />As far as men being more likely to read non-fiction: I think from what I've seen of the men I've been around, and from a lot of the blogs I read, they tend to read more non-fiction. And if not, its usually something literary, or fantasy/sci-fi.<br /><br />Great discussion Anne.<br /><br />..........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-32890360785868853632010-03-09T16:41:50.668-08:002010-03-09T16:41:50.668-08:00Very interesting discussion! I read fiction most o...Very interesting discussion! I read fiction most of the time, but every once in a while I go on a nonfiction binge because I start feeling (as Churadogs said) that I don't know enough about the world. <br /><br />In terms of gender, I've noticed that my husband reads fiction and nonfiction pretty interchangeably. He seems to be equally entertained by either, whereas for me fiction is much more "fun reading" than nonfiction.Anna Staniszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09316883819771607655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-70149710241627566202010-03-09T12:25:22.583-08:002010-03-09T12:25:22.583-08:00Non-fiction cause that's where my interest lie...Non-fiction cause that's where my interest lies for now....Dorothy Ann Segoviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16783805734499717554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-34289189103824183022010-03-08T06:57:23.921-08:002010-03-08T06:57:23.921-08:00I used to read fiction, then about 30 years ago, I...I used to read fiction, then about 30 years ago, I got curiouser and curisior about the world and alarmed at how little I knew about the world and started in on non-fiction. Happily, so much new research and scholarship has been done on a wide variety of topics, that it's hard to keep up. Finished "Salt," which you would think would be about as exciting as watching paint dry, but it was an eye opener. In our modern age, we have no understanding of what a huge role salt played in the creating of our modern world. Am starting in on nutmeg, now, in "Nathaniel's Nutmeg or The True and Incredible Adventures of the Spice Trader Who Changed the Course of History" by Giles Milton. <br /><br />I find this all to be absolutely fascinating stuff, all the linkages, the "connections," (now THAT was an amazing non-fiction TV series) Plus, so much of these newer non-fiction books are really well written. Can't beat "Isaac's Storm" for a page turner. Or "Into Thin Air," or "The Worst Hard Time," (amazing book about the Dust Bowl years). <br /><br />In short, my take on non-fiction is this: So much to learn, so little time.Churadogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701649330085709021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-18705601884445850342010-03-07T16:55:45.267-08:002010-03-07T16:55:45.267-08:00I read mostly fiction, for entertainment. I read n...I read mostly fiction, for entertainment. I read non-fiction with titles that intrigue me like, "The Harvard Psychedelic Club". Hard to pass up a title like that! I find a lot of the non-fiction I read these days is written with a fiction sensibilty (if that makes sense!) Maybe both genres are morphing a bit? Can't see myself ever writing non-fiction though.Christine Ahernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14968409907141389324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-58800911920489469472010-03-07T16:07:39.074-08:002010-03-07T16:07:39.074-08:00I’m posting a couple of comments that came via ema...I’m posting a couple of comments that came via email, because they’re both from men.<br /><br />This from the former editor of Alan Hancock College’s literary magazine "Mindprints":<br /><br />“I do read a lot of fiction based on fact. Just finished a terrific novel set in Ethiopia during the end of Haile Selassie’s reign and the subsequent revolution (1974). This was especially meaningful to me as I’d lived and worked there from 1968 thru the end of ‘72 and had many Ethiopian friends in Asmara and Addis Ababa. Title is “Beneath The Lion’s Gaze”. Novel was written by a young Ethiopian in her early twenties and a wonderful writer, too. Yikes, I may have taught her parents in high school. (Just sent her a fan letter.) <br /><br />I also read a lot of WWII novels. Can’t get enough of those. Give me a Jack Higgins thriller any day or anything on the London Blitz. So I guess it’s my personal experience that also dictate my reading preferences as I loved Hitler’s Pope and The Zookeeper’s Wife, both nonfiction and set during WWII. That said, I do read a lot of short stories and literary novels. I’d have to go with fiction but the ratio might be 60-40, fiction to nonfiction.”<br /><br />--Paul Fahey<br /><br />This from a YA novelist and English teacher:<br /><br />“I'd say that at least in YA, [fiction] is still pretty strong. And as to what I'm reading these days, well, about a book a week. In the last year I've read two adult novels, two NF, & about 48 teen novels. I guess I'm bucking the system again.” <br /><br />--C. S. PerryessAnne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-30431708325414438032010-03-07T15:39:03.953-08:002010-03-07T15:39:03.953-08:00I read fiction for pleasure, 99% of the time (it&#...I read fiction for pleasure, 99% of the time (it's what I've always read and always loved). I think that's why I find it so strange that non-fiction out sells fiction. But then, there are a lot of self-help books and such that would fall under non-fiction, right? That would explain it, then!<br /><br />And yes, I'm female.Stacy McKitrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07898731847653710759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-52611571063428683742010-03-07T13:17:00.614-08:002010-03-07T13:17:00.614-08:00Interesting point, Cathe. Male readers--do you rea...Interesting point, Cathe. Male readers--do you read fiction?Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-57410968480284266522010-03-07T12:59:16.069-08:002010-03-07T12:59:16.069-08:00I definitely read more fiction . . . probably abou...I definitely read more fiction . . . probably about 90% of what I read is fiction.<br /><br />I think it would be interesting to ask this question along with gender. My husband reads almost all nonfiction and I notice at my school library that many of the boys are much more drawn to nonfiction books than fiction.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08434187442821545626noreply@blogger.com