It depends on what nonfiction I'm reading. I read military history because I enjoy it. I read woodworking books because I am trying to improve my skills. Other non fiction, there is usually something that intrigues me in the topic. Those are as widely varied as the topics themselves.

I read non-fiction to learn about a specific subject.

It’s the same answer I’d give to - why do I read any book? It makes no difference whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. I never think to myself, I’m in the mood for whatever. Just whatever strikes me as interesting at the moment. I’m actually surprised by the question and by anyone who can answer it.

Edit: As if you can’t escape into non-fiction and you can’t learn stuff from fiction.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Non-fiction. Reads like Indiana Jones with a 007 booster pack.

Cartoon History of the Universe. Gosnick filters unvarnished cultural horror through a sense of humor informed by Charles Addams.

Nonfic is awesome.

Exactly...they are feeding you knowledge. I read a lot of nonfiction for the purpose of learning. I want to know more about life in the Bronze Age, for example, or about daily life in the Middle Ages, or perhaps the memoirs of a Sudanese child soldier, or a debate about whether math is discovered or created, etc.

I read it because I have an active imagination and enjoy putting myself into the fantasy. My fave series right now is Sherrilyn Kenyon Anita Blake vampire hunter series

i read history to escape the present and reminisce about the good ol' times before i existed.

Stranger than fiction. I am sure you heard that phrase. That alone should be enough to read/listen to as many nonfiction books as possible. I read most of time fiction but when I find a great nonfiction book I can't be bothered with fiction stories.

I read philosophy books because I enjoy philosophy. They are usually more thinking than some fiction but I enjoy the mental space it puts me and the points of view presented in the books. Also just general self-enrichment. Even if most philosophers couldn't write to save their lives.

I also enjoyed Lawrence In Arabia (not to be confused with Lawrence of Arabia although it's still about TE Lawrence) by Scott Anderson. It's like Seven Pillars with more background and footnotes. And yes, the whole thing read like an adventure epic and I was somewhat left feeling empty when it was over.

You pretty much said it. I read to gain knowledge primarily. Wasn’t into the structure of schools teaching the same things that I’m picking up now by choice. I enjoy working to understand things and see the shape of the world from ancient times through to our own. History provides context for our world and for literature through the ages.

Half of what I read (ideally) is history with a bit of science that goes over my head, philosophy, etc.

In my teens and twenties I primarily read mysteries, thrillers, then sci fi and fantasy and historical fiction. Heavier sci fi, fantasy, and historical novels sparked an interest in history and classics, and those led me to literature. I don’t think of my reading as an escape but everyone has their own life circumstances and I totally get why people wouldn’t be interested in the books I like reading the most.

I was going to pick up seven pillars awhile ago from a book store since I was interested in it being written by T E Lawrence and it sounding interesting in itself but decided not to. kinda wish I had now, guess that's another one to add to next year's to read list.

cus i'm dumb i can't learn anything if not literally written in instructions for me. my favourite books of non-fiction are the "For dummies" and i also like a lot of studying other countries cultures, like China and Japan, so non-fiction it is.

To learn stuff

I read nonfiction to help me be a better, more well-rounded person.

I read fiction to escape from real life.

There is a place for both of them.

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I mostly read it to learn more about topics I’m interested in, particularly politics or the economy. Education is expensive, and the library is free. There’s a lot I’ve learned from nonfiction books that I didn’t learn in school. It’s a great way to educate yourself further on certain topics without having to pay to take a class. For example, I’m really interested in politics and social justice, and reading nonfiction books is a great way for me to get diverse opinions from a diverse group of authors. It definitely takes a lot more focus/concentration for me to read a nonfiction book, and while it’s not for everyone, I think that reading nonfiction is a great way to become a more well-rounded, more educated person!

To learn. Currently most of my non-fiction reading is in the area of natural science (I'll read any book for the layman written by a field biologist that comes into my hands) or memoirs about animals. I'll read a few books about contemporary politics and a sprinkling of other things that catch my fancy. But you can track the topics I've been interested in by looking at my bookcases: Old West history, Japan, herb gardening, etc.

Now, that's not to say that you can't learn from reading fiction. I've learned a lot about different eras by reading books either written in that era or about that era. My knowledge of 20th century Britain is shaped by Agatha Christie who (with one exception) set her books in the time they were written, so they show the change from WWI up to the late 60s/early 70s.

I read the Cadfael books and learned a lot about "The Anarchy" (which was a period I'd never even heard of) and life in a monastery. I finally understand the difference between monks and priests because I had thought that all monks were priests.

When Kerry Greenwood writes a Phryne Fisher book, she chooses some topic to study up on in order to include it in the book.

So even in my fiction reading, I prefer stories that I learn from.

I like biographies. I get into mostly Presidential bios and rock n roll bios. Presidents fascinate me because I want to know what makes them tick, what makes them want the job. It seems like a pretty shitty gig.

I love reading about my musical heroes. Their lives are truly stranger than fiction.

I'm a lifelong learner, I crave new information. I used to read a lot of nonfiction for work, but now that I'm retired I am still reading nonfiction, just different topics.

My ratio of nonfiction to fiction books has changed a lot since I started considering retiring. In 2019 94% of the books I read were nonfiction and in 2022 (now fully retired) it was down to 21%

I love to learn about other cultures and other people's experiences which is reflected in both my nonfiction and fiction choices. I'm currently focused on reading authors from other nations. I also like to read books that make me think, so I read a lot of mysteries.

I find that memoirs and biographies can read a lot like a novel. A well-written political or historical book can also read a lot like a novel.

I'm also a very left-brained person and find some fantasy requires too much imagination which feels hard for me.

I put it off for a couple decades, the book seemed so intimidating. Foolish, foolish.

Have you read Lawrence: The Uncrowned King of Arabia?

I really enjoyed that one. Especially where the author went in to prove it was doable only to find out otherwise. Because that also tells you something about TE Lawrence.

>Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Non-fiction. Reads like Indiana Jones with a 007 booster pack.

Mmmm. Unreliable narrator.

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I'm much more of a fan of fiction, but I do enjoy some interesting nonfiction here and there.

What you have to understand is that "nonfiction" is a huge umbrella category. It's not "just feeding you knowledge." I mean, textbooks are technically nonfiction as well I guess, but there are plenty of plot-driven novels whose content is written to be as historically accurate as possible. If you go in without the attitude of "I'm here to learn about history," it'll be no different from any other novel. Except, at the end of the day, the things you read are real, and regardless of your intent, you learned something just by enjoying it. Killers of the Flower Moon is about to be a Scorsese film, and you wouldn't skip out on that just because the story is true, right? Why would you treat the book any differently? (Of course, I'm sure they'll take some liberties adapting it to the screen...)

And you can learn from fiction as well. Setting aside language skills, plenty of fiction will have asides—or even core plot points—exploring the very real history of things their characters interact with. Visiting a real place, getting excited talking about their hobbies, fighting a villain whose dastardly plot is built on actual science, or just hard sci-fi in general. And those tidbits within fiction aren't moments of boredom. They flesh out the story and make it more believable!

So some nonfiction books focus in on that, filling the every page with those interesting asides, organized around a central theme. You don't need a traditional plot linking them together; it's just a collection of interesting information. And you found it interesting when it interrupted the plot of a fictional story, so why would it be any less interesting when you read it in What If? Why would it change when those interesting facts are linked around a central theme, like in The Design of Everyday Things? Or when they follow a "plot" that doesn't focus on characters, like in Glock: The Rise of America's Gun?

I think my love for learning leads me to reading more nonfiction books. Going to college definitely played a role as well.

I love fiction. But you know, stranger than fiction is a real thing. Espionage books like The Quiet Americans, true crime novels like Wiseguy, memoirs like The Autobiography of Malcolm X all transport you to a different place and read like novels.And I honestly don't believe you can consider yourself well read if you haven't explored authors that changed the world. Marx, Marcuse, Keynes, Spinoza, etc are must reads in your early 20s. And if you like fantasy there are tons of well written science works that'll melt your face. Isaac Asimov described The Making of the Automic Bomb as “the best, the richest, and the deepest description of the development of physics in the first half of this century that I have yet read, and it is certainly the most enjoyable.” Reading Fiction and non-fiction doesn't have to be an either/ or proposition. Lastly (not necessarily non-fiction, but also def not fiction) if you haven't read Sylvia Plath you haven't lived.

I have not read that but I will check it out. Thanks!

To learn about subjects I find interesting, theres much more than just history or science as well.

I like to learn shit.

that is a really good answer

I haven't ever thought of it like that. I always assumed that you would read nonfiction for the same reason as fiction (for the pleasure) but being genuinely curious about a topic like that totally makes sense

and thank you for your reply

Love to read history and biographies as it provides interesting insights on people and events. Want to read about politicians, start with Tacitus and discover that Roman politics is not very different from today. Wars and their causes are often repeated and rooted in a historical past.

Ever heard of the saying that truth is stranger than fiction? That's the reason why.

i like political books because they show different arguments and are culturally relevant

when you put it like that I'm surprised I haven't read any nonfiction

I guess I've always just liked to think of escapism as a fictional world but time traveling (as reading a book for the effect) is a very creative way of escapism

Biographies didn't even cross my mind!

I suppose I was really thinking of nonfiction as textbooks of history and science but biographies are also something to consider when talking about nonfiction

also thanks a lot for taking the time to comment

I love linguistics a lot not so much psychology but they're both very interesting studies

an oversimplified version of what practically everybody says

I wouldn't say that's dumb considering that you study other cultures for fun

But that is pleasure for many people.

I haven't seen a comment like this while going from bottom to top and I don't know if the times even 60 or 70 years before we existed were that great and they just keep getting worse and worse once you keep going down the line of history but It's totally interesting and I think that one of the only reasons that I don't read nonfiction is because I get too bored reading it

are you talking about fiction?

Yes. It's more a romance fiction but still a fiction

I was talking about this comment in particular

sorry that I categorize it into just nonfiction but I couldn't list every single genre within nonfiction or make separate posts about every single individual genre within nonfiction also I do think there is one more thing you can learn from fiction, you can learn to write by reading more and more and if you aspire to be a fiction writer it will be near impossible to write without reading

I read philosophy and fiction and I like fiction with philosophical content or leanings. Also keep in mind that many writers of good fiction read a lot of non-fiction to underpin/inspire their work. I think there is much overlap.

Best way to learn about the American Civil War is to read histories of the American Civil War. Fiction about the Civil War won't tell you a lot about who actually did what, when, how, and with what result. It might give you snippets here and there, but will mostly go off on tangents about some fictional story set during the American Civil War. On the other hand, a good history of the war will give you lots of really good context and background for any Civil War fiction you read afterwards, and give you good insights into what that fictional story has to add to (or subtract from) the story of what actually happened.

The same is true for any history about any subject. Similar things are true for biographies. Even textbooks can be enlightening.

Don't rule non-fiction out. "Truth is stranger than fiction." Look for literary non-fiction; many read as a novel. The Glass Castle, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, to name a couple.

To learn.

Quick recommendation: One of the more interesting non-fiction books I've read is called The Brenner Assignment. It touches on the fledgling CIA (OSS) during WWII. It specifically deals with one particular mission in northern Italy. An American was dropped into the Italian Alps to set up a partisan resistance of sabotage and subterfuge. It was a wild story.

I’m big into non-fiction and to me it can be similar to reading good fiction. Good writing is good writing regardless of the genre. As readers, isn’t that what we are after? For example, dry history can be extremely dull, but when written well can be extremely addictive. A few good titles that come to mind are The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson and Rubicon by Tom Holland. Same with science. I read The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson and found it one of my favorite reads. It helps to have some interest in a topic, but for the most part good writing in most forms is a pleasure to read.

I enjoy learning things. I enjoy learning about particular topics. I also have aphantasia and nonfiction is way easier for me than fiction (though I do read mostly fiction and I do love it to).

...what?

All I'm saying is that reading nonfiction doesn't mean you're sitting down and forcing yourself to digest complex information. Nonfiction can be just as fun as fiction, with its factual information presented in interesting and engaging ways.

It's got nothing to do with how you categorize things. Interesting stuff is interesting. Boring vs fun and fiction vs nonfiction are on separate axes. They're independent. Unrelated.

What Laura9624 said. I enjoy learning new things. I read nonfiction about topics that interest me. Animals, nature, autobiographies, memoirs, social justice, some history, and other random things. I read nonfiction and fiction for pleasure. I enjoy and get pleasure from learning about topics that interest me.

In the simplest terms I read them because I find them enjoyable, I don’t find escapism particularly enjoyable in either fiction or non-fiction so the latter’s lack of it isn’t really an issue for me.

There are genres within nonfiction writing that are just as escapist as fiction, especially memoirs, travelogues and essay collections. Some of my favorite books are not fiction/fantasy, but nonfiction works. I have also found that some fictional works are complimented upon, and improved by, reading nonfiction works related to their subject matter.

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I read fantasy far more than anything else, exactly for the ‘escapism’ that you mentioned, but there are some things that simply interest me and I wanna read more about. ‘Nothing to envy’, about life in and fleeing from North Korea, or ‘All the Shah’s Men’, about the CIA’s coup in Iran in 1953 (and what led to it and the aftermath) for example, and more stuff like that. Just things that I wanna know more about, get new perspectives on.

There is a style of nonfiction that I have seen called journalistic nonfiction that is all about telling a good story that happens to be true. There are also introduction books to obscure topics aimed at general readers.

Books like And the Band Played On by Shilts or Endurance by Lansing tell a compelling story.

The Man Who Mistook his wife for a hat is an introduction to neurological diseases through interesting anecdotes.

Stolen Focus by Johan Hari is an expose of Social media impact on attention span.

I read non-fiction for similar reasons as to why I read fiction: to enjoy a good story. Most of my favorite non-fic titles - The Library Book by Susan Orlean, Educated by Tara Westover, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - all tell a fascinating story. I know this isn't true for all non-fic books or all non-fic readers but that's what attracts me to the genre.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

you got all that from 7 words?

I mix fiction and non fiction, but I mostly read fiction.

The reason I read non-fiction is that I'll think about something and realize I don't ACTUALLY know much about it, so I'll buy a book about it. This year I've read a lot about ancient Rome, but also tamerlane and Richard graves' autobiography, and other books about subjects that I find interesting. It helps make me (hopefully) a well rounded person.

I love an old saying I might have made up; good non fiction tell the truth, good fiction tells universal truth.

In short, I read fiction about subjects I like to understand the world around me more better.

Non fiction covers a huge variety of genres and sub genres. Sure, a book on tort law is non fiction, but so is a book on making cakes. They're not all boring or fuddy duddy and highbrow

Fiction can be very formulaic, you read one book by some authors and you've read them all. Even certain genres are along those lines, and I find it a little dull. I tend to find more that entertains me in non fiction than in fiction tbh, precisely because it has such a broad range. It's not that I don't read fiction, but I definitely favour non fiction for the scope.

To feed my never ending quest for random knowledge. Recent favorites are: Hurricane lizards and plastic squid, girly drinks, seek you: a journey through American loneliness, and Butts!

How is it "over" simplified? It sums it up well.