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Fiction or nonfiction? Why? (self.books)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by mcpheeandme to c/[email protected]

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I appreciate fiction, but I almost always read nonfiction. It's probably because I typically choose the books on topics I'm interested in and want to learn about. But I also love the way a great nonfiction writer can weave a narrative so strong that it's just as much literature as it is journalism.

Some of my favorite examples of nonfiction that do this well: Soul Full of Coal Dust, Toms River, Desert Solitaire (Abbey can be problematic, though, so be warned), The Pine Barrens, This Land, and on and on.

I guess I'm kinda stuck in the environment/nature section these days!

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[–] mcpheeandme 3 points 2 years ago

I totally get that. That's a draw that keeps me coming back to fiction occasionally.

I also feel a similar sensation when I read a nonfiction book that examines a super-niche community or issue in depth. It's not imaginary, but that kind of read can still make me feel like I'm somewhere else.