I am now over 3 years post college. I looked back on my reading list this year, and realized that there has been a massive shift in my reading.
I could probably count on one hand the nonfiction books I read between high school and college graduation (excluding textbooks and reference materials for projects). And every single one of those books were required reading. Between graduation and the beginning of this year, I might have added another handful of nonfiction novels. During the school phase of my life almost all of my reading was fantasy and escapism. I distinctly remember telling a friend that I had quite enough of the real world in the real world and didn’t want to read about it too.
This year alone I read 36 nonfiction novels. This was on top of 26 fiction novels. The majority of the nonfiction was new, while all but 8 of the fiction books were rereads.
I realized that I’m finally far enough away from college to learn for fun. I’m actually seeking out books on topics that interest me, and real life interests have a stronger draw than fantasy. I still like fantasy, but there is room in my head for challenging and thought provoking material. It’s nice.
Anyone have similar experiences?
Yeah that’s called growing up. Everyone experiences that. We all change tastes and expand what we consume as we grow up.
No. I was stressed in college but I think being in that environment lead to me doing my own research on a lot of topics so I read a lot of non-fiction and peer reviewed papers.
I graduated and was just totally burnt out and went back to the comfort of YA fantasy/adult romance… basically the same genres I had been reading since 12 lol. I read less papers and nonfic.
I get it. I did a lot of reading for research topics in college, which probably increased my comprehension significantly, but it didn’t transfer over to my independent reading.
I pretty much had Pratchett (and a few others) on repeat throughout graduate school on audiobook. I’m still cycling back to comfort reads, and most of my fiction reading has been rereads this year.
What in the world is a “Non-fiction novel”? Novels are fiction by definition.
You changed significantly. I too read nonfiction books. But I choose nonpartisan ones. Even nonfiction has a sizable chunk of its books belonging to the gutter. Bill O’Reilly’s books spring to mind. If you read books that challenge your intellect without deceiving you about the real world (or at least not by much), then you are progressing in my humble opinion.
The literal opposite. I’ve always hated nonfiction books, but it felt like I read nothing but nonfiction and textbooks in college.
I don’t think I’ve picked up once since I graduated. I just don’t care about other peoples lives I guess 😂😂😂
I just want to be in some fantasy or on a fantastical adventure. I don’t want more depressing shit in my head.
36 nonfiction novels
Novels are fiction.
I’m so tired of writing this on college essays. Why does this generation use novel and book interchangeably?
Sorry if this is petty, but I feel like maybe it’s ok for me to say in the books sub.
I think the OP meant to write “nonfiction books” (not “nonfiction novels”), but the nonfiction novel does exist with the textbook example often being “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote. Norman Mailer wrote nonfiction novels, and a lot of Tom Wolfe’s books might be usefully characterized as such.
But I’m 100% the OP just misspoke.
Influence. My reading varies broadly, and is almost always influenced by my activities (hiking makes me want to read fae fantasy and nonfiction regarding mycelium, growing and cooking okra took me to Michael W. Twitty, You took me to fucking Wuthering Heights.). You get it.
Another post of someone feeling smarter because is reading non fiction, what is the holy grail of knowledge and insight.
Funnily enough my taste for escapism has only gotten stronger as I’ve aged. I’ve always been a fantasy/sci-fi reader but as I get older (I’m in my 30’s) I find I want that escapism more and more. Like you said, ‘I get enough reality from the real world’. The real world is a shit place right now for a multitude of reasons and the last thing I want is to be reminded of that in my relax time. That’s the great thing about books though, there’s something out there to suit everyone’s tastes.
Yes, somewhat similar!
I am the opposite. At least late in university (4th year and then my second degree), I read fiction and non-fiction often. Now that I’m working I feel my brain just does not want non-fiction. I’ve read only a few this year (mostly audio, and one was Paris Hilton’s memoir so it’s not exactly taxing 😂). I think part of it is that I do less reading on a daily basis, but more on the weekends now, and it’s easier to read fiction in longer stretches than non-fiction.
Honestly, after college, I just swung hard into fluffy (low worldbuilding, easy language) fantasy for awhile. I think my brain was wiped from all the textbook reading.
I’m quite a few years out now and read a very broad range of books. I just needed some recharge time.
I’m the opposite I guess. I grew up in a Christian home, so reading historical theology, philosophy and such was what was in my father’s library. However, reading deeper into that world I realized it’s a never ending rabbit hole of changing theories about the past. On top of constantly arguing and debating with fellow readers on subjects it just felt as if there wasn’t an authoritative view on any given subject.
Now I feel a poem is far more reflective of what reality is than expository writings. But I also feel this might be my personality.