Fiction vs. Non preferences
 

I'm a diehard fiction reader. However, I've been wanting to read more nonfiction, so lately, every other book I read is a biography or memoir or history type book. I'm thoroughly enjoying my "escape" from my normal reading.

I'm wondering what others like doing. Do you read only one or the other? Do you prefer reading the same types of fiction or the same types of nonfiction?

Just curious.

Fiction all the way. Mostly epic fantasy and science fiction. I love the 'escape' that it gives me. Nice imagination workout too.

I generally read an escapist novel or two (fantasy, thriller, horror) then a good ol' non-fiction book to get me edumacated.

12th, what nonfiction do you read? Do you read similar things like all travel writing or all about Einstein?

I've found myself drawn to the history of the Green Bay Packers (either biographies or books on the whole team) and anthropology type books focusing on the whats and hows and ifs of Egypt and Mayan temples.

I'm starting to want to branch out, however. For fiction, I'll read pretty much anything but romance or legal thrillers, so I figure I should be open to more nonfiction genres.

I'm usually working on one or two of each (fiction/non) at any given time. Right now, for instance, I'm reading a collection of Thomas Merton's journal entries, Tom Wolfe's Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers, and Philip Roth's The Human Stain.

I'm on a bit of a religous kick right now, so much of the non-fiction that I'm drawn to has something to do with faith and social justice. I'm also getting ready to begin my dissertation, though, so I'm reading a lot of Cold War history and contemporary American lit.

That probably doesn't sound like "fun" reading, but it's awfully fun to me. ;)

Nonfiction is all over the map for me. Right now I'm reading "The Turk", about the chess-playing automaton. I just finished the Jesse Jackson bio "Shakedown" and a book on germ warfare.

I'm much more interested in fiction - mainly 20th century, especially stream-of-consciousness - but I was on a big non-fiction kick for a little while. Well, I'm sure some people would argue that it is sensationalized (and even fictitious), but some of the non-fiction books I read were Matthieson's In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (about Leonard Peltier and AIM), Abu-Jamal's Live from Death Row, a great deal of Chomsky's essays and one of his books (I'm very angry that I can't remember which), and Toxic Sludge is Good for You! but I can't remember the authors. I don't have them with me in the dorm, as I left them at home.

Mostly non-fiction.

I read mostly fiction, but am drawn to nonfiction books about illness outbreaks and medical developments. (like Gina Kolata's "Flu")

Preston, the author of HOT ZONE, has a new one coming out:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...51905?v=glance

Thanks for the tip...
Just added it to my ever growing list of "to read" books. :thumbsup: