Battle of the genres: Fiction vs non-fiction

Plenty of people like to crack open a good romance on the beach, lose themselves in the latest thriller on the way to work, or scare themselves with a grim crime novel before bed, but why doesn’t the same really happen for non-fiction?

Although often dubbed as boring, long or too hard to understand, I believe that non-fiction doesn’t deserve its unflattering reputation. There’s a massive range of non-fiction work to get your teeth into: from easy, humorous reads such as Marty Jopson’s The Science of Everyday Life to the denser, but incredibly detailed descriptions of French court dress, it’s not all dreary textbooks.

We often forget that engaging stories exist in the histories of those long deceased or in today’s popular memoirs

Whether you’re fascinated by geopolitics or the lives of Dada artists like me, it’s just a matter of considering your personal interests. Non-fiction can even enrich your understanding of fiction books and their context. I gave up studying Biology for my university course, but I don’t have to say goodbye completely – I can satisfy my fascination thanks to Ben Goldacre’s shocking book Bad Pharma.  In fact, non-fiction can be as drama-filled as Keeping up with the Kardashians. Many beloved works of fiction like A Song of Ice and Fire took inspiration from non-fiction historical events. We often forget that engaging stories exist in the histories of those long deceased or in today’s popular memoirs.

There’s definitely a non-fiction book waiting out there for you. But most importantly, how can we expect to understand today’s world if we are ignorant of how it came to be?

Don’t get me wrong, I like non-fiction!  It’s informative, interesting and can shape your view of the world by teaching you new things that make you reconsider long-held assumptions. But, equally, non-fiction can sometimes be as dry as the Sahara. If I wanted to read something after a long day, I wouldn’t turn to a theoretical essay (unless I wanted to get to sleep very quickly, perhaps). Equally, I wouldn’t turn to a recipe book, a political tract, or a scientific article.

I have never been moved by non-fiction in the same way I can be by a good novel, poem or play

What most interests and excites me is fiction. Of course, some fiction can really be quite bad, but I have never been moved by non-fiction in the same way I can be by a good novel, poem or play. I have yet to find a piece of non-fiction that can make me cry through the force of its language or content. These things are not through lack of trying. I actively read books of essays, popular science books, history books and feminist theory (for fun!) but for me, nothing can compare to a novel that fully draws you into its world.

You can learn just as much from a piece of fiction set in an unfamiliar location or with an unfamiliar subject matter as you can from reading non-fiction on the same topic. It would also most likely be more emotive, enjoyable and is far more likely to stick in your brain. While non-fiction is getting more broad and creative all the time, and I genuinely think it is a wonderful medium – I’m afraid fiction is where my loyalty truly lies.

Image Credits: Steve Rotman / Flickr