what are you reading?
I have a pet theory that geeky people tend to read a lot of non-fiction. Certainly, that theory holds true for me. I would say the ratio of non-fiction to fiction is about 5:1 for me. (Currently, I’m engrossed in an oldie-but-goodie, Thomas Friedman’s “From Beirut to Jerusalem”)
Why is this so? My theory is that geeks have a fundamental desire to understand how stuff works or why things are, which is what much non-fiction tends to be (if you exclude garbage like the Chicken Soup series, etc.). Getting lost in someone else’s world just isn’t that appealing after spending all day imposing our own sense of order on the world.
Or maybe it is, and I just like to read non-fiction.
What are you reading? This is my unscientific survey of my readership. Leave a comment.
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The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edwin Tufte
I’m finishing up “Freakonomics” and next on my list is “Born On a Blue Day.”
I’m not nearly as geeky as an asian computer jockey. I read lots of non-fiction (and own the books of the two above me) but am currently reading “Thunderstruck” by Erik Larsen and have out “Thirteen Moons” by Frazier (of Cold Mountain Fame)… I think the book i just finished was “Hammer of the Gods” about Led Zeppelin
I just finished “The Places In Between” about walking across Afghanistan (non-fiction), and I am halfway through “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” (nf), and I have a rather large pile including “The Hostages” (fiction), “How to Brew” (nf), “German Wheat Beers” (nf).
Just finished Bill Bryson’s “A Short History of Nearly Everything” (non-fiction) and Denis Johnson’s “Jesus’ Son” (fiction short stories).
Maybe I’m not a good geek, but I mostly read science fiction and fantasy. Just finished “Eragon” and the sequel “Eldest”. It has been a while, but probably the last non-fiction book I read was Carl Sagan’s “The Demon Haunted World: Science As A Candle In The Dark”.
Broca’s Brain – Carl Sagan (nf). Next is a collection of essays by Nick Hornby (f). It think I switch back and forth pretty consistently – but I like your theory, because like most of them, it’s yours.
yeah, I must not be a good geek either. I read a lot of smut fiction. ;)
the last non-fiction book I read was freakonomics. Stumbling towards hapiness is my next nonfiction book to read, but that’s after a lot of trashy vampire novels. :D
Your gripe about fiction seems to be that you don’t find the fictional world created by the writer that interesting. Maybe you haven’t stumbled upon the right “world” (ie writer). I just finished Sisters by Danielle Steel and The Land of Mango Sunsets by Dorthea Benton Frank, both of which I think you’d thoroughly enjoy!
Seriously, I’m reading Financial Modeling Using Excel and VBA and trying to catch up on past Economist/Businesweek/Barron’s issues.