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536

I gave up reading fiction a long time ago in the early 1980s. I just felt that stories were a waste of time and learning about things was more enjoyable and far more important.

The only fiction I've read since then was a reread of 1984 by George Orwell, in order to compare it to current times.

I gave up reading fiction a long time ago in the early 1980s. I just felt that stories were a waste of time and learning about things was more enjoyable and far more important. The only fiction I've read since then was a reread of *1984* by George Orwell, in order to compare it to current times.

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[–] • 3 pts

Of course.... its pretty much all I read anymore. Currently reading lucretius, "on the nature of things". But i dont consider fiction as a waste of time. Story telling is a great way to expand the mind and imagine.

[–] • 0 pt

I find non-fiction a great way to stimulate the imagination.

For instance, I read Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos and take the time to imagine how he describes things as he breaks them down into their basic elements. Many interesting ways to apply imagination to non-fiction reads and expand your mind, especially after you gain a broad understanding of things from reading up on many topics.

[–] • 0 pt

If it works for ya, then do it.

[–] • 1 pt

Not really, I like the escape of fiction

[–] • 0 pt

fiction is a decent palette cleaser inbetween dry works

actually bothered to start reading lovecraft recently and its rather refreshing, even though his shorter works are kinda samey, and his earlier stories are a different kind of samey.

not sure if people actually talked like that or he raped six gorillion thesauruses to get his unique blend down.

[–] • 0 pt

fiction is a decent palette cleaser inbetween dry works

Not all non-fiction is dry though. It depends on the topic and the author. Also the time it was written and the audience it targets.

[–] • 0 pt

Historical fiction is fun, there is a great one on cleopatra I read long ago, very large. Wrote ended up becoming a world renowned expert on her. A great read.

[–] • 1 pt

Ya, I remember enjoying James Michener's books. Centennial and The Drifters were the ones I read.

James Clavell was also good.

Neither were historically accurate, but they did a good job of making you feel you were living in those times and places.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

Grew up reading the dozens technical books and manuals one of my parents kept, who was into the early IBM PC's and computing in general of the time. Remember I much preferred those over any type of fiction, hands down no contest. In fact, those type of books are 95% of what's on my bookshelf. The remainder are the Bible, and books written by various physicists.

[–] • 0 pt

As you become more selective in your reading tastes, it becomes harder to find works of fiction well-written enough to be worth the trouble to read. There are always the classics, but some classics are boring as hell. I think they must have been boring when they were published (yes, Sir Walter Scott, I am looking at you).

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

Same. Why would I waste time on bullshit fantasies when I could be learning all about the world? Or a practical skill.