gunner

What am i missing by "not" reading Fictional books?

I probably have not read a fictional book in over 10yrs. Whenever i browse a book store i always tread that familiar path to the History/politics/Military corner. I have always enjoyed what i read but have often wondered if I'm missing something from not reading fictional books.
I think i may have some-kind of in-built fear of reading fiction, as i see it as time wasted because there's far more serious reading to be done [which i enjoy]

What do you think?

Paul.

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Always judge a lady by the contents of her mind, never by the shape of her bum.

mikhail

I feel pretty much the same way reality is alway alot more interesting to me.So basically i would second your question.

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The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

DarkWizard12

The only fiction book I ever read by my own choice(because we had to read fiction in english class), was Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, and it was one sorry-ass book too.

gunner

Its good I'm not alone

Be nice for someone to say we're missing something though!

Paul.

Ethereal

Wow! If you don't read fiction you are truly missing out. The bulk of what I read is fiction. Literature contains some of the most eloquent and masterful analyses of human nature and political commentary in history. I feel sorry for anyone who hasn't delved into the world of literature. It's like your denying yourself a whole other universe of thought and introspection. The most brilliant writers ever were all primarily fiction writers. George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Alexandre Dumas, Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Toilken, William Shakespear, Charles Dickens, Ray Bradberry, J.D. Salinger, Madeleine L'Engle, the list goes on and on.

Waste of time!? Absolutely not.

If you like political books and war books read, All Quiet On the Western Front by Eriche Remarque, if you haven't already. I garuntee you will like it. If not you can punch me in the nuts.

Redress

I read both fiction and nonfiction and enjoy both. There are great examples of each. There is nothingwrong with reading primarily or exclusively one or the other. Based on the bolded part, I think you will always have a hard time with fiction. If it is what you enjoy, and consider it "serious", why worry about fiction?

gunner

The guys i work with often mix and match, fiction non fiction. I'm kinda the odd one out
As you picked up on "I enjoy" what i read so have seen no reason for change. I have late just had that tiny urge to read a fictional book but it soon gets quashed by something more serious waiting to be read on my shelf. I do feel i probably would have a hard time with fiction because of my personality, I'm not much of a fantasist or dreamer, I'd say I'm pretty much a realist and there's an abundance of serious undiscovered [for me] subjects I'd like to read up on.

Paul.

Redress

What subjects do you tend to read on? Any particularly good books on said subjects?

Voidwar

gunner,

Read Shogun by James Clavell.

Gipper

If you've read a political book, chances are you've read a work of fiction.

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A government big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away. - Barry Goldwater