NONFICTION NOVEMBER Week 4: Reads Like Fiction
Nonfiction November is being hosted this week by Rennie at What’s Nonfiction. The prompt is
Nonfiction books often get praised for how they stack up to fiction. Does it matter to you whether nonfiction reads like a novel? If it does, what gives it that fiction-like feeling? Does it depend on the topic, the writing, the use of certain literary elements and techniques? What are your favorite nonfiction recommendations that read like fiction? And if your nonfiction picks could never be mistaken for novels, what do you love about the differences?
Whew! It’s these kind of questions that make me feel totally inadequate and unqualified to be discussing books.
Sure, I like narrative nonfiction, and it helps if there are real-life examples but nonfiction doesn’t necessarily have to read like a novel to keep my interest. Especially if it’s a book that is ‘teaching’ me: I don’t want just dry facts or a school textbook, but I don’t need it sound like fiction either, although history often can! And I doubt I differ from most casual (or even noncasual) readers of nonfiction here.
Memoirs are a slightly different kettle of fish, but even then, I don’t need to think they’re novels, although I think that many do have that feel – and thus seem to be the most widely read area of nonfiction. But what makes them seem so? I will leave that up to the more qualified to discuss.
The one memoir I read this year Truck: a Love Story is the account of a few years in the life of a man while he is having his beloved derelict International Harvester truck restored. IH trucks were never widely sold and have become something of a rare collector’s item. Perry, however, wanted a working truck – and got one, despite having very little cash to work with. I recommend it.
Do the memoirs that you read need to have ‘novel’ qualities?
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I think what I love in all books I read — fiction or nonfiction — is a story that moves along. I think I prefer nonfiction that reads like fiction because it has more storytelling in it than other nonfiction, but I also like to read things too. It’s tricky, depends on the topic!
It does depend on the topic, Kim. But you’re right – it has to be a story that moves along.
I agree with your approach here.
Thanks, Judy.
I’m looking forward to writing this up on my blog soon, as I really like narrative non-fiction.
And I enjoyed reading your post, Sue. 🙂
I like my non-fiction to feel like it’s compelling. I want to invest in the ideas and the figures therein, and I want to feel like I’m immersed in the time and space of it all. The idea of a love story about a truck doesn’t appeal to me at all – but maybe I’d be surprised? 🙂
I admit that it sounds an odd concept, Marcie, and that I picked the book up mainly because I have enjoyed reading this author before. The thing is, Perry makes the story of everyday life interesting. And he also convinced me of the merit of IH trucks, a model I had been aware of only through vintage advertising which I once sold on eBay.
Indeed, you might be surprised. 😉
What an interesting question! I like having a story built into a nonfiction book, as long as the facts are accurate. If I’m learning while reading, I need to believe what I’m learning, in the same way I need to believe a traditional textbook.
As few years back I discovered that a respected author of “creative nonfiction” juggled his details, if not his facts. I only discovered that when he wrote about a particular event — differently from how it happened, because I was there! It made me question whether his facts were true, also. Very unsettling.
I guess that’s a long answer to say that I prefer fiction and nonfiction to stay separated!
Jane, I think “creative nonfiction” is almost an oxymoron. Is it the facts, or isn’t it?
I understand what you mean about doubting an author after finding wrong facts in his/her writing. I found that about an author a few years ago, and have yet to bring myself to read another of his books. https://www.exurbanis.com/archives/10197#act Even when it’s clearly fiction, I think there are some things that should be accurately represented, especially when the plot turns on them. Unless they’re reading fantasy or sci-fi, most people do attune their worldview with their reading, whether they realize it or not.