# fiction, non-fiction, and others **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951 "2007-11-10T19:32:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Baine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baine)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/1 "2007-11-10T19:32:13Z")
Which do you generally find to be more interesting? Fiction or non-fiction literature? Movies or documentaries? Painting or photography? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/2 "2007-11-10T19:35:28Z")
Fiction, movies, and paintings. All the made-up stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/3 "2007-11-10T19:40:51Z")
[QUOTE=Baine] Which do you generally find to be more interesting? Fiction or non-fiction literature? Movies or documentaries? Painting or photography? [/QUOTE] Yes. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/4 "2007-11-10T19:55:31Z")
This thread’s title reminds me of something amusing. There used to be a bookstore in my town whose Yellow Pages listing said this: **PEGASUS BOOKS - We specialize in fiction and nonfiction.** I mostly prefer imaginative entertainments over fact-based stuff. I get enough “truth” in my daily life; what I crave is escape from reality. Gimme some good, gaudy lies. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/5 "2007-11-10T20:05:22Z")
[QUOTE=Baine] Which do you generally find to be more interesting? Fiction or non-fiction literature? Movies or documentaries? Painting or photography? [/QUOTE] This is like asking if you prefer oysters or roses. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/6 "2007-11-10T22:30:18Z")
Nonfiction, in general. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/7 "2007-11-11T00:28:27Z")
I used to prefer fiction, expecially scifi, and devoured several books per week. But as I grew older, my tastes changed; when you’re starting out, there are so many great classics to catch up on but eventually you exhaust the back catalog. It seems like new classics are few and far between and I’ve lost patience with poorly written stuff. I gradually grew less interested in fiction and now I mostly read non-fiction which would’ve totally shocked and dismayed my 20-year old self. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/8 "2007-11-11T02:15:45Z")
Non-fiction books, fiction movies, and photography. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/9 "2007-11-11T02:22:20Z")
**Fiction or non-fiction literature?** Fiction. \*\* Movies or documentaries?\*\* Movies. \*\* Painting or photography?\*\* Painting ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-non-fiction-and-others/425951/10 "2007-11-11T17:45:30Z")
[QUOTE=Baine] Fiction or non-fiction literature? Movies or documentaries? Painting or photography? [/QUOTE] I tend to find fictional books/film to be more interesting in general, but given identical stories - one of which was made up and one of which happens to be true, I guess the fact that one is true gives it an “edge”. I’d probably take a good painting over a good photograph, but I actually tend to prefer fantastical photography (photoshopping) or photorealistic fantastical art.