# When people say " I don't read Fiction" what do they mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901 "2004-05-25T00:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/1 "2004-05-25T00:50:53Z")
I’m talking about typical people, not our special brilliant dopers here who read every non-fiction thing they can get their hands on about their pet subject. When the average Joe- or Jane- replies " I don’t read fiction" to your innocent inquiry as to whether they’ve read a book, what do they mean? I’ve always assumed they meant they only read non-fiction books, but I know someone who is completely convinced that " I don’t read fiction" really means " I don’t read books. Just magazines and newspapers. Maybe" and they don’t want you to think that they’re illiterate so they adopt a disdain towards fiction to mislead. Through a series of conversations I learned a new coworker fits this perfectly, “I don’t read fiction” does indeed mean “I don’t read books” in her case- except she’s nuts and thinks books, **all books** , give people dangerous ideas- so it makes me wonder if he might not be on to something with his theory. My coworker’s nutiness aside. So, do you know people who don’t read fiction? What _do_ they read, then? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/2 "2004-05-25T01:08:41Z")
As a rule, I don’t read fiction. And I mean just that. I do read. I read tons of non-fiction. I read books on the following subjects: humor, politics, history, computers, wine and spirits, bios or whatever else interests me. The last fiction book I read was _Shop Girl_–about a month ago. The one before that was that god-awful _Davinci Code_–six months ago. I can’t even remember the one before that. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/3 "2004-05-25T01:09:17Z")
My WAG would be tomes such as _The South Beach Diet_, _Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus_, or anything in the Tony Robbins/Deepak Chopra/Dr. Phil McGraw _oevre_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/4 "2004-05-25T01:25:49Z")
I think you will find most people who say they don’t read fiction mean they only read non-fiction _not_ that they don’t read. My sis does not read fiction. She reads biographies, newspapers, magazines and a variety of coffee table books on travel, architecture, decorating and antique clothing and needlework. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/5 "2004-05-25T01:29:03Z")
I don’t read fiction very much. Mainly, I read history and science, with occasional adventure (_Into Thin Air_) or how-to (_Easy Bicycle Repair_, _Be Your Own Undertaker_) thrown in. The only fiction I’ve read recently have been Chuck Palahniuk’s books. My main problem with fiction is that I spend $10-$20 on a book (the libraries where I live don’t have much in English, and nothing new), and then I’m done with it in just one weekend. I want something that will last a little longer, and leave me feeling that I’ve learned something. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/6 "2004-05-25T01:34:42Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > So, do you know people who don’t read fiction? What _do_ they read, then? They watch television. After all, television is reality! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/7 "2004-05-25T01:35:57Z")
I can’t say that I never read fiction, but that I read much more non-fiction. The last 5 books I’ve read were **Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar, Language Visible** (a history of the alphabet), **Why Courage Matters, Against All Enemies** , and\*\* Color: A Natural History of the Palette\*\*. Frankly, I find reading about politics, science and history to be far more informative and entertaining than cuddling up with yet another Baldacci/Meltzer/Patterson/ Grisham legal thriller with a spunky young lawyer protagonist fighting the Man. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/8 "2004-05-25T02:12:26Z")
IME they mean exactly that: they read, but not fiction. It’s really not all that unusual. Some people just don’t have a taste for fiction, any kind of fiction. FWIW, I go in spurts. I read don’t read much mainline fiction, mostly because much of it doesn’t appeal to me overwhelmingly. There are only so hours in the day. I’m a long-time, hardcore mystery reader though, even lame ones. It’s my “brain in neutral” escapist reading, though I’m slowly branching out a bit into SF. That said, even my limited fiction reading seems to work around shifting interests in nonfiction. I’ll get absorbed in a subject and dive into it. I read both, but fiction fills in the gaps between nonfiction interests. It happens. It’s just a personal quirk in reading tastes. Veb ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/9 "2004-05-25T02:15:58Z")
> [@TVeblen](#): > > FWIW, I go in spurts. > Veb I’ve heard that about you. 😃 The only non-fiction I read is trivia or list/facts-type books. I’ve got tons of them like the Billboard chart books. I could (and have) sit for hours and read these things. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/10 "2004-05-25T02:32:58Z")
I don’t recall anyone using the phrase “I don’t read fiction” to mean “I don’t read”. I’m certain that I know half a dozen people who don’t read fiction but read quite a lot of books. My Grandfather would be one - he doesn’t understand why anyone would want to read something that’s not true. The people of my aquaintance who don’t read tend to say “I don’t read books”. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/11 "2004-05-25T03:03:01Z")
I don’t read fiction very often. I just don’t enjoy it that much, generally. That’s not to say I’ve never read fiction that I enjoyed, but I prefer mostly history, science, aviation and political literature. Perhaps it’s something along the lines of **cazzle** ’s grandfather’s thinking. I know if I go to a “realistic” movie I’d much rather see one based on historical fact than one, such as _U-571_, that I can’t really enjoy because I know it’s a distortion of the historical record. I don’t mean that I can’t have a good time watching _Batman_, but something like _Rambo_ just turns me off. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/12 "2004-05-25T04:03:17Z")
> [@633squadron](#): > > They watch television. After all, television is reality! > 😃 Oddly accurate in my case. I am a television fan (though not of “reality” television), but when it comes to reading I mostly stick to history, biographies, science, music, math and computer subjects. Although I did spend a couple weeks a few months ago re-reading all the Sherlock Holmes stories. That Watson was a real dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/13 "2004-05-25T05:48:48Z")
I don’t read _much_ fiction, and I read almost no modern novel-type fiction. I’ll read old fiction (not gonna say ‘classic literature,’ because I’m also happy to read Mrs Henry Wood), and some SF/fantasy and mystery, but I do mainly read non-fiction. I don’t know that I’d say “I don’t read fiction,” because I do read some–but I would take the statement to mean a preference for non-fiction, not a refusal to read at all. 'Course, plenty of people could be using that statement to cover up the fact that they only read celebrity bios, New Age self-help, or Left Behind. Perhaps it’s sometimes a way to sound more highbrow than “I like to read true crime books and magazines.” I guess I’d agree with **cazzle** that people I know who don’t read books just say so. I have a buddy who, now that he’s done with his coursework, doesn’t read anything but what will help him in his career. I proctored his independent study exams at the library, and give him a good ribbing about it every so often. (He would do the exam, I would go get a pile o’books and read next to him, and he’d ask me what I wanted with all those books.) ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/14 "2004-05-25T11:07:23Z")
> [@cazzle](#): > > . . .The people of my aquaintance who don’t read tend to say “I don’t read books”. That’s it more or less. People I know who haven’t read a book since they left school read the tabloid papers - whether that counts as non-fiction is moot. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/15 "2004-05-25T11:34:45Z")
WAG: They do mean ‘I don’t read fiction’ but most people who don’t, don’t read anything, notwithstanding the large and probably unrepresentative sample of people here who read a lot of non-fiction. I have nothing to support this view. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/16 "2004-05-25T11:56:08Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > \*\* Color: A Natural History of the Palette\*\*. **Gobear** Who wrote this book? I need an author name to look it up at my local bookstore. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/17 "2004-05-25T12:56:57Z")
Do those of you who don’t read (much) fiction actually go around saying “I don’t read fiction”? When I read the OP I thought about it a bit, and I can’t remember ever hearing anyone say such a thing. Who discusses their preferences only in the negative form? It seems that people usually make positive statements about what they _do_ read, like “I mostly read military history” or “I prefer royal biographies.” If I heard someone say “I don’t read fiction” with no followup about what they read instead, I might also suspect that they were attempting to hide something about their reading habits. It just seems like a weird thing to say. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/18 "2004-05-25T13:09:39Z")
> [@torie](#): > > **Gobear** Who wrote this book? I need an author name to look it up at my local bookstore. 😕 The author’s name is Victoria Finlay–I thoroughly enjoyed her book. Basically, Finlay’s thesis is a discussion of the 7 colors of the rainbow. The book combines the author’s personal investigative work as she travels to different countries to explore the origins of ancient coloring agents, like going to Spain for saffron. outback Australia for ochre, and pre-invasion Afghanistan for lapis lazuli, and in-between the travelogue sections, Finlay discusses the historical and cultural significance of each color. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/19 "2004-05-25T13:13:44Z")
Well Lamia, there’s my Grandfather for one. He’ll read a factual book on any of a wide variety of subjects, but has no time for anything that’s not real. His television watching habits tend to reflect this too. I think “I don’t read fiction” has mostly come up when discussing books we’ve read recently and I’ve said something like “Have you read the latest Minette Walters book?” or “I’m a big fan of Terry Pratchett - are you familiar with his work?”. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901/20 "2004-05-25T14:59:21Z")
I’ll throw my vote in with those saying that people saying they don’t read fiction = people who don’t read fiction, and not those who don’t read at all. I read a lot of both fiction and non-fiction. I find fiction very enjoyable, but non-fiction almost as fun. I’m sure this does NOT apply to any of the dopers posting here, but I can’t stand it when I tell someone that I’m reading a novel, and they instantly retort “Oh, I don’t read that junk. I only read \*non-\*fiction.” Drives me nuts. Anyway, I find it odd that the person you mentioned would say they don’t read fiction, when it really seems that they don’t read books. Nothing wrong with that, except, of course, for the fact that she thinks books breed dangerous ideas. Consequently, has she mentioned anything to you about a book-burning lately? She might want to join those people who think that Harry Potter books are tools of Satan. But that’s just a suggestion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-say-i-dont-read-fiction-what-do-they-mean/246901.md?page=2)