If you have ten minutes to spare you could do a lot worse than spend it watching this excellent Youtube video from Rosamunde Bott at Books from my Bookshelf. In it she explains, very eloquently, why we should all read fiction, the joys and the benefits and what people who don't read it are missing out on. Beautifully put.
12 comments:
Thanks for sharing this, Cath. I've always believed that reading fiction made a big difference, and it's nice to see her arguments laid out so well.
Margot: I do actually love non-fiction books, but I think you can learn just as much from fiction but in a very different way. Non-fiction doesn't deal with emotions and situations like fiction. And it's quite telling that every year I always read about 4 times as much fiction as non-fiction.
With Dave and I being total opposites in our reading preferences, this is an excellent article for me to share with him, as the author lays out the two arguments so succinctly. More importantly, whilst Dave is able to articulate that he prefers non-fiction as he likes to read facts and data, I always find it a little more of a challenge to get across why I enjoy reading non-fiction so much and my belief that one can actually learn something from reading a well-researched story. When Rosamunde says she believes that fiction is about 'truth', I get it straightaway - now let's just hope that Dave does! :)
Thanks for sharing!
Didn't have time this morning to watch that video, but I'll try and watch it later. But I do agree that reading is very good for you, and fiction allows you to experience the world in so many safe and expansive ways. I truly don't understand people who don't like to read.
Honestly, I think I've learned more about living from novels than from the nonfiction I've read. There's a lot to be said for empathy, and that's one human trait that can be learned - or at least better understood- from reading the kind of fiction that sees the reader walking in the shoes of a story's main character or characters.
And as Lark says, what better way to get an inside look into the hearts and minds of people from all over the world you would never have understood nearly as well without reading their fiction. This is a great little video.
Thanks for sharing Cath and I have watched Rosamunde's video and she makes many good points about the importance of reading fiction. I too know people who will only read non-fiction. They can't get passed the fact that fiction isn't real which is a shame because novels have so many benefits and as Risamunde says they are also entertaining and can provide escape and that is necessary in life.
I will be checking out Rosamunde's book tube channel going forward and its great how
many very fine book tube channels are out there. I think the first one I discovered was Hannah at Hannah's Books which I really enjoy, Katie at Books and Things, Marissa at Blatantly Bookish, Kate Howe etc etc.
Yvonne: I too think non-fiction is about truth or at least what others consider to be the truth and that's important for readers to hear I think. The opinions of others, I mean. Otherwise life would be very boring! My father was like Dave, had no time for what he called 'rubbishy fiction'. (I'm not saying that Dave considers fiction to be 'rubbish'.) I felt sorry for him to be honest. So sad to miss out on fantastic books because of such an ingrained opinion.
You're most welcome. I don't usually share the YT videos I watch but I thought that one was worth it.
Lark: I don't understand people who don't like to read. How do you get any true understanding of the world unless you read books? I suppose the answer is, people don't. Maybe if people read more books and understood each other better there would be less war.
Sam: Yes, absolutely! Non-fiction is 'great', especially quirky non-fiction. But it's from fiction that I've learned to be much more empathetic, plus found out about things I would never have known about otherwise. My last book of March, Breaking Creed by Alex Kava, taught me all about drug mules in South America. I didn't expect it but there it was, and although I knew a little about it before, I now know 'much' more about the horror of it. I wouldn't recommend the book to everyone I know but I'm glad I read it, even if it was a bit of a surprise/shock.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Kathy: You're most welcome and I'm really pleased that you watched and enjoyed Rosamunde's video. I feel people who only read non-fiction are rather blinkered. Facts are fine and interesting but if you really want to know about people then you should read fiction. And yes, the 'escape' factor can't be overstated.
It's astonishing how many excellent book channels there are on Youtube. I keep discovering more and more. I'm a big fan of Katie Lumsden, her vids have taught me heaps about Victorian Lit. Others I like: Margot Kinberg, Aaron at 'Aaron Read a Book', 'Celeste at A Reader's Almanac', Ros at 'Scallydandling about the books', Miranda Mills, Gina Stanyer Books, Heidi at 'My Reading Life', Simon Savidge. The list is endless and I really do need to do a book post recommending some of them. Watching their videos is far more entertaining than watching TV!
This is an excellent explanation of why reading fiction is so important... and least useful beyond entertainment. I do agree with the point that there is nothing wrong with reading only for entertainment, but even a book intended for entertainment will offer new ideas to readers. Her examples of books to illustrate her points were very interesting also. I could go on and on. I like to get information about subjects or places or people I know little about from fiction and be entertained also.
As she said, she was preaching to the choir and readers here probably already agree with her also. But it was good to have it put into words. I will try some of her other videos.
Tracy: I thought Rosamunde put her case very well. It does seem crazy to learn more from fiction than non-fiction but I think fiction writers 'mostly' write with a lighter hand, and slot information in seamlessly. I say 'mostly'. And yes, to be honest, I do read fiction mainly for entertainment, learning new things is a nice added advantage.
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