Just follow whatever you're interested in at a time, and you might yearn for fiction again after a while.

Constantly feeling FOMO sounds like a bad strategy. Doubt age has anything to do with that too. The authors you mention specifically, are known to bridge gaps between generations quite easily.

I'm on the other end. I'm 40, and as I've gotten older I think I read more fiction. I think it mostly just has to do with me using it to relax instead of learn as much these days.

I'm the opposite. The older I get, the less I'm interested in reading non-fiction books. I read almost exclusively fiction.

Everyone's journey is different. I'm in my 50s and I find I read almost exclusively fiction at this point. Aside from the occasional memoir, I read almost no nonfiction. 20 years ago I read over half nonfiction.

I am the opposite. Maybe you've just not found your genre yet? I am in a book club and sometimes when we read a book chosen by another member I feel really discouraged to read it because it's not something I enjoy in the same way.

I must admit i do read a lot more non fiction but also do still read fiction - have you considered reading some favourites from when you were younger? I must admit fantasy type stuff I’m probably less interested in now I’m older

I have been reading more non fiction as i have gotten older, but I still try to switch it up every other book I read from non fiction to a lighter fiction themed book to kinda unwind my mind after a very dense read.

Yes! I’ve noticed that as I’m doing less learning with school, work etc I’ve sought out more non fiction.

Age 64. A lot more fiction.

Technically yes because 1-2 per year is more than 0 per year. 95% of the books I read are still fiction and I can't imagine that changing.

i do read more nonfiction now, but mostly because i need to read those things for my job. as far as personal interest reading goes, still majority fiction.

Same.

I'm 36 and have been purposely reading more nonfiction for the last year because I want to learn more stuff, but my inclination is still to read mostly fiction. About 12% of my 2022 reads have been nonfiction, in a wide variety of topics.

My only change in natural reading habits has been gradually branching out to a lot of different genres. Historically the vast majority of my reading has been fantasy, but over the last couple of years I've been reading a lot of other stuff as well - sci-fi, mysteries, historical fiction, horror, and even some contemporary here and there.

Nope. I love sinking into a good story. I actually don’t feel balanced if I don’t have some book of fiction I’m reading.

I’ve never read much non fiction to begin with, but the older I get the more I dislike none fiction. There is some good works out there that I really liked such as the the anthropocene reviewed that I really enjoyed, but for the most part I’m searching to be whisked away to a whole new world

In my 20s all I read was non-fiction. Now in my 40s I read mostly fiction.

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This is me exactly. I can usually slog through a relatively boring nonfiction book, but I can't even get started on fiction anymore. It's tough to even select something to read in the fiction category.

Yes. I think there's a few reasons why.

When I was younger, I found fiction instructive. I had lame to non-existent model/mentor/parental figures and sourced most of my values and food for thought from media, from stories. (I happened to find these things really important innately; my siblings, however, did not, lol.) Fiction fed my sense of what was important and also fed my sense of aspiration for what life could be like - what could I do? what mattered? who would I meet? I had very little interest in non-fiction. It was story that mattered to me.

When I got to high school and reality set in that options were limited, particularly if your idolized roles in life were from the fantasy genre, I stopped being able to read due to some emotional issues. They were windows into worlds I would never experience. Realistic fiction didn't interest me, and real people were getting more limiting and frustrating by the day.

I've gotten back into reading in the last few years, but it's been specifically non-fiction. Spiritual-religious texts of the particular background that interest me, crafts/skills, tiny side of history from eras I find interesting. I find it particularly hard to find fiction I care about (and that ranges beyond books for me, I'm afraid). It doesn't feel like it matters anymore, most of the time. My fiction was never about escapism; it felt directly applicable to my life. But life my life hasn't ended up needing most of the themes I learned. If anything, it's just made me hurt noticing where real life doesn't tend to have the depth, meaning, or care that exists in story.

But at least the skills or knowledge still feels like I might be able to do something with it, gain something by it, besides noticing absence.

​

Reading through other comments, it feels like a certain pattern holds: youth read for growth and older read for entertainment. It just depends on whether your growth is given via fiction (food for thought, creativity, etc) or non-fiction (skills and knowledge).

Not at all

Love your answer, thanks for elaborating. I think i relate to what you're saying. When I was younger I craved new experiences and fiction opened the world for me. I could live thousands lives, as my own had yet to get started if that makes sense. So it definitely served my growth that way. I wouldn't say that I read fiction for entertainment/escapism either. It was paradoxically very practical, exactly like in your case. Now I have seen and experienced my fair share of life and I no longer look for thar kind of experience that fiction provided. My priority now is to learn things that I haven't had the chance to learn earlier, to understand myself and the world around me better. Thanks for giving me the words to get some clarity over my own experience!

Btw, interesting what you say about the radical difference in depth of real life as opposed to story. To this, I don't relate. I think that also bleak and mundane things around us can be interesting/story-worthy, depends on your gaze, it's all in the eyes of the person that looks.

Same, 41 now and I almost exclusively read fiction. Reading is an escape for me so I love fiction.

At 51, All I read is non fiction, but I didn’t think that was everyone’s path. I just feel truth is stranger than fiction and enjoy the crazy life and times and formative years of famous writers, musicians, actors and politicians.

Yeah, I'll agree with you! I'm now more interested in trying to engage with things (by doing skills or learning about them) than I am in just opening up more doors of potential. We're in the do stuff stage of life now, where for good or for ill, the amount of options/potential for ways we could spend our time dwindle every day. (This isn't inherently bad; but to dedicate yourself to learning music, you might not have the time or money to invest in learning to riding a horse, etc.) I'm aware of more options now than I could capitalize on in 5 lifetimes, much less the rest of this 1!

There's also not... as much that's completely new? Like, I frequently see a movie or read a book or play a game and know 'wow, I would've been WILD about this 15 years ago, it's a much better version of Thing I Was Into Then but have now tired out as an interest for myself currently'. I notice this with motifs/aesthetics I really like, and also NOTABLY with things that have archetypes or themes I really enjoy but have already thought about a lot.

I used to find meaning almost exclusively in other people and relationships, but that isn't working out for the way my life is. I am getting better about finding depth in other things independently, but it's required a lot of reworking away from other current human beings (which is challenging as a very social person). It's complicated and more personal than I think /r/books needs as to why that's necessary for me LOL. But history, ecology, and religion/spirituality is helping me find that depth in new places. Again, all non-fiction type topics rather than stories about people doing things for one another and navigating challenges between themselves!

I’m 36. I love non-fiction audiobooks, but I still read primarily fiction when it’s a physical or ebook

That’s exactly what happened to me. I was exclusively fiction when I was younger, with maybe 1 or 2 non-fic sprinkled in. After college is when I started reading in earnest, and the first few years ratio was 80-20 in favour of fiction. It kept tilting throughout the years and now at age 31, it’s 50-50.

I still love my fiction but am not raring for it like I used to, I selectively pick something that catches my eye from the new ones, otherwise I keep exploring favourite genres and authors more (for example, throughout pandemic I dug deep into Elmore Leonard, Raymond Chandler, James Crumley, etc.).

Non-fiction has become very important to me. Reading about topics that interest me, politics, current affairs (global politics, geopolitics, tech), economic history, modern history (20th century onwards), movies & TV production/cultural impact, etc.

I'm 37 and for me it's more of the opposite.

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Other way around for me, lots of nonfiction as a teen and young adult, now 75% or so fiction.

No. I did for a while but now I've flicked back.

Same really. Could have written this myself

I'm the opposite. As I get older, I find I want to read about worse stuff to make me feel better about the shit show we've got going. 40k and Joe Abercrombie hit the mark pretty well.

I spend my work days eyeball deep in logic and binary thinking. I probably love imaginative children's books about magic more now than when I was a child. It gives me something that's otherwise lacking in my life.

If straightforwardly informative is what you're craving, why fight it? My advice is read what you want to read and just enjoy the journey.

If you really want to get yourself back into fiction though, maybe try re-reading a fiction you really loved. See if it still has anything you enjoy/value. Assuming it does, take note of what and search for a book that has those elements. Take note of what you do/don't enjoy from that book, choose the next book based on that data, and just repeat until you find your groove or decide fiction is just no longer your thing.

i listen to audiobooks constantly and those are usually fiction, but the last couple of years the only physical books ive bought have been non fiction that i want for reference.

Great question (and advice). So let me think. I guess I fight it because I don't want to become one of those people that everything has to be functional. Also, as you said I want to nurture my imaginative side. It's also about language. I don't want to unlearn more creative/imaginative forms of language. (In part, i try to do this by reading poetry.) After a while my way of writing becomes too dry if I don't read fiction I'm afraid. I'm an academic and I relate to what you said, don't want to get stuck in this hyperlogical code I already engage with in my work on a daily basis. But your strategy seems promising.

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I've always read fiction, mainly fantasy and sci-fi. The thought of reading nonfiction wigs me out. Reading is an escape from reality for me, I don't want to learn more about this living nightmare unless I absolutely need to.

I always felt fiction has the opportunity to teach more within a single story than non-fiction.

It hasn't changed at all for me, I've been reading mostly fiction with like 1 nonfiction book a year for probably... 20 years? I'm 27.

The anthropocene reviewed was so good! That was the only nonfiction book I read in 2022 haha

Yes I do the same

Might be more of a stage in your life thing than general life stages thing because fiction makes up about 60% of what I read well into my 30s. I only read 3 books published before 1900 this year, though - maybe you would find contemporary fiction a better balance of straightforward, informative, and enlightening. Or not - if you aren't into fiction, you aren't into fiction. No need to force it, but also doesn't make sense to me to extrapolate your preferences onto all readers. Everyone's different.

Totally opposite. The older I get and the hotter the world burns (figuratively and literally), the more I enjoy escaping into a novel.

Same here. I spent my late 20’s and early 30’s reading so much non-fiction trying to “improve” myself. Now I am reading 90% fiction and trying to chill out.

Growing up, I absolutely adored fiction. I loved reading grim dark fantasy, like Joe Abercrombie. But now? I have a bookcase full of non-fiction. But I've discovered I have an obsession with learning things I wasn't taught in school. I primarily read about gay history and have a decent collection of literature because of it. It's funny- I've read about Oscar Wilde's life yet I've never read anything he's ever wrote. I find history so interesting..yet scary. Things like the Civil Rights movement weren't that long ago! I'm still amazed- 1969 through 1985 isn't a long time, yet there is SO much history to be learned during that time. If you know, you know.

Somewhere in high school I lost my spark for reading fiction. Not quite sure how or why, but I just lost the ability to “get lost in a good work of fiction.”

I’ve read many highly acclaimed fiction books over the past couple years to try to rekindle the love I had for fiction as a child, but I can’t help but feel unfulfilled at the end of reading.

Nowadays, I almost exclusively read non-fiction. I find I enjoy it more and get more out of it.

Yes, that same exact thing happened to me. I used to read almost all fiction and very little non-fiction. As the years went by I started to read all non-fiction. I just got more and more interested in learning about the world, and I felt impatient with fiction.

I'm just finally getting back into fiction after several years away from it, but I choose books super carefully. It has to be something with excellent writing, which grabs me and draws me in quickly. Otherwise, I just can't get into it any more. The good thing is that, because I'm so careful about choosing books, I pretty much only read amazing books now (both fiction and non-fiction).

I can't read fiction much because it becomes too all-consuming for me. I get too into it and don't want to do anything else with my time until I finish it. I obviously can't do that because I have a life and all of its responsibilities. Plus, there's so many fascinating topics I want to explore through reading and I have a serious secondhand book habit. So I limit fiction and usually only read it when I need a little fiction snack (as I like to call it) after too many nonfictions in a row and I lose steam. If you want to get back into it, just pick up an old favorite you haven't read in a while and give it a reread. But I think it's also okay to go through seasons and read what's calling you right now.

I feel like I’ve learned more of value from fiction than non-fiction. The older I get the more I lean into fiction and the more I feel I get out of it.

It's the other way around for me actually, but I think I just go back and forth in extended streaks.

My acquaintance would like to know if porn is fiction or non-fiction?

Yep OP, my experience is quite similar. Read exclusively fiction as a kid, teen and through my early 20s. In my mid 20s I realized nonfiction could be just as compelling, and my nonfiction intake has increased steadily since and some years been the overwhelming majority of my reading. This year I think I was around 50/50.

But while that looks even, I do find that it’s much easier for me to find nonfiction I’ll appreciate. A good writer on a topic I’m interested in, and haven’t read about this particular aspect of before? Most likely I’ll find it worthwhile. There’s just a lot more that can go wrong with fiction—every book is a leap of faith. I like reading a balance but I would guess my average rating for fiction is appreciably lower at this point. Although some of this is probably still my being somewhat newer to nonfiction. The more you consume of something the pickier you tend to be, and I am seeing myself becoming more discerning with nonfiction and DNFing more often as time goes by.

We are the same age and outside of a science book I have zero interest in non fiction.

More fiction. I already get enough of the real would doing adult things like a job and paying for mortgage I wanna sit down and get sucked into a more interesting setting then the one I live in.

Yes. And I find that I look down on people who read fairytales for their own amusement too.

I do more nonfiction and history, yes.

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Kind of yes. We all know fiction is the entry level books that makes us fall in love with reading books. As we go on we come across books of other genres. Or may be it's because rn I am financially able to buy books on philosophy, history and geopolitics.(fiction are relatively cheaper)

the peak of my non-fiction read was in college, and now I read technical manuals (for work so I don't really keep this in the same space of my brain as "reading") and occasionally biographies but vastly more fiction

I'm way better at appreciating the art of fiction than non-fiction so it interests me more

Probably my favorite genres are is history and historical fiction and biographies/memoirs. I need to know about things that really happened because it’s helping me understand me in my life and peoples experiences around me. Least favorite genre would be fantasy. No time for that lol.

I read more nonfiction as a teenager. Now, as an adult, I want to escape and live those fantasies I never can even more. Nonfiction, while still great, just doesn't grip me. I want to isolate myself from real life more, honestly.

I go through waves and it’s all about the stage in my life.

For years I read a book a day and it would shift every couple years to what I wanted- science fiction, popcorn fiction, textbooks…

It’s normal.

I've always been this way. I just find non-fiction more interesting. I like fiction too, but I find myself losing interest more easily. It leads to a lot of unfinished books.

I find it hard to escape to fantasy when the real world is so interesting.

I’m 35 and I haven’t read a non-fiction book since the ones we had to in high school. I just have absolutely no interest in it.

No I want to live in a fantasy world

Aah, that all makes sense. I wish you luck on your journey!

Have you ever read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? If not, I wonder if you might enjoy it. It's definitely imaginative and well written. It's set in a world where magicians are academics and the book is riddled with "historical" footnotes. One of those fiction books that's pretending to be non-fiction.

The exact opposite.

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I’m 62 and read almost NO nonfiction. Very little of that holds my interest these days. This year it’s been Donna Leon, Greg Bear, Alex Shvartsman, Ben Aaronovitch, Sally Rooney, Ursula Leguin, Becky Chambers. About the only nonfiction I’ve read this year is “A Woman of no importance.”

Opposite

my two cents :

I believe im currently in the opposite spectrum. 28M here I believed reading non-fictions is the purpose of reading book. But found that they are good for nothing. All the books are just hypothesis, most of them beat around the bush suffering from Hammer nail problem.

So switched to fictions reading / listening nearly 3 books a month.

Non-fictions might make us to believe we are learning something with facts. But Fictions change my heart they do something to my inner being.

Non-Fiction makes us more intelligent whereas I believe Fiction makes us more humane.

Haha this is so relatable. Hope you have a relaxed 2023 doing shit you enjoy, my friend.

Opposite for me. I’m in my 40’s and find myself largely uninterested in nonfiction.

No. There is so much BS that life throws our way, reading is my form of escapism and I enjoy reading fiction. I don’t think that will ever change. Fiction also teaches me a lot about random things (at times), and gets me thinking.

I don’t enjoy classic works, non fiction or poetry in general. Some memoirs are alright but generally speaking, I love getting sucked into an interesting story.

It all depends on what catches my interest at the moment. I’ve always been an avid reader, and while I enjoy both non-fiction and fiction, as movies become more predictable, slopped together, and rely on special effects and Hollywood names instead of character development and plot, I find myself reading more fiction as a form of entertainment, especially short stories.

Fiction is still my go too

For me it's the opposite. I've always been interested in reading fiction since I was a kid and I still prefer to read them today. I'm currently in my mid 20s and I still can't make myself enjoy non-fiction.

I tend to like to read non fiction more as I age.

No, but the fiction I choose needs to be less like it reality and completely unlike my own life experiences. Otherwise, it just reminds me of real life - if I want that, I'll read non-fiction or go outside.

I'm similar, although to a lesser degree, probably mostly because I'm more bored or annoyed by fiction - it either uses the tropes I already know, or is poorly written, so I see through what writer was trying to do but failed to.

Part of the problem is that better written books are often quite sad with downtrodden or tortured characters, and when I read, I want to escape from my automatic mode of thinking "what if something bad happens" which paints already difficult life in a darker light. I don't need to add to that.

So I read memoirs due to verisimilitude, or pop science/science books because there's lots of wonderment and new information there

Yes i think u will be more realistic in your life by getting older.

I read almost exclusively fiction now, I did a ton of reading to learn in college. On occasion I'll get a non fiction book that catches my interest.

Such as the Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. It's about a woman who had a form of cancer. These cells were and have been used for research purposes all over the world including studying other cancers, HIV and Tuberculosis.

This happened in 1951 before ethics were of much more importance and this story along with that of the Tuskegee experiment involving Syphilis. Highlight why ethics and informed consent are so important in modern Research. Fair warning it's not an easy read in terms of how she gets treated. Lacks died in 1951 her family knew nothing until almost 20 years after that.

Definitely worth a read if you want to learn some interesting science and understand ethics.

Now off my Tangent about that I read mainly fiction because it's an escape from work and honestly all the bad things I hear and read about in news daily.

I prefer my reading be enjoyable and pull me into a world different from our own.

My advice in terms of getting back into fantasy is to think of books you maybe used to read growing up, find stuff that's similar but different. I'd also look at shows or movies you've enjoyed for inspiration.

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I do one fiction to one non-fiction.

The ‘older end’ at 40???? 😂😂😂😂

58 yo here, and I've always been a big reader, almost exclusively fiction, and nothing has changed.

Same. For me it’s just a form of growing up. But I still looooove literature which is why I’m glad I’m part of a book club that has fiction option. Also being a teacher I get a dose of YA and other literature. But yeah, I’m all about the big, fat, fact books these days. Just more curious and want to be a better human.

Sure thing. I think it’s my sense of “there is no time to lose” as I get older and understand the reality of this life.

Nonetheless, I find fiction good to distract the mind and get out of daily life.

Yes. And also more poetry than prose fiction. I don't know why.

No. I'm 30 and still read mostly fiction. Heck I still mostly read YA because I prefer a faster paced plot and somehow teens just feel more relatable (maybe because my love life is once again a mess and I'm still not comfortable at being an adult who has to job and be responsible and stuff). If I read non-fiction it's a very rare exception - something like Tom Felton's autobiography. I use reading as an escape from reality and audiobooks to make boring stuff like commutes and chores more enjoyable. Not to say that non fiction cannot be entertaining - it's just not my cup of tea.

Enjoy your tastes and who you are. Don't feel guilt or sorrow. Non fiction is awesome and some of the best prose. And if fiction is to make an awesome comeback to your brain, it will! I was on the same situation and what brought it back to me was the (non fiction) A River in Darkness

Haha I'm the same. Non fiction / self help doesn't make me want to read anymore. I don't mind non -fiction only if it's in the form of a story.

What I love about reading is that throughout your life you will go through phases where you devour genres or eschew others and then something will intrigue you from the eschewed genre and then you will start to devour that...There is so much written material out there! ENJOY!

I’m mid 60s. At this stage in my life, I read to be entertained. I read fiction exclusively.

Pre-internet, I read far more nonfiction. With the web, I use search engines to find online information rather than books.

I read so many reports and both academic and none academic articles on a near daily basis that I can't bring myself to read non-fiction for pleasure.

If I'm reading for pleasure then it's pure fantasy/sci-fi escapism and nothing else.

When I wanted to restart with fiction, I picked up genres that I loved as a kid - I actually picked up books for middle schoolers since it gave me a sense of nostalgia and familiarity and that allowed me to return slowly to the types of books I used to enjoy. I also started with audiobooks so that I could sneak in listening time whenever I found a few minutes to be efficient. And then eventually back to paper books. Might help you too.

I’ve always loved fiction and make myself read at least one non-fiction book for every 10 fiction books I read. I now love non-fiction because i only read the really good ones, but I find that I read a lot more slowly. I’m well into my 40s with family, I find I like the easy fun reads more than I used to. I think fiction is like an escape from the craziness and stress of the everyday.

I now know why my parents only ever wanted to watch comedy and no heavy movies, I think it’s the same reason of just needing an escape.

My mom is 49 and hates non fiction

After spending the last few years reading academic or technical books for my degree, I tried to get back into reading as a hobby. I must admit that picking up novels is harder for me than picking up non-fiction.

When I was younger, I read fiction novels to escape but I'm done escaping now. I've been thinking of living and looking at life head on. Maybe, it's mindset?

This is kind of by design. There is more fiction than non-fiction written for children.

Nope. Aged 43 and I’ve binged mainly on Bosch and The Expanse this year. Reading is a great way to relax and it doesn’t have to be more then that.

No, I went the other way. Used to read the classics, now I read urban fantasy that’s available on Kindle Unlimited. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’m 41 by the way.

Only ever read fiction, and i don't see myself Reading something else, unless i have too. I read to dream and escape reality, so fiction all night long.

I do. But keep in mind that non-fiction can come in so many varieties. I love travelogs, and they can pull you in just like a good piece of fiction.

I love fiction, fantasy and fairy tales! The non fiction books I like to read are usually about holistic lifestyles such as Ayurveda, reiki, and health and healing. I really really really dislike to read about history lol

Noooo I hardly read non fiction…I read for fun…I probably should read more books to educate me more but I don’t bc I love reading as a hobby…I can’t go without reading a book every day

I am also way more interested in non-fiction now (current affairs, politics, geopolitics). I find it hard to trust recommendations on modern fiction and I have been left disappointed more often than not. I stick to non-fiction and sometimes read historical fiction or other fiction just to give myself a rest from new info

Yes! Absolutely. I find it harder to read fiction! I rarely do anymore

Did you read my mind? Because you 100% just described my reading habits.

I study and teach fiction, so I kinda have to read it, but I'm not complaining about the fact that I recently started enjoying non-fiction a lot more also. I used to read it as a requirement, but for the first time this year I consented to reading non-fiction for fun, and I love it so much.

Same as you, especially since I graduated 5 years ago, I sometimes have the feeling that I will get dumber if I don't keep learning some new infomration and also that working has somehow restricted my word to the niche I work in.

But I'm making a conscious effort to go back to fiction, mostly reading books not in my native language and looking for novels with an interesting setting to start with.

My reading tastes have changed as I’ve matured, but not away from reading fiction for entertainment. I do read a lot of non-fiction, but in a research capacity (which I enjoy, but am not doing strictly for enjoyment, if you get my drift). I’ve never been much into non-fiction just for enjoyment’s sake, and I rarely read memoirs or poetry of anything along those lines. I would say less than 5% of my “fun” reading is non-fiction.

I’m in my 40s. I read more nonfiction than fiction. I read fiction almost exclusively until around 2012, including lots of classics and modern literary fiction.

I think written fiction today has limited ability to enlighten; it’s all target-written for one market or another (either a genre market or if litfic, for MFA students and professors) and is as fragmented and insular as the rest of our society. I already know the third world sucks and that there’s some way people can survive poverty and terrible ordeals without breaking and that people call it “the human spirit”.

When I want an entertaining novel I read something in a genre and don’t take it too seriously.

Yes. I have thrown in more fiction intentionally recently. I feel more like I’ve wasted time if I didn’t enjoy a novel than I do with non-fiction I didn’t enjoy

Opposite for me. I only read fiction in my spare time as I have to read a lot of scientific publications as part of my job.

I'm 65 and I suspect the ratio hasn't changed much; I read between 200-300 titled works a year, mostly novels. Non-fiction is about one science book a year, and one to three writing craft books.

Yes I followed the same pattern. I read a LOT of fiction from childhood to about 30. Then I started to read a lot of non fiction. I've just started reading fiction again.

The natural world is full of magic which can be hard to see in day-to-day life as an adult. Reading non-fiction books about biology, psychology, neuroscience, and physics spurs feelings of awe and makes me appreciate life just that much more.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

• Albert Einstein

I had to actively work to get back into fiction after college. Nonfiction is just so much more accessible if you’re not used to reading, imo.

I read primarily nonfiction as well.

No. The opposite. I'm preferring human insight more and more.

I read only for entertainment so just read fiction to enjoy lives that I normally cannot in the real world. Just thinking about a world and imagining the various scenes is extremely stimulating for me.

Non fiction- really enjoy history again it's events and I love imagining such stuff. Biology just my fascination with the subject it's extremely fun even though I don't remember a lot of it later.

Have attempted many other non fiction books, I always lose interest in them because I either find the author a pompous ass. Or a lot of times feel like the idea that the author is trying to sell could have been easily told in way less words instead of the meandering approach most of them take.

I just turned 59, and no, I don't. I still read much more fiction than non-fiction.

If you're having a hard time with getting back into fiction, I'd suggest historical fiction, set in a time that interests you. Otherwise, if you're happy with non-fiction, that's fine, too. Read whatever makes you happy.

I think I’m in the inverse position. I’ve mostly been reading nonfiction since at least high school with the occasional SF, fantasy, historical, or techno thriller book thrown in there. Now that I’m out of uni I realize that I’m a bit out of my depth when it comes to conversations about fictional books and general lit. I plan on catching up next year starting with Dostoevsky or Alfred Doblin.

Yep. I’m a 40 yo dude and while I do still read some non-fiction on occasion, I mostly read as an escape after work or just as fun entertainment on the weekends. So it’s mostly fun fictional novels.

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Nope. Although, I don’t read classic novels ever either. I’ve always been a fiction reader and most of my non fiction reading has been specific to a topic I wanted to learn, not life stories and the like.

I actually find I prefer more fantastical fiction as I get older. These days it’s all about the science fiction, supernatural and fantasy novels.

Yes, actually. But I did a Bachelors in History so I was burned out for years afterwards. I needed to completely disconnect non-fiction from schooling.

I’ve started reading more fiction as I have gotten older. I’m in my early 20s currently

I've found myself reading more non fiction and self help in the last few years. I still love fiction but I think I just approach the medium slightly differently now that I have less time to read than I did in my early 20s and worked at a bookstore. I also think working at a bookstore made me approach books more from the perspective of if I could sell it to someone, so it was hard for me to digest books that were very personal in that respect.

A book club or starting a review blog (even if it's just for you) might make reading fiction more compelling again for you. I found that reading books while thinking about how I would sell them made me more competitive about my read count and more tolerant of books that didnt resonate with me specifically. But if you're not feeling fiction then that's also fine lol

Its been fiction with me since I remember like reading. Though I make sure to read one non fiction book, once a year. Usually an biography/autobiography.

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Yup. I read for escape. There is more fantasy historical fiction, and sci-fi in my collections than ever.

When I was starting out in my career I read career oriented business, leadership; self help, and technical books at the expense of fiction and nonfiction for fun. I came to realize these books were all pretty much the same, and they didn't male my life better. Now I read more fictions than non fiction, and when I read non fiction I do so because it's interesting.

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Nah I’m the opposite now. I’m getting an MBA and read a bunch self help and professional books, but they are very repetitive and just bland at the end of the day. Nowadays I want to escape into a fantasy, some I’m reading Silmarillion and beyond to just immerse myself in Tolkien’s world.

Not at all. I think that non-fiction accounts for maybe 5% of what I read. I love getting lost in a story.

I'm the opposite. Got back into reading fiction during lockdown after a good 12 years of not reading it and now, aged 30 it makes up 95% of what I read. While I do still enjoy the odd biography/memoir, there is something to be said for reading a book and not having any idea where the story will go.

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I did leave most fiction behind in my mid 20s. However in my earky 50s I'm beginning to come back around to it.

I’m 33 and feel exactly the same way. In fact, even in fiction, I’ve lately moved into more fantasy so I can be further away from reality.

Yeah I'm the exact opposite. I used to love reading non fiction when I was in school but now I read fiction if I'm doing it for pleasure.

62 years old here. I tend to divide books into fiction, non-fiction and trash. I love trash but if I read it too much it becomes a pointless waste of time in my head. I’m convinced good fiction changes you and how you see the world in the same way non-fiction does. I think in my earlier years I read more trash and fiction and it took many years past graduate school before i could enjoy non fiction again. I read more nonfiction now than I used to but still less than I read fiction or trash.

When I was much younger (up to about 12 ish), I read fiction. But, fir the majority of my life, I've read non-fiction. I've always been super interested in history (mostly social history and medical history), nature, psychology and the human condition, so that's pretty much all I read about. Every now and then, I might read an Iain Banks, but that's it as far as fiction goes.

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You might enjoy literary fiction, which usually uses more real world scenarios to explore humanity. I read fiction more than non fiction, but I'll read whatever I'm drawn to really.

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I still read a lot of both. My current interest is Star Wars novels though.

I go through phases. You might find yourself drifting back into enjoying fiction in a decade, who knows!

I'm 30. Most of what I read is fiction. Fantasy and science fiction specifically.

I'm 39 and I read non fiction way more (but im a historian) I do love fiction still but its more like I dont make to time for it as often.

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Oh absolutely… one reason is what you said about limited reading time and wanting to use it on something that informs and educates. But the bigger reason for me is that I connect almost all stories (fiction) to my own life and everything, except maybe sci-fi and fantasy, makes me emotional and sad. Nonfiction, especially pop science, feels straightforward and safe.

I still love fiction, but I can’t read fantasy like I use to. Entire world-building is just too much for my mind to grasp. Historical-fiction and dystopian are definitely my go-tos these days.

I do find myself picking up more non-fiction compared to when I was a kid though as well. Mostly stuff on climate change, nature, historical stuff & some political memoirs.

I do want to chime in and say that there is a lot to learn from fiction. Lisa Genova is a former neurologist (I believe) whose protagonists have a neurological condition and you learn a lot about that character’s disease. I read a novel that was set in Burundi and I learned a bit about that country that I hadn’t known. Same goes for Miss Burma where I learned about Myanmar and their revolution. Even Fleischman is in Trouble—I learned a bit about the social strata in NYC. I could go on.

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Honestly, I pretty much only read fiction to my kids unless it's fanfiction. I usually listen to podcasts or something other fairly educational on audible as I multitask cleaning and doing several other tasks at home, otherwise it's harder to keep track of the plot/etc if I'm only half-listening to something.

Most people who use reddit are like 19 so yea

Yes! I used to read a lot of fantasy and fiction, but I started to get bored quickly, i also found that i could find those things that i used to love as a teenager in other type of literature that is mostly better written and more complex, there are some amazing fiction books for sure but is not my type of book anymore, reality is so weird sometimes that you can find some amazing stories that still transport you to different places and realities

It was supposed to be a joke - I’m 54. I guess it wasn’t funny

Nope, I've read more and more fiction as I've gotten older and have become a lot less pretentious about what I read. I have enough going on in my life that I want reading to be fun and nice.

Yes, you are my spirit animal.

I just find the actual world many times more interesting than actual fiction.

The last fiction book I read was the Three Body trilogy, which I enjoyed very much. Probably because it had a lot of scientific speculation and extrapolation.

I almost only read non-fiction. The only exception are books that I consider historically important or relevant to literature (like for example, El Quijote or Leyendas (G.A. Bécquer)), and fantastic or science fiction books of universe's I consider interesting or I like a lot, like A song of Ice and Fire. So yes, this is totally my case.

I've been reading a combination of fiction and nonfiction for the last 7 years and I'm nearly 60. My fiction is mostly classics. I don't see myself losing interest in fiction any time soon.

Yes. Exactly. And much less often too. I try to read my old favorite authors and they don’t hold my attention anymore. I am reading political and education and funny history books instead. And newspapers. My sweet old neighbor used to read the newspaper cover to cover. I’m turning into her.

33 - I exclusively read nonfiction in my 20’s, and really didn’t think I could bring myself to read fiction since it felt like too much effort to put into some characters I may not like. This year I accidentally fell back into reading fiction. Guess it comes in phases

>"And now, to escape my trap, I will ask you these riddles three" said the dark lord Sauron, "what is the suborbital configuration of Nitrogen in its ground state?"

Not particularly. I always just go with whatever sounds interesting.

I have found that as I've gotten older (I'm 50 now) I tend to read more of a balance between fiction and non-fiction. I think it really depends on the person and what they like to read, or what they need at the time. In college, because I majored in creative writing and English Lit, I burnt myself out on fiction. There was a five year period after that where I couldn't bear to read fiction. So I read exclusively NF. Some years I read more fiction, other years more non-fiction. I love biographies, true crime, and self-help, but I also love a good horror novel or a cozy mystery series. Sometimes even a romance or a solid fantasy or urban fantasy. I've even been known to pick up women's fiction and literary novels. Depends on my mood. If I need to escape, I read more fiction. If I'm feeling more curious and contemplative, non-fiction tends to be my choice.

Yes.. it's unfortunate

I've always read fiction, but as I've gotten older (Nearing 30) I've come to prefer alternative history fiction. So I can base the world on what I know but explore the ideas of "what if this was different". "Man in The High Castle" and "Philosopher's War/Flight" are some good ones that are based in real world past, but tweaks to reality.

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Nah it’s the opposite. I know too much about the world now and it’s mostly very depressing so I go for the escapism.

Nah not really. I’m also reading much more in the way of comics/ manga than I ever have

Quality fiction contains more basic human truth than any non-fiction. I like both, but when it’s time to ponder what it means to be human, fiction is where I reside.

Eh, early 40s and I read a mix. I'm all for books like what brene brown writes, in order to gain insights. But I like fiction too. Oh and I like memoirs!

I (45M) have been reading a bit more nonfiction than fiction for a several years now, usually topics I want to know more about and didn't take much time for in school, especially history and philosophy.

I like to mix in fiction to break things up, often even alternating between fiction and nonfiction.

But even though I like fiction for the escapism, there are times when the unpredictability, especially with realistic characters and high-stakes plots, causes enough anxiety that it's hard for me to keep reading, so I've been going for "lighter" fiction more and more.

I'm 54 and my love affair with fiction is still going on

This is exactly the case for my gf. I, on the other hand, have been binging YA fantasy lately. I never really got into fantasy as a teen, and it’s a glorious escape. I’m almost finished with my second fantasy series lmao. Meanwhile, my gf has finished John Green’s Anthropocene Reviewed and loved it.

This!! Same. More and more fiction now than ever before. It’s true escapism.

Not really. I am, however, way more picky about the fiction I read. I research quite a bit before I invest. At 40, time is my most valuable currency so I am hyper aware of how I choose to spend it. I still find fiction very valuable and entertaining.

I don't really read nonfiction anymore. I like the idea of learning from books, but every general nonfiction I have tried is 100 pages of good and then 250 pages of repetition. I'd rather just stick to long form articles and interviews to be honest. No desire to read a proper textbook.