Readers: Question

If you've picked up a non fiction book, what are you looking for? Humour? Drama? Honesty? Autobiographic themes and stories? Recant of a world event?

What are key, important things to you in those you read? Chapter length? Tone?

A good theme along with a good Drama would be the ticket for me , and a ancient  theme does it for me every time , past history even if fictional is interesting to me , a good example would be like the movie Apocalypto or 2000BC , way back history , fictional maybe but it makes you think and also draws you into the story because you belive it , even though it might not be the truth .Not into the Love stuff so much , rather the suspence that builds up and has you guessing at the outcome or end ? does that make any sense ?

It's the cover that catches me every time!   Joking.

I tend to go for books that have some history to them. I love the local history books.. books on archaeology catch my attention too. (I also enjoy a good thick fictional novel based on an historic event).

Yesterday I picked up Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. I loved the fact that it had coloured photos to help me identify plants better, and the fact that it included grasses, moss and lichens! Yay! All the better to satisfy my curiosity! Most of my other plant books are on Edible ones or Medicinal plants.

I read books on many subjects, although I avoid fiction. But no matter what book I have opened, the first thing I look for is The Sell.

The Sell is a limited window of time the author has to compel me to keep reading. The Sell is the first few pages. There had better be something intriguing, interesting, controversial, heartwarming...whatever. But it had better leave me wanting more.

My reading time is limited and I am NOT going to wrestle and struggle with a book that is not giving me a damn good reason to read it. I want to be educated and entertained, but I do not want to work too hard at it. A book should be a pleasure and unfold in a manner that leads you along and makes it easy for you to follow. I am not saying the material has to be simple, but the structure of delivery has to be good.

If I find myself muttering, "oh my Gordon, get to the point already" that book gets tossed. I will not fight with a book that is not working for my attention.

^ I like a good hook right off the bat too. Honestly, I don't read much non-fiction, mostly dark/gritty fantasy and sci-fi. But the same rules would apply. A good hook and interesting characters doing interesting things. And a pretty cover helps too.  kidding, kidding!

First page may not even be enough. Making that first line a hook is real talent.


Call me Ishmael.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort

"TOM!"
No answer.
"TOM!"
No answer.

uno wrote:I read books on many subjects, although I avoid fiction. But no matter what book I have opened, the first thing I look for is The Sell.

The Sell is a limited window of time the author has to compel me to keep reading. The Sell is the first few pages. There had better be something intriguing, interesting, controversial, heartwarming...whatever. But it had better leave me wanting more.

My reading time is limited and I am NOT going to wrestle and struggle with a book that is not giving me a damn good reason to read it. I want to be educated and entertained, but I do not want to work too hard at it. A book should be a pleasure and unfold in a manner that leads you along and makes it easy for you to follow. I am not saying the material has to be simple, but the structure of delivery has to be good.

If I find myself muttering, "oh my Gordon, get to the point already" that book gets tossed. I will not fight with a book that is not working for my attention.

You said it Uno. I read all sorts of stuff but my favs seem to be thrillers.

Fowler wrote:First page may not even be enough.  Making that first line a hook is real talent.


Call me Ishmael.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort

"TOM!"
No answer.
"TOM!"
No answer.

I got these, I got these!

First one is Moby Dick. Second is The Hobbit. Third is...umm...hmm...aaaah. Adventures of Tom Sawyer? Totally guessing on that one.

Flicker Chick wrote:

Fowler wrote:First page may not even be enough.  Making that first line a hook is real talent.


Call me Ishmael.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort

"TOM!"
No answer.
"TOM!"
No answer.

I got these, I got these!

First one is Moby Dick. Second is The Hobbit. Third is...umm...hmm...aaaah. Adventures of Tom Sawyer? Totally guessing on that one.

correct on all three.

I read a lot. Lately it's also a lot of technical reading (right now I am working thru anatomy and physiology and stats texts -cover to cover, ugh!) so I'm not going to lie. I am drawn to "fluffy" books when I want to relax. John Grisham-even Judy Garwood lol. Those are books I can get lost in and become someone else for a little while. Some of my favs tho are Jane Eyre and Anna Karennina. Basically it depends where I am in life at the moment. Books seem to give you what you are missing or wish you were.