Welcome to the Bookhacker
If you want to read more in 2023, but the latest Grisham or Koontz novels leave you cold. Consider the genre of Nonfiction.
One of the most popular nonfiction genres is famous people writing their autobiographies. Consider the recent releases:
I must ask the question, are our lives so tiny that we have to know every detail of a famous person’s life? This genre isn’t for me. I’d rather stick a pencil into my eye than read about a former president’s wife or a famous actress. Give me someone who’s made a lasting impact on the world. Someone like Benjamin Franklin or Mother Teresa.
There’s been a lot of buzz about Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare. Although I haven’t read it (and I won’t ever), I’ve watched some snippets from his television interviews. Perhaps he should consider the following sayings: ‘Silence is golden’ and ‘If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.’
You may disagree with me, and that’s okay. Can we agree to disagree?
7 types of nonfiction
As for books that are not self-aggrandizement, there are 7 main types of nonfiction, and you should be able to find one that will grab your interest:
Within each genre there may be subgenres as well. And some crossover. For instance, my book about caring for my elderly parents, The Caregiving Season, is part memoir, part self-help, and part religion and spirituality.
Women vs. Men
Here’s an anecdotal tidbit I’ve noticed – most men prefer nonfiction while women mostly read fiction. Why is that? Do we females enjoy exploring new places, feelings, and people through stories? Perhaps we like the escape that novels bring. Do I dare suggest that men are more logical, and thus prefer reading things that are true; facts, figures, places that exist in reality rather than in imagination.
What do you think? If you want to read more in 2023, what kind of book do you prefer?
What I’m Reading (nonfiction)
The Eden Option by Allen Arnold
This is a great book about how to live – Story 1 or Story 2 – and how it affects every area of my life. Allen Arnold is a friend and fellow creative who wants everyone to live life to the fullest.
The Eden Option is a beacon that calls us back to God-reality. It reveals his original de- sign for our lives, how we lost it, and why it matters more than we imagine.
Jane S. Daly is the author of two nonfiction books and seven novels.
Jane is addicted to coffee, purple pens, and her husband, not necessarily in that order. A self-proclaimed introvert, she enjoys the solitude of riding shotgun in Rigsby, her 37-foot motor home. But when they pull into a new campground, her favorite thing is to make new friends and find hangouts featuring local musicians. Her fantasy involves writing lyrics for country music songs and hearing them played on the radio. In the meantime, she’ll stick to writing novels. And seeing as much of the country as possible.