After spending what seems like all our waking hours reading lengthy journal articles and academic texts for our coursework, reading non-fiction for fun might be the last thing you want to do. In my opinion, however, the two can co-exist. I’ve compiled a guide of tips, advice, and recommendations for you to successfully get into reading non-fiction purely for your enjoyment, not because you have an essay due.
I first want to remind you that you’re reading for yourself, not for any class or assignment. You don’t have to take notes or even think too critically about what you’re reading if you don’t want to. I personally enjoy reading non-fiction for the low-pressure learning that it brings. No one is forcing you to do it, so read about what you’re interested in. This leads me to another tip: it’s okay to skip over parts occasionally, or even skim certain portions. After all, you’re not being tested on this. This is meant to be enjoyable, so if there’s a certain section that really doesn’t interest you, there’s no harm in skipping over it. The beauty of non-fiction books is that you typically don’t need to read them cover to cover to grasp the key concepts anyway.
It’s important to set aside time to read non-fiction books, like any other hobby, and remember that even a little bit of progress is progress. I set aside my bus rides to read whatever non-fiction book I’m working on, and I’ll read another book the rest of the time. Which brings me to another piece of advice…
Read fiction alongside your non-fiction. It’ll help you avoid burnout, and sometimes you just need an entertaining time with a low-stakes novel instead of reading about tragic historical events or complex theories.
Finally, take time to figure out what interests you; everyone has their niche. I’d recommend starting out with history, because these books typically follow a narrative structure and will keep you interested, depending on the topic. This is not a niche recommendation whatsoever, but Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari is a great accessible non-fiction book. Sure, it’s long and its title is daunting, but it tells a chronological story in an entertaining way. Chip away at it little by little and you’ll learn a lot. Memoirs are also a great place to start because they’re chronologically narrative and sometimes don’t even seem too far from fictional tales. Besides, there’s the added intrigue of learning about someone’s inner thoughts and life story. I recently read I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy and Born Standing Up by Steve Martin, and thought they were really entertaining and interesting peeks into show business. Memoirs are a great way to access worlds you never thought you’d be a part of but in a more real and concrete way than fiction.
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