Does anyone else only like to read non-fiction?

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I get flak for this, but I only like to read non-fiction, such as history, current events, or biography. Fiction books bore me because they spend too much time on describing trivial things. I do, however, like fiction fine when it comes to movies and TV....just not books.

NTs and even other Aspies find this strange. For those who think non-fiction is boring, I would recommend finding a subject you are interested in...you will be surprised by just how much is out there.

I'm pretty much the same way, and was especially so as a kid. In elementary school I couldn't stand fiction and was always annoyed when we had to read it. Fictional characters are typically not interesting to me. My vision of Hell is spending all eternity in a library with nothing by Jane Austen novels.

I do read a lot of poetry, which I like for the same reason I like non-fiction -- it is complex, structured, linguistically dense, and often philosophical. The only novel I spend time with is Moby-Dick, because it contains the whole universe: history, science, geography, philosophy, religion, astronomy, engineering, economics, and all else. It's the only novel a thinking person needs.

I read lots of non-fiction. History, biographies, autobiographies. But I read plenty of fiction as well.

Nope, always read both voraciously.

I have a friend like that, though he'll make an occasional exception for legal fiction or mystery. I agree that sometimes fiction writers can go on and on about trivial things, even though I love fiction.

I enjoy reading non-fiction books more than fiction, yes, while on the other hand enjoying fiction just fine if it's a movie or TV, similar to you.

Also similar reasons -- in a fictional book, I nearly always feel that too much trivial stuff bogs the story down. I get impatient with certain writing styles, filler, pointless descriptions when a few lines will let me just conjure up the scene for myself, etc. The writing has to be very good for me to enjoy fiction, so, I'm really picky. Most of the fiction I like consists of some classics and only very few contemporary writers.

I'm looking at my bookshelves here at home and about 75% of the books I own are non fiction, on topics widely ranging from art, history, religion, psychology, spirituality, biographies and autobiographies (people like Erik Satie and Beethoven), creativity, self help, autism, crafts, and animal behavior and psychology. I love non-fiction because I'm learning, finding out things I want to know about.

I do enjoy a well written piece of fiction but most of the time I find fiction irritating.

Just like non fiction writers who can go on and on about trivial things.

Yeah but at least the non-fiction writer going on and on about trivial things is still talking about REAL things, whereas the fiction writer going on and on about trivial things is talking about made-up stuff that doesn't even f*****g matter. Because it's some stupid description of a situation that's fiction.

I prefer nonfiction, but really enjoy some fiction as well.

I've met NTs who think all fiction is a waste of time because it's "fake." As if anyone reading fiction thinks it's real. My perspective: fiction is about emotional truths, and is valuable. Non-fiction is not the truth, it is someone giving you a perspective. I trust fiction more for not pretending to be real.

You say "fiction is about emotional truths."

And that "non-fiction is not the truth, it's someone giving you a perspective."

Actually, fiction is not emotional truth either because the writer is merely giving you THEIR perspective on what they think is an "emotional truth."

That's nothing but a "perspective" too and it can be even more bull sh!t than the non fiction you take for bull sh!t.

Where, for example, is any "emotional truth" in some stupid, jumped up, distorted piece of romance chick-lit? None to be found.

Which can be just as "untrue" or distorted or not real for some, many or all people as what's delivered in non-fiction.

I don't think all nonfiction is "BS." I don't like all fiction, either. Why would it be black and white? I've never even used the phrase "chick lit," and this isn't representative of all fiction to me. Emotions are subjective, though, and that's something to consider with the phrase "emotional truth." A romance novel contains emotional truths for the characters in them. If you relate, it's useful. If not, then try something else.

Disagree. The author is adding details so it's totally necessary.

Yes. I am exactly the same as you. I only browse, read or buy Non-fiction: history, culture, sociology, philosophy, religion, science, academic journals, articles... I don't hate fiction, I just don't think about it and have no interest in it. Reading a novel never enters my mind.

I don't even remember the last time I read an entire fiction novel... Only once, a long time ago, in Senior High school, I was forced to read a novel by my teacher to write a class book report. After this one time, I honestly have never again read a novel in my life.

Although I never told others about my abnormal behavior, I thought a few times maybe my Non-interest in Fiction is a "bad" thing? So I once, I tried to push myself to browse and buy a fiction novel. I looked for some topic that I thought was interesting.. I thought found it, so I browsed it, bought it, read a couple of pages, put it on the shelf... And never touched it again.

My question is WHY are we so different from all the Aspies and NTs who both like reading fiction? We are like on the Wrong Continent on the Wrong Planet.

I do not think this is just a slight matter of preference. I think our brains maybe wired differently from fiction novel lovers. Previously I thought it could be Aspergers related. But as we know, the majority of Aspies and NTs are both the same, they both like to read fiction. So Aspergers is not connected. So what does this mean? What is the cause of this Non-interest in fiction? What mental issue or brain abnormality do we have if any?

The only fiction I do like to watch is TV series or Movies of Science Fiction, Horror or Fantasy.

I have bought alot of books, I love books, but it is all Non-fiction... Fiction novels NEVER.

You sound almost identical to me when it comes to reading habits....more so than the other respondents who said they merely "preferred" non-fiction, but still read a lot of fiction. I just can't read a fiction book period. There's way too many non-fiction books out there that I still want to read. My home is practically overflowing with non-fiction books, several of which I have yet to read (some I bought, some I received as gifts). That doesn't even include all the ones I have on my Kindle. You could take the least interesting non-fiction book I own, and I would probably still prefer reading it to a fiction book.

With regards to movies and TV shows, I am somewhat different from you. I like superheroes, but outside of that, I prefer more grounded fiction (i.e. no supernatural or sci-fi elements) or movies and shows based on true stories (or at least inspired by them).

Yes indeed. Every single word you wrote above, describes exactly me as well.

I like browsing for books, journals, essays, etc. at books stores, or Internet, for new or sometimes used books.. but it is always NON-fiction. Particularly sociology, anthropology, history, current affairs, social issues, philosophy, biography, travel and tourism.

On one note, I like reading about religion as philosophy. I am interested in religion as a cultural product of human mental evolution. So I like reading studies on religion and religious philosophy, but I consider actual religious books themselves to be fiction.

Regarding Watching fiction, we do have a slight difference. I prefer science fiction TV and movies much more than horror/fantasy, because Science fiction as a "Science" part, which can be considered as Stretching the possibilities of Non-fictional Real Science. For example, Star Trek, Stargate, are based on some real science, but stretched out to imaginary levels.

I also enjoy Watching non-fiction, such as News specials, and Documentaries. In fact, I love documentaries by BBC and National Geographic much more than any Horror movie.