Most of the books I’ve read fall into literary fiction, which is kind of a genre, but also not as it encompasses SO MUCH. I guess if I had to pick one to read for the rest of my life, it would be that, precisely because it has such range. However, especially in recent years, I’ve been reading a lot of selective memoirs or non-fiction books by authors who are recounting experiences I find interesting. Often about being somehow outside of “mainstream” society (i.e. White, heterosexual, cis gender, male, able-bodied, neurotypical, employed, not incarcerated etc.). I am always interested in learning about the experiences of people who have lived lives very different from my own, or particularly similar to my own. I think what these genres have in common is that they all allow the reader to step into another person’s shoes, and to learn about important historical events and social issues. I think this is the very centre of not only why these types of books appeal to me, but the reason I love reading so much in the first place. I love escaping into another place or time, sure, but more than that I love catching glimpses into other people’s minds, experiences and viewpoints. That’s what really draws me to a particular book, and what will make me love it.
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Yes, I’m never sure whether literary fiction is a genre or not, but I like it from time to time.
Hahaha!
I’m the same way! Literary fiction ends up describing most of the books I read but then it’s hard to describe that to others because it is so broad
I kind of gave up on the whole genre discussion as I find it largely useless and misrepresentational. Now I just talk about topics I like or writing styles or authors. Much more useful!
Yeah, I’ve never been entirely sure whether to categorize literary fiction as an actual genre, or just as a way of saying “This book has Cultural Aspirations.” But there is a lot of good variety there.
Haha! Yup.
I love those sorts of memoirs and non-fiction works, too! You can learn so much about the world, other people, and other cultures that way.
Definitely. I love coming out of a book feeling like my knowledge and understanding grew noticeably while I was in it!