What sorts of books do you read?

I’ve read a fairly wide variety of books in my time. But it has to be something that catches my interest. Historical fiction is sometimes very good, Sci-fi or Fantasy have been in there. I did read a book about the Nixon tapes. Some philosophical stories. I’m not as much into non-fiction though the Nixon book was interesting.

I shift regularly on type. For a long time, growing up, I read fairly sophisticated Science Fiction because that’s what my Dad read and I wanted to connect with him. It worked, I still love the genre. Then I found some of really good SF by women.

Historical fiction by women is my current go-to, women as non-combatants in WWII, how women were part of the Cuban revolution, stuff like that.

For too much of my life there were very few areas where female authors were readily published, I am enjoying a lot more literature quality offerings by women.

@canidmajor The same exists in LGBTQ writing. For a very long time, any gay character had to be evil or if painted sympathetically, then they had to die. For about the past 30 years, there have been tons of good writing in all sorts of categories coming out.

I’m really glad you’re finding female authors to read.

I read Forgotten Realms books. My current book is the dow of Drizzt. Is the diary entries of my favorite fictional characters life. Is an audio book because I have problems reading more complex than an online menu.

@Hawaii_Jake I have the same problem with the bad guy always mentally ill. Like the Joker being psychotic or whatever.

Christian nonfiction (Navigating Genesis, Crazy Busy, Seeing Grey in a World of Black and White), light murder mysteries, stories about single ladies trying to make it in the big city (Gone With the Wind, The Second Assistant) , some teen fiction like the Pink & Green series. Almost anything, really.

Got ⅓ of the way through The Handmaid’s Tale before stopping because it was slow, boring, and pointless. Same with The Grapes of Wrath. The Book of Mormon was interesting despite I’m not Latterday Saints nor Jehova Witness. The Bible is on rotation, of course, as well as Avalon Romance novels.

@RedDeerGuy1 Yes, I understand that trope. It’s awful.

I like biology stuff in school and syfy of course. I’ve been looking at some nursing books to try and familiarize myself with some of it.

I like detective novels, who done its and mysteries. My oldest brother started me reading Alfred Hitchcock Presents books when I was in grade school. Thus my life long passion of those type of books.

All kinds. I prefer non fiction though.

BUT then I found The Dragon Riders of Pern and Clan of the Cavebear. “For crying out loud Jondular! Put that thing away!”

I love stories from the perspective of a child in an interesting family that are realistic, set a bit before our time, and not too poetic. For example, I loved “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” and “The Glass Castle”.

There are lots of other books I enjoy. Some fantasy (no to battles and fierce dragons, yes to old maps, voyages, and talking creatures). Funny or thoughtful novels with great characters (Spellman Files, A. J. Fikry, Mr. Penumbra). Non-fiction about animals, parenting, education, dog training, and psychology. Comic books when I feel overloaded. Autiobiographical novels about interesting people, but I’d much rather read about progressive thinkers like A .S. Neill or Astrid Lindgren than Prince Harry.

I read non-fiction about science and history. I read these kinds of books to learn about things I’m interested in. So the interest comes first and the books come later.

I also read comic books that are complex and artistic.

I like biographies and some novels. I’ve discovered that some of the best books were written before World War II. I have read dictionaries for fun.

When I was young, I read way, way more than I do now. I read the all the books of E.B. White, The Little House on the Prairie books, Judy Blume, then Rosemary Rogers (historic romance novels), then a lot of the early Stephen King, some James Michenor.

The books I’ve enjoyed as an adult tend to be fiction, still. I like the books of Richard Russo. I’m in a book group which opens me up to books that I wouldn’t typically read on my own.

I don’t usually like biographies because I don’t like that they’re written by ghost writers. I don’t really care for sci fi.

I also like magazines, like The New Yorker and the New York Times magazine. They have great, in depth articles about a variety of topics, and require less of a commitment than books.

Comic books.

I prefer science fiction, and nonfiction adventure. But. I don’t dislike anything. Not a fan of organized religion books. Although I have tried to read parts of the Bible and the Koran, to gain perspective. I guess I put the Bible, Koran, Scientology, etc in the fantasy category…

I like science fiction and autobiographies but I probably like reading children’s books most of all.

I’m the youngest of four. And basically just grew up reading everything on our family bookshelves. Which was kind of a little bit of everything. Only genres I never really read were business, romance and westerns.

fiction [x]
children’s books [x]
poetry [x]
nonfiction [x]
graphic novels [x]
young adult [x]
comic books [x]
manga [x]
philosophy [x]
psychology [x]
history [x]
mystery [x]
science fiction [x]
religion [x]
mythology [x]
self-help [x]
thriller [x]
horror [x]
fantasy [x]
folklore [x]
historical fiction [x]
biography [x]
autobiography [x]
sports [x]
travel [x]
politics [x]

business [ ]
romance [ ]
western [ ]

I have several types of books that I like. I like fantasy novels, but things in the vein of good epic fantasy. Think Lord of the Rings, but of course nothing can touch that so things that come close to that. I’ve always loved epic fantasy since I was a kid, and I don’t know if it was the ideal behind it of good coming out on top in the end? I don’t know.

I’m not so much into science fiction, one exception being that I like to read about people traveling to other planets and figuring out how to survive.

I always blame it on my ornery nature, but if it’s on the best selling list, AKA, somebody else is trying to suggest that I should like this or that book, then there seems to be something in me that is repulsed by that.

I do read some fiction, but I prefer historical fiction for the most part. I do like to read about stories that take place in other countries.

Finally, anything to do with volcanoes or hurricanes or nuclear power. I know, what a combination! But those three things really fascinate me. And ever since the HBO’s Chernobyl came out 4 years ago, I’ve been reading everything I can on Chernobyl and nuclear disasters. That pretty much sums up what I like to read although there are some outliers that don’t fit in those categories mentioned above.

I will talk books with you any day!

^Not trying to derail the thread but I have the same “issue.” When something is widely popular, I intuitively don’t like it. Honestly. It was way worse when I was younger. And it cost me, a lot of great experiences.
I have been deliberately trying to go against my built-in nonconforming trait. And it’s been quite rewarding.
It’s funny because my friends laugh at me, when I’m jamming to some corny music, or “artsy” stuff. One of my best friends always tries to put me on blast in front of girls, to make me look bad for liking certain things. But. They don’t believe him, because of my appearance. So he looks like the loser.

Do yourself a favor. Check out “One Second After.” It’s high on some charts, but I think it will suit your tastes.

@MrGrimm888 yeah, maybe it’s more accurate to say that I don’t necessarily drift towards books just because they are on the best seller list. If it’s still something that I’m interested in reading, then I’m going to read it. It’s just that the criteria has to be because it’s something that piques my interest not just because a bunch of other people have said it’s good. I’m the same way with movies. If a movie trailer comes out and I really want to see it, then I don’t care what the critics say, I go see it. And even if it wins a bunch of awards, if I’m not interested in seeing it, I could care less. So it’s more about not wanting people’s opinions forced on me. Sometimes my sister and I will be talking and she will go on incessantly about a book she read or a movie she saw and keep saying, you have to read this, or you just have to watch this. And it gets to the point where she overdoes it and then I don’t want to read it or see it because she has pushed it too much.