A Reader's Confession

I have a confession to make -- I can't seem to finish a non-fiction book. On occasion, I race to the end of a well-written memoir...probably because it tells a story, and I'm all about the story. I also like well-drawn characters, and in the right hands that's just what a memoir presents. But other non-fiction books just don't seem to hold my attention for some reason.

Right now, I'm trying to finish Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom by Rick Hanson. The subject interests me and the book is well-written. But each time I have a chance to do some reading, I reach for a novel instead. I will finish this book because I'm anxious to learn what it has to say, which is that breakthroughs in modern neuroscience coupled with the wisdom of thousands of years of contemplative practice, make it possible for people to shape their thoughts to achieve greater happiness, love, compassion, and wisdom

Two n-f books I did finish were: Buddhism Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen and The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson. Both of these books fascinated me from start to finish. I'm not sure what that says about me.

Some memoirs I really enjoyed were:

The Liars' Club by Mary Karr

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

What about you? Do you read non-fiction and fiction? Do you prefer one over the other?

Does reading taste run in families?

My daughter was an avid reader from an early age. But pretty early on, she decided that fantasy was the only genre she wanted to read. I read some fantasy and enjoy it, but I also read mysteries, literary fiction, memoirs, science fiction, and anything else that grabs my attention.

I used to always hear friends talk about exchanging books with their mothers, and thought to myself, "That would be nice." But unless the book was written by Terry Pratchett (who I do love), Piers Anthony, or any other fantasy writer, my daughter never seemed interested in the books I suggested. That all changed, however, when I gave her my old Kindle. Since I already had a boat-load of books archived at Amazon, she discovered hours of free reading. She also discovered that Mom had read some pretty interesting books. It's so exciting now to be able to share books and talk about them once we've both read them. And I must say, the sharing goes both ways. I probably would never have read The Hunger Games if she hadn't read it first and encouraged me. Likewise, I'm pretty sure she would never have read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

So maybe reading taste isn't an inherited trait, but, as with shrimp and mushrooms, it's possible to develop a taste for different things as you age.