Welcome to my Friday feature!
In each weekly post, I explore
my thoughts on several
book-related topics.
When I first started blogging, I really didn't give much thought to whether I would write posts about fiction and nonfiction, or only one of the two. I eventually decided that I did want to include nonfiction on my blog. As any regular reader of A Night's Dream of Books knows, this is an eclectic blog, since my reading tastes encompass several genres.
At the time I got started, the Twilight Saga craze was in full swing, and I was swept right along with it! That was where my interest in Young Adult Fiction began. I became especially interested in YA books with paranormal romance and urban fantasy elements.
Needless to say, blogs that feature YA fiction do not usually feature nonfiction titles, as well (and vice versa). These genres belong to two entirely different literary worlds. Nonfiction is usually meant to be thought-provoking and/or spiritually uplifting. Young Adult fiction, on the other hand, is meant to be mostly escapist entertainment, although some YA authors do incorporate serious philosophical themes in their books. One example that comes to mind is Of Beast and Beauty, by Stacey Jay, which I read and reviewed in 2013. Another is A Thousand Pieces of You, by Claudia Gray, which I'm currently reading.
In a previous post for this meme, I referred to the problem of blogging about books that I really enjoy reading, but that might not be very popular with my readers. In that previous post, I came to the conclusion that I simply had to blog about my own interests, whether or not my readers shared those interests. Doing this might very well cost me not only comments, but followers, as well, but I felt I had to be true to myself.
Being an eclectic blogger is not an easy thing at all...
I really do want to include more nonfiction on this blog. I also want to keep reading YA Fiction, as well as include more Science Fiction. It's frustrating that I don't seem to have the time to read and blog about the books that appeal to me the most!
Very recently, I came to a very sobering conclusion, which has been precipitated by our move to a new condo here in Miami: I may never be able to read many of the books in my collection......and a lot of them are nonfiction books on several topics that fascinate me, such as philosophy, psychology, art, paranormal phenomena, and on and on....
Therefore, I will have to simply start reading these books that have been sitting on my shelves for several years now. I do have a lot of fiction, as well. And really, why should I continue to obsessively buy books, when I have so many that I've never read? So, I'm seriously considering doing no more "Waiting On Wednesday" posts. It really makes no sense for me to anxiously anticipate new book releases, at this point.
One interesting nonfiction book I discovered while packing yesterday was The Feminine Mystique, by Betty Friedan. It's a feminist classic that I've owned for years, and have yet to read. I know I have The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir, buried somewhere....
I also came across Tertium Organum, by P.D. Ouspensky, and Voice Therapy, by Robert Firestone, and a book on Symbolist Art, and The Other Side of Silence, by Morton Kelsey, and Kabbalah, by Gershom Scholem, and....and....so many others I want to read! So many books to make one ponder so many interesting things!
I will henceforth focus more on those books I bought with such enthusiasm, years ago, and which I have neglected due to the crazy need to get even more books, especially those receiving a lot of media hype.
Hopefully, new readers who like nonfiction won't judge my blog by its very definite "YA look". I could attempt to make my blog design more "serious-looking", somehow more "academic-looking", but I really don't have the heart to do that....I was an Art major in college, after all, and I LOVE colorful design and BIG images!
I hope that readers will continue to enjoy my blog, no matter which of my favorite genres I choose to focus on. Maybe one or two of these genres will end up becoming reader favorites, too! I believe that's part of the fun of being an eclectic book blogger!
At the time I got started, the Twilight Saga craze was in full swing, and I was swept right along with it! That was where my interest in Young Adult Fiction began. I became especially interested in YA books with paranormal romance and urban fantasy elements.
Needless to say, blogs that feature YA fiction do not usually feature nonfiction titles, as well (and vice versa). These genres belong to two entirely different literary worlds. Nonfiction is usually meant to be thought-provoking and/or spiritually uplifting. Young Adult fiction, on the other hand, is meant to be mostly escapist entertainment, although some YA authors do incorporate serious philosophical themes in their books. One example that comes to mind is Of Beast and Beauty, by Stacey Jay, which I read and reviewed in 2013. Another is A Thousand Pieces of You, by Claudia Gray, which I'm currently reading.
In a previous post for this meme, I referred to the problem of blogging about books that I really enjoy reading, but that might not be very popular with my readers. In that previous post, I came to the conclusion that I simply had to blog about my own interests, whether or not my readers shared those interests. Doing this might very well cost me not only comments, but followers, as well, but I felt I had to be true to myself.
Being an eclectic blogger is not an easy thing at all...
I really do want to include more nonfiction on this blog. I also want to keep reading YA Fiction, as well as include more Science Fiction. It's frustrating that I don't seem to have the time to read and blog about the books that appeal to me the most!
Very recently, I came to a very sobering conclusion, which has been precipitated by our move to a new condo here in Miami: I may never be able to read many of the books in my collection......and a lot of them are nonfiction books on several topics that fascinate me, such as philosophy, psychology, art, paranormal phenomena, and on and on....
Therefore, I will have to simply start reading these books that have been sitting on my shelves for several years now. I do have a lot of fiction, as well. And really, why should I continue to obsessively buy books, when I have so many that I've never read? So, I'm seriously considering doing no more "Waiting On Wednesday" posts. It really makes no sense for me to anxiously anticipate new book releases, at this point.
One interesting nonfiction book I discovered while packing yesterday was The Feminine Mystique, by Betty Friedan. It's a feminist classic that I've owned for years, and have yet to read. I know I have The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir, buried somewhere....
I also came across Tertium Organum, by P.D. Ouspensky, and Voice Therapy, by Robert Firestone, and a book on Symbolist Art, and The Other Side of Silence, by Morton Kelsey, and Kabbalah, by Gershom Scholem, and....and....so many others I want to read! So many books to make one ponder so many interesting things!
I will henceforth focus more on those books I bought with such enthusiasm, years ago, and which I have neglected due to the crazy need to get even more books, especially those receiving a lot of media hype.
Hopefully, new readers who like nonfiction won't judge my blog by its very definite "YA look". I could attempt to make my blog design more "serious-looking", somehow more "academic-looking", but I really don't have the heart to do that....I was an Art major in college, after all, and I LOVE colorful design and BIG images!
I hope that readers will continue to enjoy my blog, no matter which of my favorite genres I choose to focus on. Maybe one or two of these genres will end up becoming reader favorites, too! I believe that's part of the fun of being an eclectic book blogger!
What do you think of this topic?
Do you prefer to read blogs
that feature mostly
fiction, nonfiction, or both?
Do you prefer to read blogs
that feature mostly
fiction, nonfiction, or both?
This is another super post that gets at so many issues that I think about all the time.
ReplyDeleteFirst I think that your blog is superb. I think that you should just write about whatever books and topics that you want to. I do not think that you should change the look of your blog to be more serious. One of your strengths as a blogger is the aesthetic sense that your site exudes.
The issue of having so many books around and what to read is a big one. I have completed changed my strategy a couple of years ago. I decided that I did not want a decision that I made years ago to buy a book to dictate my reading choices. I abandoned the idea of trying to read books that I had in the house. This does indeed men that I have purchased books that I will likely never read. It also means that I need to procure books that I want to read on fairly short notice.
I try to read a mix of non – fiction and fiction but I always seem to read more fiction.
Those books that you came across really look good. I was thinking of reading both the Friedan and Beauvoir books myself. I was concerned that they may be lack some relevancy as the world has changed so much since their initial publication.
Hey, Brian!
DeleteThank you so much for the compliment!! I love it when my blog is appreciated, because I sure do work hard on it!! I'm SO glad you love the aesthetic look of the blog!! As you can see, it has remained the same since I put in that beautiful header, which was created for me by the very talented web designer, Jennifer Johnson, of Sapphire Blog Designs! Some bloggers are constantly changing their design, but not me. I LOVE the way the blog looks now (I just change items in the sidebar from time to time), so I'm keeping it like this!
Sorry for the late response.....as you know, I've been busy with the move. I have SO many books to pack away! Of course, as I've already mentioned, I am donating a lot of them to Goodwill. But that's only the ones that I really don't want. It's very easy to decide, in some cases, but in others, it's not....
Anyway, I'm trying to keep up with things, blog-wise! I shouldn't have signed up for any tours in February, with all this stuff going on. So I might have to cancel 2 of them....
I think you've made a very wise decision in not letting your book buying choices from years ago dictate what you're going to read now. Besides, one's reading tastes can and do change with the years. At least, it's been that way with me. For a while, I read a LOT of romance novels (that was before I started the blog). Now I want to go back to my original fascination with science fiction, and fantasy (although I've read a lot of YA fantasy).
I hope to be able to read more nonfiction, tough. And I especially want to get to these feminist classics, Yeah, they might be a little dated, but I really should read them anyway.
thanks for the GREAT comment!! : )