health: Aaron Hockley

السبت، 31 مايو 2014

Aaron Hockley

Posted: 30 May 2014 12:38 PM PDT

I don’t read fiction.

There, I said it.

The statistics show I’m not all that different than the average American.

I didn’t say that I don’t read. In fact, at any given moment I’m in the middle of at least one nonfiction book, with several more on deck. Right now I have two unread books in my Kindle library along with six unopened bits of nonfiction book reading of the dead-tree variety.

Why no fiction, Aaron? Why do you hate stories?

I don’t hate made-up stories. I enjoy my stories in other forms. I’ll watch them on Netflix. I’ll read the occasional bit of fiction online. I’ll read the press releases from PETA[1].

I’ve never read any Harry Potter books. I’ve never read the Lord of the Rings. Am I missing something beyond water cooler conversation topics? There’s value in that… but…

…why would I spend my time on fiction and fantasy when there are lots of “real” nonfiction things that I can learn and study and use? If I get pleasure from reading a book of Scott Adams’ thoughts on the world would I gain more pleasure or have more benefits from reading about a hobbit or a wizard or such?

Maybe. I don’t know.

I mentioned this to my friend Justin earlier this week and within an hour he gifted me the Kindle version of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

I have no idea what this book is about, but I trust my friend so I’m going to read it.

Will it lead to reading more fiction? Maybe. I’m totally okay with either a yes or a no answer to this question. But I’m pretty sure that my nonfiction world makes me some sort of aberration among my normal circles.

Is that so wrong?