A word about nonfiction.

Ever feel annoyed that "nonfiction" is the best word we have for describing everything that isn't, well, fiction? You might want to check out RickLibrarian's very thoughtful article "Proposing the End of Nonfiction as a Label and Organizing Default." It's way more interesting than the title makes it sound, I promise you.

Personally, I've never been all that bothered by "nonfiction" as a label, but I am terrible at organizing stuff.* I don't hate "nonfiction" the way I hate "creative nonfiction," for instance, or even worse, "narrative nonfiction" (which has always implied to me that NF must have a linear narrative story to be a good recreational read). But Rick raises some really interesting points. Let me know in the comments (or in his) what you think on the subject!

In other nonfiction news, the National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced last week, and Swimming Studies (reviewed below) won for Best Autobiography.

*Except for the texts of the books I've indexed. Forcing a book's main concepts into a back-of-the-book index is the only way I've ever successfully imposed my will on anything, which may be why I still enjoy indexing. If I had to title my own (boring) life story I think I'd call it "Confessions of a Largely Failed Control Freak."

Comments

[Sarah]

Well, a lot of nonfiction is "narrative", for the most part - there is a narrative, although is it always forward? It's telling a story. AS opposed to the more "how-to" or "fact-driven" like a Dummies book or a knitting book. But I don't think that all of the facets of nonfiction are truly known and understood, and that is one of my life's missions. I don't get out much . . .

[Citizen Reader]

Well, Sarah, I know we've always differed on this point. And yes, I suppose you're right, even books with no forward narrative have stories within chapters...but still. I think it's the assumption that STORY is always the most important thing about nonfiction that bugs me, or something.

Evidently I don't get out much either! :)

[Sarah]

Huh. I don't think that story is the most important thing. Subject, esp. for "how-to", is very important as well, so that's why a label and organizing default is important. Did I give you that impression?

[Citizen Reader]

Hi Sarah!
My problem with "narrative" is more with the dictionary definition ("something that is narrated; story; account") than with yours. And I do understand why it's used, because the distinction between "how-to NF" and "everything else NF" usually does need to be made. I often make the mistake of forgetting all about how-to stuff, although I use and read a lot of it personally. So maybe we do need new categories: what about just "How-To" and "Nonfiction."
Not quite right. It's a tough one.