Fiction, Semi-fiction and Non-fiction – when to read what?

Have you ever come across a genre which might be called a semi-fiction? You might not; we have. We have come across several books which claim to be non-fictional titles but are, in fact, semi-fictitious books propagating certain fiction mixed with certain realism. That’s the genre we call semi-fiction. And believe it, that is the genre which will, sometimes, boggle your head!

Fiction and non-fiction are something we all know. We know how does a fiction function and we do know how does a non-fiction function. So, what kind of books you like the most? Today, Active Reader will break down several reasons that will tell you the qualities of each kind of books.

Fiction:
Fiction books are best suited for entertainment purposes. However, with the likes of Dickens, Thackeray and Austen, it becomes something way more than mere entertainment. Whatever be the case, fiction genre is meant for non-compulsive reading and casual readers read it as per their choices while serious readers might have to read it for various intellectual reasons – such as unmasking the hypocrisy of E. M. Forster and Joseph Conrad or bringing out the social injustice in the novels of Charlotte Bronte or pinning down the social stigmas in the fiction of Hardy and so on. Let them do their job and you, as a reader, can simply focus on reading the novels (fictional ones) because you love them! Simple! Some popular ones, to begin with, may be:

The Great Gatsby
Sons and Lovers
Jane Eyre
The Guide
The Hungry Tide

Semi-fiction: When intellect and emotion meet, this happens! Semi-fiction is the book which is based on part-realism and part-fancy or imagination. For example, the books by those authors who claim those to be based on real events, inspired by their lives or someone else’s are actually the books which may be based on truth but, as Wordsworth told one and a half-century ago, there must be a colouring of certain imagination so that the product can be served to the readers to be consumed!

Even by itself, Prelude might be called a semi-fiction! In novels, you can take the examples of many romantic stories by Indian novelists which are claimed to be based on their real lives.

Do we suggest reading such books? Yes, you can! You can read these books but not very often because these books will keep the readers in a dilemma – was it actually happening? How could it be! More than enjoying the fiction, you go for the decoy – a true story. You miss the Moon for a bird!

Non-fiction: When do you read a non-fiction book? When you feel like reading it. And when do you feel like reading it? When you think you need something more than imagination and craft of weaving a fanciful plot to keep your reading nerves inflated. In simple terms, non-fiction books are the books which talk to you directly rather than talking via metaphors and similes and analogies of various direct and indirect kinds. Motivation, spirituality, democracy, politics, literature, art, history, scientific research… non-fiction can have many faces. And most of the times, you will feel like reading motivational of life-coaching books such as ones by J. Krishnamurti or Vinoba Bhave or even Max Landsberg. Reading such kind of books might be a refreshing experience and we do advise for them.

So, here, you had your two cents of a little into the world of reading. We will be back with our analysis very soon, once again. Keep reading Active Reader website regularly.