Why You Should Read More Non-Fiction: Our 2024 Guide to Expanding Your Reading Horizons
Non Fiction Reading List
As an English Literature graduate I have always been a voracious reader of fiction. I spent my childhood lost in imaginary worlds and raced through countless novels. It is only in recent years, however, that I’ve discovered the delights and benefits of non-fiction titles. Looking back, I wish I had understood their importance earlier in my academic life. Beginning my course at university, I was struck by the interdisciplinary nature of my degree – in order to write essays on Milton, I needed to understand the history and politics of the English Civil War, and my reading of George Orwell was greatly informed by wider knowledge of nineteenth century culture. I quickly learnt that nothing can be fully appreciated in isolation.
Non-fiction material is the basis of the majority of our national curriculum – history, science, religious studies, geography and many more subjects depend upon it. Yet the benefits of reading non-fiction books are rarely extolled in the classroom and children are taught that reading for pleasure equates to reading fiction. Often, the only non-fiction materials students will encounter are textbooks. Those who don’t enjoy fiction are led to think that they don’t enjoy reading – but this is not the case, they simply haven’t found the right books to engage them.
Non-fiction makes up a substantial amount of the world’s literary output, and is something that we encounter daily. Newspapers, recipe books and even our Twitter feeds require us to interact with and assimilate non-fiction material. By encouraging students to explore factual writing as well as fiction, they will be better equipped to engage with the world around them.
Encouraging your child to read non-fiction – as well as fiction – can benefit their learning enormously. Non-fiction books on topics that overlap with and expand upon what is being learnt at school will engage a child’s natural curiosity. It could even spark a lifelong love of a subject. Non-fiction reading will nurture and encourage academic growth by providing super-curricular knowledge and a greater understanding of our world. Material explored can offer new perspectives on and insights into both historical and current affairs: books on nature could lead to an awareness of climate change, or a biography of a famous figure could open eyes to different historical periods. Even reading The Guinness Book of World Records could create an interest in a new sport, culture or hobby.
Whatever the topic, non-fiction reading will also provide your child with tools that can boost grades in the classroom. Through non-fiction books, they will encounter new, and sometimes specialist, vocabulary and learn how to understand and assimilate information. For older students, non-fiction books will teach them how to interpret data and secondary sources, as well as how to structure arguments. This is excellent preparation for A Level study and beyond.
Non-fiction books can delight students of all ages, from children just learning to read right up to teenagers applying to university. For younger readers, the Dorling Kindersley ‘Eyewitness’ series offer stimulating introductions to a whole range of subjects. ‘You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without’ is another great series which will engage curious children.
For young adult readers, biographies are a great example of non-fiction literature. Choosing figures familiar from history lessons at school, film and TV or a favourite sport player offers a welcoming starting point for students. As well as biographies, many TV personalities with a bent for learning such as Stephen Fry, Professor Brian Cox or David Attenborough have written non-fiction books. Similarly, well-known politicians or journalists can offer insight into current affairs through a welcoming and familiar perspective. One of our favourite non-fiction reads of recent years is The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes, shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize and winner of the Royal Society Prize for Science Books.
Whatever the book, non-fiction literature offers a great opportunity to encourage intellectual development and independent thought. By inspiring children to look beyond the curriculum and inviting them to be guided by their personal interests, non-fiction literature encourages a well-rounded education and an informed perspective on life.
By Sarah, English Language & Literature, University of Oxford.
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