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Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#11

Post by blockwriter »

A reading habit, past a certain point, is self-propagating, in my experience. Based on conversation, explicit reference in other texts, and a general sixth-sense of what books to read next, I find that I rarely have a miscue. Abandoning a book that’s no good, or that you simply can’t get into for whatever reason, is a big part of making a self-propagating sense for reading highly reliable. I write a lot about what I read, and I think this further helps to direct my reading.

You can try writing a little testimonial when you start a book that would include your reasons for reading the book. When the book no longer seems to satisfy that rationale, it may be a good sign to abandon the book.

Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#12

Post by tea-coffee »

It depends on what you mean specifically by "worth your time"? What "value" (in the sense that you're using) are you trying to get from the book? If you are reading to solve a specific problem, then a book being worth your time would depend on its ability to help explain the problem or approximate ways towards a solution. However, if you are reading non-fiction for other reasons, such as leisure, then the value-approach becomes more complicated.

Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#14

Post by koliber »

I keep a list of recommended books, fiction and non-fiction. I try to note where the recommendation came from.

Many come from people I know and who know me and my tastes. If a book is recommended by more people, it notches up.

I then add mood to this. I take account of what I feel and pick books that fit into that. For example, I try to round out my fiction and perspectives by reading a Russian literature classic. But they tend to not be the cheeriest of the bunch, and even though I feel due for the next one, I am holding off until the sun stars shining.

Another example: went sailing in the summer and read Old Man and the Sea as well as Moby Dick, because they both deal with wet and salty subjects.

My mood affects what I read. WhAt I read affects me. I try to steer this loop as best as I can.

Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#15

Post by dalmo3 »

tshirttime wrote: post #4

You're getting ahead of yourself. Before reading How To Read A Book you need to have first read How To Read How To Read A Book .

The above comment contains sarcasm, and taps on the paradoxical self-referential nature of the book title How to read a book.

Source: How to read an internet comment

Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#17

Post by libraryatnight »

I generally rely on others to recommend nonfiction. If someone with a perspective or insight I find challenging or compelling mentions a book I haven't read, I at least will take a look. On occasion I'll stumble on an interview with the author that sufficiently piques my interest.

Also, when I fixate on a new topic I often find that certain titles will be repeated in forums, chats, HN, articles, etc and I make note of things multiple people that seem to know things mention as useful.

Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#18

Post by gherkinnn »

- any current self-help style book can be discarded without further thought

- navy seal anecdotes call for an instant binning

- bad prose joins the others in the furnace

Serious points aside, your steps don't work for non-fiction. Well, not the kind worth reading anyway. How would you do so with a novel?

I go by recommendations or author I like. Maybe a classic I've heard about. Sometimes I find a volume in a public space and give it a skim. I read as long as I get enjoyment out of it. If it is a drain or badly written I stop. Same with films.

Re: Ask HN: How do you decide a non-fiction book is worth your time?

#19

Post by autoexec »

Anything I enjoy doing is worth my time. I enjoy reading non-fiction when the topic is interesting and the writing isn't terrible. It's usually such a small investment that if I'm interested in the topic I can take the risk in picking up a book about it even if I later discover that the writing is horrible and don't finish it. For books that are obnoxiously/unreasonably expensive I'll find a digital copy or make sure it's recommended. It is sometimes useful to be able to flip through the book first though just to make sure that it actually covers what I want to know and to get a feel for the depth/level of experience it's written for.
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