Learning the RC: Nonfiction Reader's Advisory

I never would have thought that people would need reader's advisory for nonfiction. I mean, the premise goes like this: you need to know something. You go to the section of books that are about that something. You browse the stacks for the book that best meets that information need in that you can choose between a 200 page book or a 500 page book on subject X. You can select the book that has lots of call outs (a la the "for dummies" series) or you can get a visual guide (Master Visually series) or you get the book with lots of dense text (any "bible" of ). But then I think about the time I read The Big Year or To Paint Her Life. Both of these nonfiction works are informational, yet tell a story. In the case of Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, the element of pacing kept me interested to find out just what could happen next. These books have style. So I can learn something and enjoy the process. Who knew learning could be so much better than a text book?

A bunch of librarians who came before me, that's who. This bunch writes about N-F RA at length in the theoretical heavy NONFICTION: Readers' Advisory (025.54 NON). Each chapter addresses a different aspect of nonfiction RA, starting with the "new" creative nonfiction. I like the chapter on the kinds of "crafted truths" which looks at the "genres" of nonfiction such as "rescued histories" or "journeys and places." Other chapters address different audiences such as young readers and multicultural societies. Unfortunately, this book is a dense read, probably meant more for going straight to the chapters of interest rather than reading cover to cover.

The Real Story: a Guide to Nonfiction Reading Interests is more of a bibliography of recommended reads gathered under topics of interest.Topics are "true adventure," "travel," "true crime," "environmental writing," "science and math," "history," "biography," "memoirs and autobiography," "relationships," "investigative writing," and "making sense." Each topic gets a few paragraphs defining the topic (to clear up any confusion of what you're getting yourself into) and describing the appeal of the topic. Then the chapter jumps into annotated lists. I have to say that the writing style is very clear for this guide and I actually snuggled up to read it before going to sleep. (yes, I took the book home after the library closed, but don't tell anyone!)