Ian Dawson's Blog - Posts Tagged "nonfiction"
6 Reasons Reading Books Still Matters – Part One
Reading books doesn’t seem as popular as it used to be. Although there are millions of books available, I keep meeting people who have no interest in sitting down and reading a novel or even nonfiction about a topic that interests them.
According to the National Literacy Institute, “44% of the American adults do not read a book in a year,” and “130 million adults are now unable to read a simple story to their children.”* These are shocking and unfortunate statistics but fixable in the modern age. With our interconnected world, accessing books and other reading materials is easier than ever, yet millions lack interest in picking up a book and reading.
What are some reasons to encourage people to read books? What is the value of reading a few books a year? Let’s talk about it!
But first, let’s get in the mood with the theme song from the excellent series Reading Rainbow!
Reading Rainbow Theme
# 1 – You’re In Control
Many people abandon reading after graduating from high school or college. They are burned out on reading assignments involving dry literature, bland textbooks, and the associated essays and tests. This creates a negative association between reading and the reader; the very thought of opening a book for pleasure makes them cringe in horror.
But post-school, you are in control of what you read. You can read whatever types of books you want on any topic. No looming deadlines, tests, or essays are linked to your reading. With the absence of this pressure and your freedom to choose, you can read in a relaxed mental state and enjoy the experience.
#2 – Increase Attention Span
A relative of mine revealed that they can no longer finish listening to a song on YouTube without getting bored and turning it off a few minutes in. A song! Our attention spans are shrinking to the length of a TikTok video, which is not good. The fact that news stories tell you how many minutes it’ll take you to read them shows that people choose what information they consume based on duration and not content. That’s crazy!
Books can help resolve this issue. They can help you retrain your brain to concentrate, regain focus, and increase your attention span. Think of improving your attention span like you would train for a marathon. Start with shorter books and work up to the longer ones. Don’t jump into a 1000-page novel, which could discourage or overwhelm you.
Begin with shorter books and increase the page count over time. You’ll find that your focus and concentration on other things in life will also increase.
#3 – Critical Thinking
The nice thing about nonfiction books is that they can inform you about a topic in great detail. Unlike pithy news stories or articles, delving into the meat of an issue is a great way to be informed on that issue. Too often, people let emotions or others dictate how they should think about a topic. Reading a book about it can remedy this situation and help you make informed choices as you become educated on the subject of interest.
Obviously, books can be written with biased views, and we often seek out those who share our views (this is also known as confirmation bias). When choosing a book to read, check out the author’s background and their position on the topic. If they are a writer who has a clear bias toward the topic, you may want to find another book.
I prefer nonfiction books that are as unbiased as possible, giving the reader the power to decide on the topic.
Think about what topics interest you and seek out books that discuss them. Read as many books on the subject as you wish, recognizing the author’s bias and deciding if you agree or disagree with their positions.
Next Time…
Three down, three to go. I’ll have more about why reading books still matters next week!
Happy Reading!
SOURCE: National Literacy Institute
According to the National Literacy Institute, “44% of the American adults do not read a book in a year,” and “130 million adults are now unable to read a simple story to their children.”* These are shocking and unfortunate statistics but fixable in the modern age. With our interconnected world, accessing books and other reading materials is easier than ever, yet millions lack interest in picking up a book and reading.
What are some reasons to encourage people to read books? What is the value of reading a few books a year? Let’s talk about it!
But first, let’s get in the mood with the theme song from the excellent series Reading Rainbow!
Reading Rainbow Theme
# 1 – You’re In Control
Many people abandon reading after graduating from high school or college. They are burned out on reading assignments involving dry literature, bland textbooks, and the associated essays and tests. This creates a negative association between reading and the reader; the very thought of opening a book for pleasure makes them cringe in horror.
But post-school, you are in control of what you read. You can read whatever types of books you want on any topic. No looming deadlines, tests, or essays are linked to your reading. With the absence of this pressure and your freedom to choose, you can read in a relaxed mental state and enjoy the experience.
#2 – Increase Attention Span
A relative of mine revealed that they can no longer finish listening to a song on YouTube without getting bored and turning it off a few minutes in. A song! Our attention spans are shrinking to the length of a TikTok video, which is not good. The fact that news stories tell you how many minutes it’ll take you to read them shows that people choose what information they consume based on duration and not content. That’s crazy!
Books can help resolve this issue. They can help you retrain your brain to concentrate, regain focus, and increase your attention span. Think of improving your attention span like you would train for a marathon. Start with shorter books and work up to the longer ones. Don’t jump into a 1000-page novel, which could discourage or overwhelm you.
Begin with shorter books and increase the page count over time. You’ll find that your focus and concentration on other things in life will also increase.
#3 – Critical Thinking
The nice thing about nonfiction books is that they can inform you about a topic in great detail. Unlike pithy news stories or articles, delving into the meat of an issue is a great way to be informed on that issue. Too often, people let emotions or others dictate how they should think about a topic. Reading a book about it can remedy this situation and help you make informed choices as you become educated on the subject of interest.
Obviously, books can be written with biased views, and we often seek out those who share our views (this is also known as confirmation bias). When choosing a book to read, check out the author’s background and their position on the topic. If they are a writer who has a clear bias toward the topic, you may want to find another book.
I prefer nonfiction books that are as unbiased as possible, giving the reader the power to decide on the topic.
Think about what topics interest you and seek out books that discuss them. Read as many books on the subject as you wish, recognizing the author’s bias and deciding if you agree or disagree with their positions.
Next Time…
Three down, three to go. I’ll have more about why reading books still matters next week!
Happy Reading!
SOURCE: National Literacy Institute
Five Ways to Plan Your 2025 Reading Challenge
It’s hard to believe, but 2024 is winding down, and 2025 is quickly approaching. With all the other end-of-year/start-of-year events, I thought now would be a good time to discuss ways to plan a reading challenge for yourself in 2025.
Over the last two weeks, I’ve talked about why it’s important to read books, and challenging yourself to read a certain number of books over the course of a year is a great way to stay motivated and keep reading. Let’s talk about five ways to plan your reading schedule for 2025 and ensure you meet your goal before 2026!
#1 - How Much Time Do You Have?
If you have a busy schedule and your free time is filled with errands and other activities, keep your reading goal small. I recommend planning to read six to eight books over the year, seeing how that goes, and then extending the amount moving forward.
If you have time to binge-watch seasons of TV in one weekend, you have time to read more. I suggest attempting to read 12 or more books during 2025. One book a month may sound daunting, but you'll quickly reach your goal once you get into the reading rhythm.
#2 - What Counts as a Book?
Reading a book to your kids? That counts. Like comic books? Those count. Reading for class? Yep, textbooks or other assigned readings count. If you prefer digital to paper, eBooks count as well.
Don’t be afraid to include all types of books and reading material in your reading challenge. You’ll find that you’ll read much more during the year than you initially thought.
#3 - Is Listening to Books Okay?
Around this time each year, I see people on social media announce they have read 300+ books, and I often wonder how that’s possible. Then it dawned on me: audiobooks! Yes, these 100% count as books read over the year, and if you can listen to them on your commute, at work, at home, or anywhere else, you can knock out a lot of books in 365 days.
If this is a more viable option for you and fits your lifestyle, go for it!
#4 – Make a Game Plan
Once you decide how many books you’d like to tackle in 2025, determine what you plan to read. Things can change over the year, but having a list of books you want to work through beforehand will set you up for success.
Maybe there’s an author you enjoy that you’d like to read more from. Or maybe it’s a genre you’re curious about. Perhaps a non-fiction topic piques your interest or a historical period.
Alternate between physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks, or stick to one medium for the whole year.
Or, maybe you’re like me, with more books than space, and you need to read through what you have!
Whatever you decide, it’s always good to have a basic idea of what you want to read over the next year so you don’t have to guess what’s next. It’s okay to change things if another book interests you, but having other books ready to read is helpful.
#5 – Track It
You can do it on your own with a list on your computer or paper, or you can use one of many reading tracking apps or sites like www.goodreads.com, where you can join their annual reading challenge and write and post reviews of the books you read throughout the year.
These reading challenge trackers also tell you how many books you have left to go and how many books you are ahead or behind in your stated challenge.
Other apps include Bookly, Bookmory, StoryGraph, TBR, and many others you can check out on your phone’s app store.
Final Thoughts
I’m a huge fan of reading, and I want as many people worldwide to read and enjoy books as much as I do. Challenge yourself to read as many books as you’d like throughout 2025 and be amazed by how much you read and learn from January 1 to December 31!
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Over the last two weeks, I’ve talked about why it’s important to read books, and challenging yourself to read a certain number of books over the course of a year is a great way to stay motivated and keep reading. Let’s talk about five ways to plan your reading schedule for 2025 and ensure you meet your goal before 2026!
#1 - How Much Time Do You Have?
If you have a busy schedule and your free time is filled with errands and other activities, keep your reading goal small. I recommend planning to read six to eight books over the year, seeing how that goes, and then extending the amount moving forward.
If you have time to binge-watch seasons of TV in one weekend, you have time to read more. I suggest attempting to read 12 or more books during 2025. One book a month may sound daunting, but you'll quickly reach your goal once you get into the reading rhythm.
#2 - What Counts as a Book?
Reading a book to your kids? That counts. Like comic books? Those count. Reading for class? Yep, textbooks or other assigned readings count. If you prefer digital to paper, eBooks count as well.
Don’t be afraid to include all types of books and reading material in your reading challenge. You’ll find that you’ll read much more during the year than you initially thought.
#3 - Is Listening to Books Okay?
Around this time each year, I see people on social media announce they have read 300+ books, and I often wonder how that’s possible. Then it dawned on me: audiobooks! Yes, these 100% count as books read over the year, and if you can listen to them on your commute, at work, at home, or anywhere else, you can knock out a lot of books in 365 days.
If this is a more viable option for you and fits your lifestyle, go for it!
#4 – Make a Game Plan
Once you decide how many books you’d like to tackle in 2025, determine what you plan to read. Things can change over the year, but having a list of books you want to work through beforehand will set you up for success.
Maybe there’s an author you enjoy that you’d like to read more from. Or maybe it’s a genre you’re curious about. Perhaps a non-fiction topic piques your interest or a historical period.
Alternate between physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks, or stick to one medium for the whole year.
Or, maybe you’re like me, with more books than space, and you need to read through what you have!
Whatever you decide, it’s always good to have a basic idea of what you want to read over the next year so you don’t have to guess what’s next. It’s okay to change things if another book interests you, but having other books ready to read is helpful.
#5 – Track It
You can do it on your own with a list on your computer or paper, or you can use one of many reading tracking apps or sites like www.goodreads.com, where you can join their annual reading challenge and write and post reviews of the books you read throughout the year.
These reading challenge trackers also tell you how many books you have left to go and how many books you are ahead or behind in your stated challenge.
Other apps include Bookly, Bookmory, StoryGraph, TBR, and many others you can check out on your phone’s app store.
Final Thoughts
I’m a huge fan of reading, and I want as many people worldwide to read and enjoy books as much as I do. Challenge yourself to read as many books as you’d like throughout 2025 and be amazed by how much you read and learn from January 1 to December 31!
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Reading Tip of the Week: Why I Love Non-Fiction Books
In 2025, we are bombarded by information and news 24/7. From social media to news sites, the barrage of stories, facts, opinions, and opinions disguised as facts can drive anyone crazy in the modern age of overstimulation. If you’ve ever seen a topic that interests you but are unsure if what you’re reading is truth or someone’s version of the truth, non-fiction books may be what you need to explore the topic that’s piqued your curiosity.
I love non-fiction books because I can dive into the nuts and bolts of a topic and truly understand what’s going on. All too often, a social media post or article may only scratch the surface of an issue, and what’s being stated could be incorrect or lack credibility. With non-fiction books, you can gain a solid grasp of the topic and a thorough understanding of what’s being discussed.
This doesn’t mean you don’t have to be aware of the author’s bias, but in a long-form space like a book you can utilize your critical thinking skills to determine whether the author is giving you the information straight, or if they have a particular leaning that attempts to sway you to one side or the other on a specific topic. These biased non-fiction books are pretty easy to spot these days, but it’s always good to go into a non-fiction book with your critical thinking cap on just in case.
If there is a topic you see a story or post about online that interests you, see if there’s a book that will expand your understanding and knowledge about it. If that book increases your interest, the bibliography at the back will lead you toward more books that will help you understand the topic even more.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
I love non-fiction books because I can dive into the nuts and bolts of a topic and truly understand what’s going on. All too often, a social media post or article may only scratch the surface of an issue, and what’s being stated could be incorrect or lack credibility. With non-fiction books, you can gain a solid grasp of the topic and a thorough understanding of what’s being discussed.
This doesn’t mean you don’t have to be aware of the author’s bias, but in a long-form space like a book you can utilize your critical thinking skills to determine whether the author is giving you the information straight, or if they have a particular leaning that attempts to sway you to one side or the other on a specific topic. These biased non-fiction books are pretty easy to spot these days, but it’s always good to go into a non-fiction book with your critical thinking cap on just in case.
If there is a topic you see a story or post about online that interests you, see if there’s a book that will expand your understanding and knowledge about it. If that book increases your interest, the bibliography at the back will lead you toward more books that will help you understand the topic even more.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (the first half)
If you enjoy in-depth biographical sketches of historic figures, look no further than Ron Chernow’s latest book about American author, speaker, and humorist Mark Twain. As a fan of detailed biographies that present a warts-and-all approach to their subjects, Mark Twain delivers these aspects of the author’s life with incredible insight and contemporary perspective.
More than just the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain’s life and the historical events he lived through make this a well-rounded and eye-opening book.
At 1033 pages of text, Chernow leaves no stone unturned as he examines the life, career, successes, and failures of one of the heavyweights in American literature. I was especially fascinated by the amount of correspondence that was saved, archived, and available from dozens of sources that allowed Chernow to deliver the events in Twain’s life through the words of the author and those around him.
Throughout the first half of the book, Chernow examines Twain’s evolving attitudes and perspectives on race and racism in America and around the world. A product of the pre-Civil War South, Twain’s views on Blacks, Native Americans, the Chinese, and other minority groups did show significant positive change over his decades of life experience. Still, many feel that his writings and novels keep him mired in the bigotry of his past.
This is exemplified in the book’s analysis of Twain’s most well-known work, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and its depiction of Huck’s Black companion, Jim, and the use of the N-word. Chernow provides historical context, Twain’s own opinions and views on the book as he wrote it, and the controversy and subsequent book bans associated with the novel, including its ban from schools during Twain’s lifetime.
One of the many reasons I prefer biographies like this is that they don’t portray the subject as a hero or a villain; instead, they present them as human. Twain was a product of his time, but he was also a man who was willing to adapt his ways and views as the world around him changed. As a world traveler, he was exposed to a variety of cultures, languages, and religions that most in America at this time would never experience.
Around the 550-page mark, we join Twain on a worldwide speaking tour with his loving, patient wife and his daughters as he struggles to dig himself out of a financial mess that threatens his livelihood and family legacy. I’m excited to see what the second half of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow has to offer.
If you’re looking for a solid reading experience about one of America’s most popular literary icons, I highly recommend Mark Twain by Ron Chernow.
More than just the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain’s life and the historical events he lived through make this a well-rounded and eye-opening book.
At 1033 pages of text, Chernow leaves no stone unturned as he examines the life, career, successes, and failures of one of the heavyweights in American literature. I was especially fascinated by the amount of correspondence that was saved, archived, and available from dozens of sources that allowed Chernow to deliver the events in Twain’s life through the words of the author and those around him.
Throughout the first half of the book, Chernow examines Twain’s evolving attitudes and perspectives on race and racism in America and around the world. A product of the pre-Civil War South, Twain’s views on Blacks, Native Americans, the Chinese, and other minority groups did show significant positive change over his decades of life experience. Still, many feel that his writings and novels keep him mired in the bigotry of his past.
This is exemplified in the book’s analysis of Twain’s most well-known work, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and its depiction of Huck’s Black companion, Jim, and the use of the N-word. Chernow provides historical context, Twain’s own opinions and views on the book as he wrote it, and the controversy and subsequent book bans associated with the novel, including its ban from schools during Twain’s lifetime.
One of the many reasons I prefer biographies like this is that they don’t portray the subject as a hero or a villain; instead, they present them as human. Twain was a product of his time, but he was also a man who was willing to adapt his ways and views as the world around him changed. As a world traveler, he was exposed to a variety of cultures, languages, and religions that most in America at this time would never experience.
Around the 550-page mark, we join Twain on a worldwide speaking tour with his loving, patient wife and his daughters as he struggles to dig himself out of a financial mess that threatens his livelihood and family legacy. I’m excited to see what the second half of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow has to offer.
If you’re looking for a solid reading experience about one of America’s most popular literary icons, I highly recommend Mark Twain by Ron Chernow.
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (the Second Half)
As the years rolled by in Mark Twain’s life, he had what I can only describe as a late-life crisis. Following a series of personal and financial tragedies, Twain made a conscious decision to shut out any real-world responsibility, foisting it upon a woman who would be both his interim savior and his ultimate downfall.
Author Ron Chernow delivers a highly detailed account of one of Twain’s odd interests later in life: his fixation on pre-teen girls. While it’s alluded to in the first half of the biography, it’s during the second half that Twain’s obsessive interest in a slew of young girls is explored, analyzed, and explained to the best anyone could, given the situation.
It’s an aspect of Twain’s life that passive fans of this work know about, but the crazy part is that thanks to hundreds of letters between Twain and these girls, we can witness and attempt to unravel the reasons why he became so hyper-focused on them during the twilight years of his life.
Reading about his predilection for young girls is disturbing, and it should be noted that while some found his behavior charming, others – including his two daughters – found the whole situation odd and unsettling. Even given the time period and his level of celebrity, his persistence with these girls and even having them stay for weeks at his home is enough to make anyone take a step back and wonder what Twain was thinking.
Was this an old man trying to recapture his youth? Was this an attempt by Twain to manufacture grandchildren from fans of his work who were children? Chernow makes a valid point during his analysis that Twain was only interested in corresponding with and having young girls sleep over at his home; young boys were never mentioned or even part of the equation.
While Twain’s relationship with race and race relations will always be at the forefront of our discourse about him, this aspect of his life toward the end is worth learning about and trying to understand (and, personally, I think it’s REALLY creepy).
Aside from this, much of the latter half of Twain’s life plays out like a soap opera, with betrayals, double-crosses, lies, lawsuits, and deaths, along with a few international trips and Twain’s inevitable realization that his end was drawing near.
When I read biographies about figures who have passed long ago, I’m always waiting for the significant turning point in the subject’s life that signals that they are on a downhill slope toward the end. With Twain, so many tragic events transpired over his final years that it can be a challenge to pinpoint where things truly began to go south for him.
Ultimately, his lifelong smoking habit did him in, which makes me wonder if he hadn’t been a smoker, how much longer he might have lived.
Chernow does a superb job meticulously researching and decoding the man whose books would define American Literature for generations. This was no easy task to undertake, given the thousands of letters, articles, books, essays, and other media that have painted varying portraits of Mark Twain for decades.
I do feel that the author delivered a thorough and in-depth look at the man behind the mythic figure that existed even before he died in 1910. In the Acknowledgments section, we get to see just how extensive the research was, and how many places and people Ron Chernow interacted with to make this a strong and effective biographical sketch of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain.
I really enjoyed Mark Twain. It was the first biography I’ve read by Ron Chernow, and I know it will not be the last. I highly recommend Mark Twain by Ron Chernow.
Check out this interview with Ron Chernow at the link below:
https://youtu.be/VGtQgA9UROU?si=ZBmQu...
Author Ron Chernow delivers a highly detailed account of one of Twain’s odd interests later in life: his fixation on pre-teen girls. While it’s alluded to in the first half of the biography, it’s during the second half that Twain’s obsessive interest in a slew of young girls is explored, analyzed, and explained to the best anyone could, given the situation.
It’s an aspect of Twain’s life that passive fans of this work know about, but the crazy part is that thanks to hundreds of letters between Twain and these girls, we can witness and attempt to unravel the reasons why he became so hyper-focused on them during the twilight years of his life.
Reading about his predilection for young girls is disturbing, and it should be noted that while some found his behavior charming, others – including his two daughters – found the whole situation odd and unsettling. Even given the time period and his level of celebrity, his persistence with these girls and even having them stay for weeks at his home is enough to make anyone take a step back and wonder what Twain was thinking.
Was this an old man trying to recapture his youth? Was this an attempt by Twain to manufacture grandchildren from fans of his work who were children? Chernow makes a valid point during his analysis that Twain was only interested in corresponding with and having young girls sleep over at his home; young boys were never mentioned or even part of the equation.
While Twain’s relationship with race and race relations will always be at the forefront of our discourse about him, this aspect of his life toward the end is worth learning about and trying to understand (and, personally, I think it’s REALLY creepy).
Aside from this, much of the latter half of Twain’s life plays out like a soap opera, with betrayals, double-crosses, lies, lawsuits, and deaths, along with a few international trips and Twain’s inevitable realization that his end was drawing near.
When I read biographies about figures who have passed long ago, I’m always waiting for the significant turning point in the subject’s life that signals that they are on a downhill slope toward the end. With Twain, so many tragic events transpired over his final years that it can be a challenge to pinpoint where things truly began to go south for him.
Ultimately, his lifelong smoking habit did him in, which makes me wonder if he hadn’t been a smoker, how much longer he might have lived.
Chernow does a superb job meticulously researching and decoding the man whose books would define American Literature for generations. This was no easy task to undertake, given the thousands of letters, articles, books, essays, and other media that have painted varying portraits of Mark Twain for decades.
I do feel that the author delivered a thorough and in-depth look at the man behind the mythic figure that existed even before he died in 1910. In the Acknowledgments section, we get to see just how extensive the research was, and how many places and people Ron Chernow interacted with to make this a strong and effective biographical sketch of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain.
I really enjoyed Mark Twain. It was the first biography I’ve read by Ron Chernow, and I know it will not be the last. I highly recommend Mark Twain by Ron Chernow.
Check out this interview with Ron Chernow at the link below:
https://youtu.be/VGtQgA9UROU?si=ZBmQu...
