12/13/2012

The Importance Of Reading Historical Non Fiction Books

By Celia Hall


Many of us think that historical non fiction books are bound to be difficult to read and dry as dust. We are often put off by the experience of studying history in school and miss out on the realization that reading about true events can be as entertaining as it is educational. In the hands of the right author, a history book can be more intriguing than fiction.

There are those who regard an understanding of the past to be unnecessary. They want to live in the present with no regard for the past. However, escaping the past is not really possible and gaining an insight into how society developed is important. Reading about past events and characters who lived in previous eras helps us to do this.

Authors of this type of literature deal in facts but they decide how to present these facts. The perspective of the author can often influence their account of events. For example, a soldier on one side in a battle would offer a completely different perspective to one fighting on the opposite side.

If you are interested in getting as close to the truth as possible about an event or individual in history, it is best to read several accounts by different authors. Authors who quote from original sources allow you access to the thoughts of individuals who actually lived in the time they are writing about. Some authors have a talent for using sources to put together a fascinating glimpse into motivations for actions.

The ability to draw a reader into the past is vital. For example, people should be able to experience life in another era as though they were living then. A way in which to do this is to use feelings which we still experience today such as pain, hunger, love and hope. This makes it easier for us to relate to the past.

People who love reading this genre often do so because of the increased understanding it gives them about society and human beings. They find out what similarities there are between the way people lived then and how we live now as well as how different it was. It also helps them to find out more about different countries and cultures and what influenced their current attitudes.

Many people are inspired when reading about certain individuals in history. People such as Martin Luther King and Mandela are respected for their impact on society. It is also fascinating to read about those individuals who influenced people in a negative way such as Hitler. We have this innate desire to try to understand why such an individual acted in the way he did.

Historical non fiction is not as boring as you may think. Reading such a book may give you a chance to enrich your knowledge while being entertained in the process. You can develop a new understanding of the world, the people who live in it and what motivates them to do what they do.




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