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“The Reading Road Less Taken: NonFiction Reader’s Advisory”

“The Reading Road Less Taken: NonFiction Reader’s Advisory”. As we’re gathering in the classroom, please share a nonfiction title that you recently read or heard, and enjoyed. (Use the “T” text tool to write on the whiteboard, or share in the text chat area.).

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“The Reading Road Less Taken: NonFiction Reader’s Advisory”

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  1. “The Reading Road Less Taken: NonFiction Reader’s Advisory” As we’re gathering in the classroom, please share a nonfiction title that you recently read or heard, and enjoyed. (Use the “T” text tool to write on the whiteboard, or share in the text chat area.)

  2. The Reading Road Less Taken: Nonfiction Reader’s Advisory "If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Rudyard Kipling Carrie Falk, Shenandoah Public LIbrary Karen Burns, SW Iowa Library Service Area

  3. Objectives By end of session, you’ll be able to: List the general appeal factors of nonfiction; Describe at least 4 methods for encouraging nonfiction reading; Describe appeal factors for “subgenres” of nonfiction Plan for including nonfiction RA as part of the library’s reader’s advisory service

  4. Agenda What is “narrative/creative/literary” nonfiction? Brief history Who reads nonfiction? Why? General appeal factors of nonfiction Subgengres: appeal factors, classic titles, and authors Nonfiction as part of your Reader’s Advisory Service Whole Collection Reader’s Advisory Resources

  5. Creative   Narrative  Literary Just what kind of nonfiction are we talking about?

  6. Characteristics of creative nonfiction: • Documentable subject matter • Exhaustive research • The scene • Fine writing Art of fact, Barbara Lounsberry

  7. Other descriptions "...presents concepts or information in an entertaining manner." Jean Reynolds, Publisher of The Millbrook Press "...imposes structure, theme and subtext to events, place and character."   Edward Humes, EdwardHumes.com blog "When truth challenges fiction and becomes art."  Sarah Boxer "...can so easily combine the best of both worlds."  Edward Humes

  8. A (Very!) Brief History of Narrative Nonfiction Narrative Nonfiction: Ancient times:  Herodotus, Livy, etc.  Travel, adventure, history:  19th century More modern times (begin 1960's and 70's): Roots in journalism Reader's advisory "started" in 1876 (says ALA) Nonfiction in the beginning  (fiction was 'trash") Moved to fiction in 1980's (revival of RA) Now moving to include nonfiction

  9. Who reads nonfiction? • People who: • Want to read about things that are "real" • Want to increase their knowledge • Are curious • Want to know about something without having to experience it first-hand • Read to take something away from the experience • Are often interrupted and find it easier than fiction to pick up again

  10. Why? General Appeal Factors • Pacing • Characterization • Story Line • Detail • Learning/Experience • Language • Setting • Tone

  11. Subgenres History  Biography/Memoirs   Travel Science/Technology  Animals, Nature   True Crime Sports Adventure Food/Cooking Spirituality and Self-Discovery  Culture, Society, and Contemporary Life

  12. History Appeal Factors Characters--how they relate to events & situations Details/descriptions of time period Settings Classic Titles Distant mirror, Tuchman Team of rivals, Goodwin John Adams,  McCullough Civil War,  Foote Hiroshima, Hersey We were soldiers once, Moore & Galloway Undaunted courage, Ambrose Worst hard time, Egan

  13. History Authors David McCullough Stephen Ambrose Barbara Tuchman Shelby Foote Antonia Fraser David Halberstam Mark Kurlansky Daniel Boorstin Bruce Catton Diana Preston Joseph J. Ellis

  14. Biography and Memoirs Appeal Factors Characters - People like to read about people Tone make history personal Details - Juicy gossip Shared experience Classic Titles Don't Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Fuller A Beautiful Mind, Nasar The Glass Castle, Walls

  15. Biography and Memoirs Authors A. Scott Berg Ron Chernow David Herbert Donald Joseph Ellis Anne Frank Stephen Greenblatt Homer Hickam Jr. David McCullough David Sedaris Alison Weir

  16. Travel Appeal Factors Setting - description of exotic locals Characters Learning/ experience of new or different locations Tone - getting the feel for a place Classic Titles Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia, Gilbert Angry Wind: Through Muslim Black Africa, Tayler A Walk in the Woods, Bryson

  17. Travel Authors Bill Bryson Graham Greene Eric Hansen William Least Heat-Moon Peter Jenkins Frances Mayes Peter Mayle Jan Morris Colin Thubron

  18. Science & Technology Appeal Factors Learning/experiencing Details Characters (sometimes) Type (physics, biology, math, etc.) Classic Titles Brief history of time (and Briefer...), Hawking Demon in the freezer, or Hot zone, Preston Cosmos, Sagan Elegant universe, Greene Longitude, Sobel Zero: biography of a dangerous idea, Seife A natural history of the senses, Ackerman

  19. Science & Technology Authors Natalie Angier Richard Feynman Brian Greene Stephen Hawking Neil de Grasse Tyson Diane Ackerman Lewis Thomas

  20. Animals & Nature Appeal Factors Setting - the landscape how we interact with nature Characterization of the animals and their people Learning/Experience- discovery and exploration Classic Titles Born Free, Adamson Silent Spring, Carson PrairyErth, Heat-Moon Walden, Thoreau

  21. Animals & Nature Authors Rachel Carson Dian Fossey Jane Goodall Aldo Leopold Barry Lopez Farley Mowat John Muir

  22. True Crime Appeal Factors Pacing - fast like a suspense thriller only real Characters - understanding why and how Classic Titles In Cold Blood, Capote Blue Blood, Conlon Devil in the White City, Larson Ballad of the Whiskey Robber, Rubinstein Green River, Running Red, Rule

  23. True Crime Authors John Berendt Vincent Bugliosi Truman Capote Dominick Dunne Erik Larson Peter Maas Ann Rule Lawrence Schiller Joseph Wambaugh

  24. Sports Appeal Factors rides on Character Setting - time, place, history, location and players Detail - description, reporting Storyline - truimph of the underdog Classic Titles Friday Night Lights, Bissinger Next Man Up, Feinstein Still Life with Brook Trout, Gierach Seabiscuit, Hillenbrand

  25. Sports Authors H.G. Bissinger John Feinstein Linda Greenlaw Laura Hillenbrand Ted Leeson Nick Lyons David Maraniss Tom Stanton William G. Tapply

  26. Adventure Appeal Factors learning/experiencing--"being there" characters--reader living the adventure with them pacing--often fast-paced, or cycle of slow-fast Classic Titles Miracle in the Andes, Parrado Out of Africa, Dinesen Spirit of St. Louis, Lindbergh Oregon Trail, Parkman Travels of Marco Polo Innocents abroad, Twain Over the edge of the world, Bergren A night to remember, Lord

  27. Adventure Authors Gertrude Bell Isak Dinesen Graham Greene Piers Paul Read Ernest Shackleton Norman MacLean Paul Theroux

  28. Food & Cooking Appeal Factors learning/experiencing characters--variety of chefs, approaches rich language about food Classic Titles Salt: a world history, Kurlansky My life in France, Child Diet for a small planet, Lappe Beard on food, Beard

  29. Food & Cooking Authors: Laurie Colwin James Beard Mark Kurlansky Calvin Trillin

  30. Spirituality/Self-Discovery Appeal Factors Learning/Discovery Tone--contemplative, thoughtful Characters Classic Titles Care of the soul, Moore Universe in a single atom, Dalai Lama Cloister walk, Norris Road less traveled, Peck Power of now, Tolle Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, Pirsig Anam Cara, O’Donohue

  31. Spirituality/Self-Discovery Authors Dalai Lama Eckhart Tolle Marianne Williamson M. Scott Peck Deepak Chopra Wayne Dyer Thomas Moore Kathleen Norris

  32. Culture, Society & Contemp  Life Appeal Factors Characters - relationships Learning/ Experience - making sense of our culture and society Setting - community Classic Titles Angela's Ashes, McCourt Bowling Alone, Putnam Growing up digital;  Grown up digital, Tapscott Soul of a new machine, Kidder

  33. Culture, Society & Contemp LIfe Authors Mitch Ablom Joan Anderson Augusten Burrows David Denby Malcolm Gladwell Cheryl Jarvis Lawrence LaRose Frank McCourt Don Tapscott Tracy Kidder

  34. Nonfiction vs. Fiction • They are not opposites • They have overlapping appeal factors • The appeal of informational works is not always utilitarian  • "Enjoying a book involves both the text that is written and also who the reader is at the time of reading it."  Kenneth D. Shearer

  35. NonFic in Your RA Service • Relationship with the person • Knowledge of the material • Use your knowledge of fiction genres to help select nonfiction works • Nonfiction AV, whatever format delivers information most effectively for a person and their need

  36. Whole CollectionReader’s Advisory • Goes beyond just appeal • Expanding the reading experience • Explore the world opened up by a book • Bridge fiction and nonfiction, if reader is open to that • Use Read Arounds or Reading Maps to help gain a holistic reading experience

  37. Help Yourself to Do NF RA • READ! • Read reviews • Watch/listen to book programs • Consult award lists • Practice talking to friends and family about nonfiction Write annotations for what you read • "Mad Libs"  (Wyatt)

  38. "Mad Libs" Use Wyatt's four intertwined aspects of nonfiction:   Narrative context, subject, type, appeal "In this factual but almost conversational exploration, Matt Ridley, known for his accessible style of presenting scientific information, introduces the reader to one gene from each chromosome, describing its purpose, functons, and impact on the human being and the human race." (Genome, by Matt Ridley)

  39. YOUR Mad Libs Choose a nonfiction title you've read/heard recently--take a couple minutes to start on a Mad Lib for it... • Narrative context (extent to which narrative is important) • Subject • Type (report, memoir, etc.) • Appeal  • Brief description of what it's about...

  40. NF Reader's Advisory Service--Tools • Reader's Advisory interview • Displays--just fiction, or mix fiction and nonfiction • Read-alike bookmarks/lists • Pathfinders • Reader's Journeys/Maps • Blogs, websites, podcasts • Staff picks • Patron reviews/picks

  41. Nonfiction Book Awards • Pulitzer Prize      www.pulitzer.org • National Book Awards   www.nationalbook.org/nba.html • National Book Critics Circle Award     www.bookcritics.org/page2.html • ALA's Notable Books www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotocols/rusanotable/notablebooks.htm • Royal Society Prizes for Science Books www.sciencebookprizes.com/home_welcome.htm • NOBA (National Outdoor Book Award) www.isu.edu/outdoor/bookpol.htm

  42. Resources Resources, LSA U site: sites.google.com/site/lsauiowa/resources Iread wiki: Iread.pbwiki.com

  43. Extra Credit  (1 hour) Choose nonfiction title Create Reader's Map or Reader's Journey (include both fiction and nonfiction) Post it on iread wiki (and send to Carrie and Karen) by March 31, 2009

  44. Carrie Falk shencirc@heartland.net Karen Burns kburns@swilsa.lib.ia.us quiltlibrarian on Yahoo, AOL, Meebo

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