By O. Veliscu
Non-fiction is one of the two main divisions by which literary work is organized, the other being fiction.
Non-fiction is a narrative account or representation of a subject considered truthful by the author and is presented as fact. It is assumed that at the time of writing, the author believed the facts to be true.
Examples of non-fiction works are essays, journal articles, documentaries, histories, scientific papers, biographies, and textbooks. A useful way of remembering the difference between fiction and non-fiction is that fiction is false whereas non-fiction is not false.
A non-fiction book usually states a certain point view or provides a complete analysis of a certain subject of interest. The language used in these non-fiction works is usually formal and requires a certain level of vocabulary knowledge from the reader.
In considering the best non-fiction book, one must define one's criteria. Possible criteria for evaluating the best non-fiction book include literary style, subject matter, detail, perspective, influence, accuracy, popularity, sources, and novelty. These are just some of the criteria for evaluating the best non-fiction book.
Even if the criteria for the best non-fiction book can be agreed, opinions about the best non-fiction book will still differ. Some people might give more weight to one criterion than another criterion.
For example, if popularity is the main criterion, then books like Baden-Powell’s book on Scouting would rank highly. Cookbooks are a popular non-fiction genre, as are self-help books such as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
and How To Win Friends and Influence People
. Books on the big questions, such as the existence of God, space, and time, have also done well, such as Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time
. On the lighter side, jokes books and humor books have sometimes topped best-seller lists.
If you consider influence the main criterion, then books such as Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species might be considered the best non-fiction book. Or books by Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, and John Maynard Keynes might top your list. If you combine both popularity and influence, then The Bible and other religious texts might be considered the best non-fiction book.
The best non-fiction book also depends on the purpose for which you will use the book. For example, if you want to buy a book for someone as a gift, then a book like Albert Einstein’s Relativity might not be your best choice. You need to consider the recipient’s interests, and the occasion you are celebrating.
So, in the end, it is the reader’s own perception of the book that makes that book "the best non-fiction book". As for my own opinion, were I forced to make a decision about the best non-fiction book, then, as well as Funny English Errors and Insights: Illustrated, I think the best non-fiction book is… a good dictionary.