Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Forums

Well, as a practical matter we don't usually have non fiction books in the database so you would not be able to count them, or at least tag them on the site.  The idea of the challenge is to get folks to try some Grand Masters they might have missed and it was always intended to be their fiction.

Having said that, I don't feel particularly strongly about it except that we'd have to decide if we are going to start adding non-fiction books to the database.  My first inclination is not to.  We've been pretty zealously sticking to our fairly narrowly defined mission for years and there is certainly a world of fiction still to be added even if we just stuck to works by the 1,169 authors we already have.

I'm always leary of diluting the content/focus of the site but memoirs from the Grand Masters seems like a reasonable place for an exception to be made.  At work we'd call it "scope creep" and try to ward it off with holy water but surprisingly I'm fairly well disposed to the idea.  Those kind of books can do much to increase our appreciation and understanding of the authors and the genre and that can't be a bad thing in my opinion.  The trade off is that we'd have to shift some focus to finding those books and deciding which to include and that would take some time away from adding new books, lists and awards etc.

If there is enough interest from the community we'd certainly consider going that route so let's hear it.  Who likes the idea of including non-fiction books in the database?  Are you interested in memoirs, genre history and guide books etc.?

I'm all for it.  For one thing, there are already a few in the database, thus setting a precedent.  But more importantly, it seems to me that it would serve the goals of the site.  WWE is a resource for readers, helping them to find and learn about great genre books to read.  Lists, "Stats at a Glance" (icons), reviews, blog links, all exist to help readers identify and learn about prospective reads of interest.  Additionally, and as a further aid to readers, the Resources area of the site includes a great amount of "ancillary" information on such things as conventions, podcasts, clubs, etc.  Why not give readers yet another way to educate themselves?

In fact, I'll go further and suggest that a special list or resource section be set up that is dedicated to nonfiction books.  To the best of my knowledge, there isn't much out there that covers this sort of thing.  It could be quite a unique draw for WWE.

Like DrNefario and valashain, I'd limit nonfiction content to such things as history, memoirs, biographies, criticism, etc.

A couple of thoughts on the existing nonfiction books in the database: Broderick & Di Filippo's Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010 is in the database and is the basis for one of WWE's lists, however, Pringle's Science Fiction: The Hundred Best Novels and Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels are the basis for two other of WWE's lists but are not in the database, something that should probably be rectified.

Aldiss' Billion Year Spree (1973), 339 pages is in the database, but this book was expanded and essentially replaced by his superior Trillion Year Spree (1986), 511 pages, which is not in the database, again, something that should probably be rectified.