--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like nonfiction books about people with…" description: "\"I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives.\" — David Sedaris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png" --- # I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives. ![“I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives.” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png) > “I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives.” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He is drawn to stories of hardship because they reveal deep human resilience and truth. **In simple terms:** Fascinated by tough lives. Key Takeaway Seek stories that reveal human strength. Themes humanity hardship storytelling empathy Mood reflective curious Type thoughtful analytical When to use this quote - journalism - creative writing - documentary filmmaking - social work - counseling Key Concepts biography suffering psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we gravitate toward stories of struggle? - How can we honor subjects while sharing their pain? A Different Perspective Focusing on suffering can be emotionally draining or exploitative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Nonfiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonfiction/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I like these nonfiction books where everything that is interesting about them is lost in that catch-all description of their "about"-ness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/i-like-these-nonfiction-books-where-everything-that-is-interesting/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [It's the dream of a better tomorrow that makes us bear wretched lives of today...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/it-s-the-dream-of-a-better-tomorrow-that-makes-us-bear-wretched-lives/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We like nonfiction, and we live in fictitious times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/we-like-nonfiction-and-we-live-in-fictitious-times/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [People like nonfiction presented to them in a certain way, so that they don't have to think about whether it's true or not. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/people-like-nonfiction-presented-to-them-in-a-certain-way-so-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I've written many nonfiction books, but that's a special gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/i-ve-written-many-nonfiction-books-but-that-s-a-special-gift/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [One of the reasons so many nonfiction books are so boring is because what they've done, very diligently, is fulfill the terms of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/one-of-the-reasons-so-many-nonfiction-books-are-so-boring-is-because/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [“Rarely do page-turners written for middle-school kids also ignite excitement in adults. (A notable exception is the series of Harry Potter books.) Fewer still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lovejoy/rarely-do-page-turners-written-for-middle-school-kids-also-ignite/) [Sharon Lovejoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lovejoy/) > [I like detective stories and spy novels, but I also like nonfiction, and of course cookbooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wahlberg/i-like-detective-stories-and-spy-novels-but-i-also-like-nonfiction/) [Paul Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wahlberg/) > [My parents read me some typical children's books: 'Green Eggs and Ham,' 'The Little Engine That Could,' 'Peter Rabbit.' But I quickly developed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holzhauer/my-parents-read-me-some-typical-children-s-books-green-eggs-and-ham/) [James Holzhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holzhauer/) > [Nicholson Baker talks about the way in which the most successful nonfiction books are those that can be boiled down into an argument so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/nicholson-baker-talks-about-the-way-in-which-the-most-successful/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [“I knew books could see people around them, they ground their tiny teeth, tried to rattle like windows, stories to tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aylett/i-knew-books-could-see-people-around-them-they-ground-their-tiny/) [Steve Aylett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aylett/) > [I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if Id grown up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-have-a-very-low-tolerance-for-boredom-and-often-think-i-would-have/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“Try to avoid your house catching fire, as this does no good at all. And while your house is still intact, it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-connolly/try-to-avoid-your-house-catching-fire-as-this-does-no-good-at-all-and/) Joseph Connolly > [I care more about the people in books than the people I see every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/i-care-more-about-the-people-in-books-than-the-people-i-see-every-day/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) [Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Sedaris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-with-wretched-lives/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-with-wretched-lives/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/david-sedaris-333_book_i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-wit_2283661.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives.” — David Sedaris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Sedaris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I like nonfiction books about people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-with-wretched-lives/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-like-nonfiction-books-about-people-with-wretched-lives/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```