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I love reading manuals. But before you tag me a freak, allow me to explain. A manual isn’t just a manual. Perhaps, right now, you are flipping through a manual without knowing it.

Manuals like dictionaries and grammar references are lower level manuals. Higher level manuals include relationship guides and stuff on the lines of How to be successful. Higher level manuals define rules as well as enumerating them for easy use and application.

In my opinion, most modern literature consists of manuals. Apart from the small minority of books that are actually fiction, most tomes peeking out of bookshelves everywhere are either telling you to do something, or telling you the right way to do something that, apparently, you have been doing wrong all along.

This is never a problem because most people don’t mind. Books seldom insult people. Those who do claim to have been insulted by a book are usually ones that haven’t read the book in question. Most people who like to read, look for books that treat them like amateurs. There is something about a book that humbles you.

Writing that has been done for writing’s sake fiercely guards its share of the book market. It is the manuals that are taking over the bookosphere. The number of shelves at my favourite bookstore devoted to titles like How To… and Guide To… and …For The Beginner keeps growing.

‘Gripping’ is not usually an adjective one would use to describe a manual. But because of the obviously fierce competition, writers of manuals find themselves in constant need of being engaging.

Well-known writers of manuals can count on loyalty buys to a certain extent. But unlike fiction writers, they can’t afford to rely on the loyalty of the genre’s fan base. A new hit fantasy novel can’t possibly throw Tolkien off the bookshelf, but a better (read more up-to-date) management guide would perhaps last a week more on the shelves than its dated predecessor.

The reason for this is that manuals rely on the real world for their survival. They explain the world, troubleshoot it, and (try to) guide it. Their content therefore, has to change with the changing world. Fiction, enviably, is timeless and therefore safe in its own world.

My seemingly profound insights root from ample manual-reading this past week. I have finished three books on marketing, one on branding and one on personal development. All this in addition to scores of blogs and articles online. I don’t know if you have noticed but most blogs are manuals too.

The problem with reading manuals is, most people assume you are being influenced by your reading even when the only reason you are reading them is because they are engaging. Why else would one read a manual if not to be influenced, they reason. Its not like I’m reading literature.

It doesn’t quite work that way really. When I pick up a manual, I am either looking for information, or looking to verify information I already have. With more advanced manuals like personal development books, its usually the latter. A vegetarian for example, is more likely to pick up Benefits of Vegetarianism than Why Chicken Soup Rocks.

People are willing to allow books to question, even taunt them. But what they take away from a book are often old beliefs affirmed, regardless of what the book said. People are likely to pick up books that reflect what they already think of the world, or at least debate it reasonably.

Books are good stimulators, but I doubt if they really change people’s thinking. I could be wrong. What do you think?

Posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 at 9:19 am and filed under books, reading.

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