I love nonfiction books because they can give me in-depth perspective on a new or historical idea. I can learn more about reality.
I love literary novels because I can learn about human nature from well-written fictional accounts of humans. I can have experiences, from the inside, that I would otherwise never be able to.
I love genre fiction (mystery, sci-fi, fantasy) because the scaffolding of a familiar genre story can support the author’s experimentation, and take me far afield into (literally) other worlds or times.
I love essays and essay collections because a specific idea can be given its due in an essay that is the right size for that idea. It’s not as demanding to read as an entire book, but can give great depth in a narrowly defined focus.
I love short fiction because a short story can be perfectly honed in a way a novel never can be. It’s similar to how a choral anthem can be polished in a way that a three-hour oratorio never could be.
I love poetry because it is the best way to distill a single human emotion or experience into its most visceral form.