I have decided to participate in Nonfiction November! Here is a link to the announcement if you want to join.
Julzreads is the host for this week and here is the prompt:
Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year? Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year? What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? What is one topic or type of nonfiction you haven’t read enough of yet? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
I have read 38 nonfiction titles this year, which was a lot higher than I was expecting! The majority of those have been on audiobook because that is how I prefer to read nonfiction these days. I am hoping to listen almost exclusively to nonfiction this month, and I have a few physical nonfiction books that I hope to pick up as well.
Favourite Nonfiction of the Year
I have read a lot of incredible nonfiction titles this year that it is impossible to narrow it down to one favourite!
The Radium Girls was the first book I read in 2019, and what a way to start the year. It is harrowing story that is almost too terrible to believe. It is evident that Kate Moore did a lot of research and I think it is amazing that she has given these women a voice.
The Feather Thief is exactly the kind of true crime that I love, but is hard to find. I am really into nonviolent true crime at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I have read a lot of books about serial killers this year, but it is refreshing to read something different from the genre every once in awhile. The Feather Thief is incredibly interesting!
I knew going in that Hunger was going to be an emotional read, but wow it really destroyed me. I have so much admiration for Roxane Gay and how she just bares her soul. I think this is one of those memoirs that many people will find something to relate to, and that is extremely powerful.
Favourite Topics of the Year
Memoirs always have been and always will be the nonfiction that I am most drawn to. I love when an author is so vulnerable in sharing their story- nothing moves me more. I have read so many incredible memoirs everything from Naturally Tan by Tan France to How We Fight for Our Lives by Saaed Jones. I will have to write a separate post of all the memoirs I have loved so far this year because there are just too many.
This has been a year of true crime for me, which is not a genre I have explored much in the past. I think I have I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (which I read last year) to thank for sparking this new interest. I have read a lot of compelling true crime this year including In Cold Blood, Helter Sketler, and American Predator.
Most Recommended Nonfiction
Most recently is has been Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. Thankfully, it is less self-help than I was expecting and reads more like a memoir. I took a great deal away from this book. I am someone who truly believes everyone could benefit from therapy and it was interesting to look at the experience from a therapists point of view.
Nonfiction Topic I Need to Read More From
There are so many topics that I would like to explore more! The first one that comes to mind is medical nonfiction. It was never something I thought I would be interested in until I picked up Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders. It was fascinating, if not a little terrifying- I need more!
Another topic that I am ashamed to have only read one book from this year is nature! One of my favourite books of 2018 was The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf, and I cannot believe that so far this year I have only read one book that could fall in to this category. And that was The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. It was captivating and I loved the balance between memoir and nature writing.
Nonfiction November
As far as what I am hoping to get out of Nonfiction November, it is pretty simple really. I would love to connect with other nonfiction readers, to tackle my TBR, and to hopefully inspire others to pick up nonfiction!
Phew! This was a long one- thank you to anyone who read this whole thing!
Are you participating in Nonfiction November? I would love to read your post!
I’m so glad you’re participating!
Loved looking through your list, and to see that you also recommend The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating. I just got that recommendation from another blogger this week and I am SO excited to read it. I’m hoping I can get a library copy soon. It just sounds incredible.
I’m also excited to get to Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and glad to hear it’s more memoir than self-help. I was on the fence about it and actually added it to my list after reading some quotes you posted from it, so thanks for that recommendation! Maybe will get to it this month.
And I loved Hunger, such a powerful and affecting book. I’m in awe of her.
Looking forward to your posts!!
I really think you will enjoy The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating. It is such a special book!
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is a really quick read. I was fully invested! I hope you get to it soon- can’t wait to see what you think!
Hooray for snails!!! That book be amazing. Arrrrr!
x The Captain
Truly!!
This sounds fun. I went to the original post from JulzReads to find out more. I’m thinking to post something similar to what you did-answering the non-fiction questions and then participate in the last week? Does that go with the rules? I saw the # to use. I’m trying to figure this out since I’m late to the challenge! I loved Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and Diagnosis is in my list too.
This is my first year participating so it is all new to me as well! There is a different host every week who each have a different prompt. So I am posting once a week (I think Wednesdays).
Very cool! I struggle with non-fiction, because my brain is wired to love fiction more 🙂
I completely get that!
Cool post
Thank you!
Oh my gosh, I’ve heard great things about Radium Girls and it’s been on my “someday TBR” forever, this just reminded me that I need to check it out!! Maybe I can find a way to squeeze it into my November 🙂
Ah it is so so good!!! I hope you can sneak it in because I think you’ll love it.
I’m doing Nonfiction November, too! The Radium Girls was one of my favorites from last year – I got to meet Kate Moore at an event, and she was amazing!
That’s amazing! So jealous that you got to meet her.
Great nonfiction total Kristin!!! 🙌 I was disappointed to see I had only read 11! I always think I’ve read more because of the amount of histfic I read! Yes, I’m participating in nonficnov!
Thank you! I was surprised that number was so high. Good luck! Can’t wait to see which books you reads!
Great selections for Nonfiction November! Hunger is the only one I’ve heard of, definitely looking to read it someday. Awesome that you’re participating, hope you find some great nonfiction reads this month.
Thank you! Hunger is beyond incredible!
I really need to get on the audiobook wave – I’ve been finding it really hard to juggle mommyhood and reading, and podcasts have been my saving grace, allowing me to listen while folding endless loads of laundry. I need to start adding audiobooks to my listening lists.
Audiobooks were a gamechanger in my reading. They make folding laundry and cooking so much more interesting. I’m a fan of podcasts as well though!
I also read Hunger this past year and it definitely was overwhelming, but very good. I think I’ve tried one other book by her and it just didn’t work for me, but this one I enjoyed as did my wife. I’ve seen The Feather Thief mentioned before (not during this event, but by another blogger earlier in the year) and I was…and I think still am…intrigued. Thanks for putting it back on my radar.
Hunger is incredible. I also read Bad Feminist by her and it wasn’t my favourite. I am hoping to explore more of her work!
The Feather Thief is fantastic!!
Bad Feminist didn’t work for me either.
i’m always v impressed by how much nonfiction you read!! i need to get better with that ha
Haha thank you! It wasn’t until I got into audiobooks that I truly embraced nonfiction.
I watched the Diagnosis documentary on Netflix before I knew it was a column/book and it was absolutely fascinating. I do like medical topics in nonfiction. Thanks for sharing your recommendations, I look forward to seeing what you will be reading this month.
Please stop by to see my Introduction to NonFicNov
I really enjoyed the documentary on Netflix as well. I am Canadian so healthcare in the US is shocking to me.
I will definitely check out your post!
I also read Radium Girls this year. It was quite interesting. And I own the snail book!
I hope you get to the snail book soon. It is so good!