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!
