Week 1: November 3 to 7
Your Year in Nonfiction: Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favorite nonfiction read of the 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?
Out of 95 books I’ve read this year so far 20 have been nonfiction. That’s pretty typical for me. I’ve always thought that I read about 25% nonfiction.
So far there isn’t one this year that stands out as the most amazing book ever. When I think of my favorite nonfiction reads they were ones I read last year. If I had to pick a favorite I’d probably say:
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
 During the 1800s many Americans moved to France to learn. Some studied art. Some studied medicine. Some were diplomats trying to make sense of the increasingly unstable country they found themselves in. What they would learn during their time in France would impact their lives and teach them useful skills that they took back to the young United States.
I listened to this on audio and it kept my attention.
And I’d add:
Paradise Lot: Two Plant Geeks, One-Tenth of an Acre, and the Making of an Edible Garden Oasis in the City by Eric Toensmeier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve always wanted to have a densely planted, self-sustaining garden instead of a lawn.ÂÂ
Looking through my nonfiction reads for this year I can see that a lot of them have been about either racism or feminism.
Racism/Feminism
Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice by Paula Byrne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Devotion and Defiance: My Fight for Justice for Women by Humaira Awais Shahid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor’s Journey in the Saudi Kingdom by Qanta A. Ahmed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America by Tanner Colby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tomlinson Hill: Sons of Slaves, Sons of Slaveholders by Chris Tomlinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’m glad to see an event highlighting nonfiction. I think it is a genre that tends to get ignored by book bloggers. I get a lot of comments on reviews where people are surprised by how much nonfiction I read. On the flip side, my husband thinks I only read fluffy books with monsters in them. I’m not sure why he thinks this since I keep him supplied with book suggestions that are 99% nonfiction. He’s one of those people who doesn’t understand the appeal of fiction – but I’ve slipped some into his reading that he’s liked.
Oooh, adding Unorthodox and Some of My Best Friends Are Black to my to-read list!
I’ve been blown away by how many people are joining in Nonfiction November, so even though it’s a genre that’s covered less by bloggers, I think it’s clear that there are a lot of us who want to make an effort to read more or talk about it more. This week has been great! Thanks for sharing such a great list of books. Paradise Lot sounds great. Last year, my “Become the Expert” post was all about farming and gardening. Thanks for joining us in Nonfiction November this year!!
I agree — we don’t see enough nonfiction on book blogs. That’s one of the reasons we started Nonfiction November. I really loved In the Land of Invisible Women — really an interesting read. Thanks for joining us!
I also haven’t heard of some of these books, so thanks for introducing them to us! My husband has similar views about fiction which I don’t understand because stories don’t have to be true to be compelling and affect people.
You have a great mix of titles here, many that I’ve never heard of. I love that because reading outside of our comfort zone is important 😀
Your husband sounds familiar to me, lol. Mine will read a few books a year, at most. I’m grateful that he does that 😉
I just read Becoming Unorthodox by Lynn Davidman, but it was pretty technically written. I’d like to read Feldman’s book.
Your husband sounds VERY much like mine…I think he reads maybe 1 or 2 novels a year (and those I usually have to force on him). Glad to see some great, different nonfiction here – looking forward to everything you’re going to share this month!
I consider myself a fairly diverse reader, but what I’ve learned this week is that with the exception of a few memoirs, my nonfiction reading is pretty dang white. You’ve given me some great suggestions to reading more diversely!
Actually, most of the books about race were written by white people but the memoirs are pretty diverse.
What a great mix of titles! I haven’t read any of these, but I do a lot of reading about race and African American history. Some Of My Best Friends Are Black is on my TBR list, but I haven’t heard of Tomlinson Hill or Waking Up White. Guess I need to look into those!
My post (coming soon!) is going to sound a lot like what you said – about 25% of my reading this year has been Nonfiction, but nothing mind-blowing…yet. Hopefully that will change after NFN!
There are definitely some books here that sound interesting: White, for example. Thanks for the great list 🙂
Ooooohhhh Paradise Acre sounds like my kind of book!! I’ve been slowly working on my own urban garden – so far it’s been small, but there at least!
You’d like this. They were growing things in Massachusetts that I’ve never heard of but that I want now.