What are you looking for when you pick up a nonfiction book? Do you have a particular topic you’re attracted to? Do you have a particular writing style that works best? When you look at a nonfiction book, does the title or cover influence you? If so, share a title or cover which you find striking. Linking up at Volatile Rune.
I am a sucker for a narrative nonfiction style where the author sets out to learn something and includes the story of their journey in the book. They takes us along as they do research. We travel to each destination to meet people along with them.
Here are a few books that I’ve read recently that fit that genre. I’ll be reviewing each of them this month.
A related subset of nonfiction books that I love is when authors set out to try something new for a year in the spirit of A.J. Jacobs. (Why is it always a year? Personally, I would try a week and see how it goes first. But, maybe that’s why I’ve never written one of these books.)
No Scrap Left Behind ended up being a two year journey into eliminating food waste. I reviewed it here. Spud Fit is the story of a man who lost weight by limiting his diet to only potatoes for a year. Reviewed, sort of, here.
Do you like these kinds of books or would you rather just read about what they found out with the author inserting themselves into the book?
Just a reminder that I am keeping the linky open all month for reviews of nonfiction books that you publish in November. Find it here.
I do sometimes enjoy books like that. It’s kind of a different way to peek into someone’s life while also learning some things that might work in my life (or some things that definitely wouldn’t work in my life!).
I don’t read narrative nonfiction often but I certainly don’t mind the genre at all.
I agree with you Heather about narrative nonfiction. I enjoy it a lot. I’m not so good at the ‘I tried this for a year’ books as however valid they are I always lump them in with self help which I tend to avoid. Thanks for the reminder of the open for a month link.