Nonfiction November is here! This annual event, an entire month of bookish topics devoted entirely to nonfiction, is always a favorite.
Our hosts this year are:
Rennie at What’s Nonfiction
Katie at Doing Dewey
Veronica at The Thousand Book Project
Christopher at Plucked from the Stacks
Jaymi at The OC Book Girl
MY YEAR IN NONFICTION
So far, 2021 has been a pretty good reading year for me. While my overall numbers are up, my nonfiction percentage is down - only 30%. In recent years I have averaged between 35 and 40%. Still, I'm satisfied with that number... especially since I don't set specific nonfiction goals.
How I consume nonfiction//
I read nonfiction of course, but I also love listening to it. Having both the audiobook and a print copy is ideal. That way, I never miss out on photographs, maps, charts, recipes, etc. With a read/listen combination, I listen on my morning walk, then read outside in the late afternoon or curl up in my favorite reading chair in the evening.
What I'm reading about this year//
I've read on a variety of subjects this year, most notably...
RACE and IMMIGRATION
- The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
- A Thousand Miles to Freedom by Eunsun Kim (a memoir)
- Beautiful Country: A Memoir by Qian Julie Wang
MEMOIR, mostly food
- Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss by Jenna Bush Hager
- My Place at the Table by Alexander Lobrano
- Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
WORLD WAR II
- Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
- The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
I've also read about current events, psychotherapy, and even a couple of how-to books.
Notably absent compared to previous years are nature, books about books, law, and the Supreme Court.
MY NONFICTION FAVORITES OF 2021
(listed in the order I read them)
My goal for Nonfiction November//
It's simple, really. I want to hear about all great nonfiction you've been reading this year. And then, ideally, I'd like to read them all myself before next year's event. My best recommendations always come from book bloggers!
How was your year in nonfiction? Which books were your favorites?
For links to other "My Year in Nonfiction" posts, visit Rennie at What's Nonfiction.
A nice mix of NF for you this year; I've only read Good Morning, Monster from your list. I'm not participating formally in NF November, but, I just checked and was surprised I read 20 NF in 2021 (a few were children's books though.)
ReplyDeleteDiane - I don't think I'd heard of Good Morning, Monster until I read your review. Thanks again for bringing this one to my attention!
DeleteI read the Erik Larson book about the World's Fair in Chicago - I love how he was able to combine two topics like that, H.H. Holmes and the fair. Although the H.H. Holmes parts were freaky scary!
ReplyDeleteErin - After reading mostly fiction for many years, I think Devil in the White City was one of the books that brought me back to nonfiction! I probably listened to it over 15 years ago.
DeleteI've read and loved all your favorites for the year except the Jenna Bush Hager book. Maybe I should look for it now.
ReplyDeleteDeb - It's a great read (or listen) but be sure to keep the tissues handy!
DeleteI just added Code Girls to my TBR list (spotted it on Jen's blog and now your post here) and Taste is queued up in my Audible library. I hope I can get to that one soon! I'm about 100 pages into The Splendid and the Vile and I'm loving it! I've read other books by Larson, but none have felt so addictively readable. Maybe it's the subject matter? I love reading about WWII and the short timeline of this particular book really appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteLes - Code Girls was fascinating. It took me a long time to keep all the characters straight, but it piqued my interest in learning more about code breaking and WWII. I'm so glad you're enjoying The Splendid and the Vile... I just couldn't get enough of that one. I'm hoping to tackle Larson's In the Garden of Beasts next year.
DeleteErik Larson's books are always a winner!
ReplyDeleteAngela - I completely agree! In the Garden of Beasts will be the next one of his books I read.
DeleteSplendid and the Vile was on my TBR but I forgot about it, so thanks for the reminder. Good Morning Monster also looks like it might be interesting.
ReplyDeleteMary R. - Good Morning, Monster was fabulous but probably not for every reader... the abuse some suffered was difficult to read about at times. The therapist was able to make a difference in their lives though.
DeleteGood nonfiction! I have heard a number of bloggers who enjoyed Stanley Tucci's book.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I loved Tucci's narration... so full of life!
DeleteOhh the Stanley Tucci. I've been eyeing it off at work - what made it so good?
ReplyDeleteBrona - I thinking listening to Tucci's book really made it for me. We also have surprising similarities in our upbringing... Italian immigrant grandparents, food traditions, about same "vintage", rural upstate NY childhood, etc. I appreciated his humor and, of course, the recipes!
Delete30% is impressive! Good Morning Monster appeals. The Splendid and the Vile is one I know I should probably read but just can’t seem to muster up the desire to do so.
ReplyDeleteShelleyrae - The Splendid and the Vile is surprisingly readable... I literally could not put it down at times. I've enjoyed every Eric Larson book I've read.
DeleteLoved Code Girls and The Splendid and the Vile! I think this year my favorite nonfiction reads were Nomadland and Braiding Sweetgrass. Now, I'm going to have to add The Warmth of Other Suns to my wish list!
ReplyDeleteJenclair - I loved Nomadland, too! It was one of my favorites a couple of years ago. Braiding Sweetgrass has been on my wish list for too long. I know it's one I'll enjoy -just need to make time for it.
DeleteI so need to read The Splendid and the Vile! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMaphead - Yes, it's excellent! Hope you can get to it soon.
DeleteOne I just finished and loved is Two-Way Mirror, a new biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I didn't know much about her, but holy cow, what an interesting woman, well beyond the known poem "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways".
ReplyDeleteAmy - I enjoy literary biographies and know absolutely nothing about Elizabeth Barrett Browning's life. Sounds like she's worth learning getting know!
DeleteDefinitely. The biographer makes a compelling case that she shouldn't be lost in Robert Browning's shadow. At the end, she recommended a critical edition of her book-long poem Aurora Leigh, which I'm now reading (and I'd never heard of it!), and it's soooooooo good.
DeleteAmy - I'm definitely intrigued!!
DeleteWarmth of Other Sons was just amazing. There are a lot of books that are coming out these days on race and how we view the racial injustice is of our country, but I think this book in particular is a watershed book. I also really liked the code girls book, and I would bet that it was your blog where I first found out about it!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy nonfiction November. Looking forward to your next post.
JaneGS - I think The Warmth of Other Suns is an=bout a decade old now, so that probably is a watershed book. I'm just sorry it took so long for me to read it. Why weren't we taught any of this along the way? Can't wait to read Caste next year. Code Girls started me on a fascinating WWII path, and I'm not done yet.
DeleteCan I just copy the beginning of this post for one at my blog? :D
ReplyDeleteFor some terrific nonfiction, I've been enjoying the 1-2 hour free Audible listens by musicians - Sting, Tariq Trotter, Tori Amos, Alanis Morrisette, Sheryl Crow... Most of my nonfic this year has been biz books or SJW books.
Care - I keep looking at those short Audible listens... and (ridiculously) wonder if I can count them as books. I've downloaded a few of them and will consider this "permission"!
DeleteWho is going to argue it?! ;)
DeleteCode Girls sounds interesting, I love to read about code breakers. It feels like such an interesting and important job. I've seen the Stanley Tucci memoir a lot, especially on Booktube. It might be one of my next nonfiction reads.
ReplyDeleteStargazer - Code Girls was so interesting, but there were a lot of characters introduced at the beginning... took me a while to keep them all straight. The Tucci memoir was SO good. I need to check out Booktube one of these days!
DeleteI loved Code Girls and I have The Warmth of Other Suns on my TBR shelf right now. I have added Stanley Tucci's Book to my reading list - he is amazing.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy NFN!
Molly - I hope you enjoy The Warmth of Other Suns, too... such an interesting read. It's hard to believe this isn't part of mainstream American history. The Tucci book is just fabulous.
DeleteI loved So You Want to Talk about Race, and also Code Girls. I'm really enjoying food memoirs too, I discovered some great ones this year. Just finished Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires, and Crying in H Mart was fantastic (kind of a food memoir though not entirely). I really want to read something by Anthony Bourdain. Enjoy your Nonfiction November!
ReplyDeletecurlgeek04 - Code Girls sent me down a rabbit hole of WWII reading and I'm still there! Garlic and Sapphires was such an interesting read - have you read Save Me the Plums? I enjoyed both of them on audio. Crying in H Mart is on my shelf and I hope to read it soon. I loved Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential!
DeleteI don't read a lot of nonfiction but this year I've only read one book. I am in the middle of two so I hope to get more inspiration to add a bit more to my reading list. I do enjoy nonfiction but just always tend to go for fiction.
ReplyDeleteIliana - Fiction is definitely my first love, too, but I've been enjoying more and more nonfiction over the last 5-10 years. This event keeps my tbr list stocked with plenty of options.
DeleteI love the diversity of your themes!
ReplyDeleteI do have one on a totally different kind of code lady!
My post is here https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/11/05/nonfiction-november-my-year-2021-in-nonfiction/
Emma - Your other kind of code lady sounds pretty interesting, too! That's a book I hope to get to in the next year.
DeleteThanks for the book recommendations! I love nonfiction. Next year, I'd like to learn more about immigration and refugees.
ReplyDeleteAj - The immigrant stories were so interesting... and very timely, too.
DeleteThat's a good list. My book group specializes in books about race in America. We read The Warmth of Other Suns several years ago. So You Want to Talk about Race and Stamped are on our schedule for 2022.
ReplyDeleteI've read both of your World War II books, too. Code Girls inspired this year's NaNoWriMo project. Have you read The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone? It's so good!
Joy - That's so interesting that your group specializes in books about race in America! I'm planning to read a couple more books on the subject in February. Under consideration so far are Caste and Devil in the Grove.
DeleteI have not read The Woman Who Smashed Codes, but it definitely sounds like a book I'd enjoy. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
Two great choices! Our book group liked both Caste and Devil in the Grove.
DeleteYou've had a great nonfiction year ... many good and interesting reads. I especially like the ones that touch on history ...
ReplyDeleteSusan - My husband is such a history buff, but I've been surprised at how much I've enjoyed the WWII reading this year.
DeleteAs someone who reads as many food books as I can grab, I appreciate that you gravitated toward them this year!
ReplyDeleteChristopher - I've read even more food-related books in years past, but have just added one more to my list this month. Hope to start Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi soon!
DeleteWhat a fantastic and diverse year in nonfiction you've had! I'm adding Good Morning Monster to my list...I've seen it on several lists now and it does sound very meaningful!
ReplyDeleteRennie - Good Morning Monster may be a disturbing read for some, but I was fascinated by the resiliency of those five patients.
Delete