Nonfiction November is back and already underway! We're into Week 2 now, but I'm late to the party and this is the Week 1 prompt. The host was Heather from Based on a True Story.
MY YEAR IN NONFICTION
Overall, my nonfiction numbers are down this year. After hitting an all-time high of 42% nonfiction in 2019, it has been decreasing steadily. For the past several years, nonfiction has accounted for 30-35% of my reading. This year it has only been 22%.
Preferred reading format//
I read nonfiction, of course, but I also love listening to it. Memoirs narrated by the author are the best! Having both an audiobook and a print copy is ideal. That way, I never miss out on photographs, maps, charts, or recipes. With a read/listen combination, I usually listen on my morning walks and read in the late afternoon or evening. Occasionally I'll even read and listen at the same time.
What I'm reading about this year//
I've read mostly memoirs this year, but also a couple of books about the Supreme Court and one on climate change. Noticeably absent this year are books about social justice, race relations, history, and biographies.
My Book List
Justice on the Brink: A Requiem for the Supreme Court by Linda Greenhouse
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: A Memoir by Duchess Goldblatt/ Anonymous
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery
Nine Black Robes by Joan Biskupic
On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood by Irmgard A. Hunt
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen (reread)
NONFICTION FAVORITES OF 2023
(listed in the order I read them)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
by Jake Bittle
My goal for Nonfiction November//
This year, like every other year, my goal is to learn about interesting nonfiction titles I may have missed.
What are your nonfiction favorites of 2023?
I've only read a few nonfiction titles this year. My favorites for 2023 are The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green and These Precious Days by Anne Patchett (second reading). I also enjoyed The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg.
ReplyDeleteLes - I read somewhere than nonfiction reading in general dropped in 2020 (!) and is now rebounding. The Anthropocene Reviewed and These Precious Days were favorites of mine, too. I've read Molly Wizenberg's earlier memoirs, but haven't read this one yet.
DeleteThank you for recommending The Great Displacement. That was a very good book, thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Tina. I'm still thinking about that book, too! Also, that was a great review of The Herd on goodreads. It sounds like a perfect book club book... but I can also see the discussion getting a little contentious, too.
DeleteI just checked my own NF percentage out of curiosity and find it is just under 22% (a down year for me, too) at 22 of 102 books read. Like you, I read lots of memoirs and that usually keeps my NF numbers up, but not so much this year. My favorite NFs this year have been: Alone Time by Stephanie Rosenbloom, Dirty Chick by Antonia Murphy, and Teddy and Booker T by Brian Kilmead.
ReplyDeleteAlone Time is a travel memoir, Dirty Chick a more straightforward memoir, and Teddy and Booker T an American history book.
Sam - As much as I enjoy a good memoir, I have a harder time finding them than most other nonfiction. That's especially true for the more offbeat ones. Just added Dirty Chick to my list. Thanks!
DeleteI haven't done a lot of non-fiction reading this year--top for me was Around the World in 80 Plants, which was lovely and interesting, and Homo Sapiens Rediscovered, which was incredible. I think The Great Displacement sounds really good--will put that on my list for next year.
ReplyDeleteJaneGS - The Great Displacement was such an interesting, and sobering, read. It gets my highest recommendation. Homo Sapiens Rediscovered is going on my list.
DeleteI've read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings & Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake. I enjoyed both of them. I'm going to start the audio of The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl tomorrow. It's a book club read.
ReplyDeleteVicki - I just looked up The Comfort of Crows and it sounds like my kind of book! Can't wait to hear what you think of it. (Are you taking a blog break?)
DeleteGood luck with Nonfiction November! I'm unofficially participating. I always discover a ton of fascinating new books from this event.
ReplyDeleteAj - Nonfiction November is where I get all my best recommendations, too!
DeleteYour nonfiction looks good. I'm hoping to get to Michael Finkel's book The Art Thief and Christian Cooper's book Better Living Through Birding ... those look interesting to me. I think your read/listen combos are a great way to enjoy books. Have a great month.
ReplyDeleteSusan - Better Living Through Birding sounds really good to me, too. Hope to get to it next year.
DeleteI know why the caged bird sings is such an amazing book! I love narrative nonfiction. This year some of my favorites are Kent State (YA), Solito, and The Happiness Advantage.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I added Solito to my list after reading your review but haven't gotten to it yet!
DeleteMy nonfiction reading have been mostly memoirs and a biography in 2023. I hope to improve next year!
ReplyDeleteHarvee - I really enjoy memoirs and biographies too!
DeleteYour recommendations are always spot-on for me!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deb. Same is true for me!
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