This has been a year of absurd and rapid change in just about every way, but here’s something reassuring and familiar: Nonfiction November is back! This, tied with 20 Books of Summer, is my favourite event in the book blogger calendar. I’m coming in a bit late with my first post, and I haven’t had the chance to catch up on anyone else’s yet, but I’m looking forward to doing so. It’s hosted by Katie at Doing Dewey, Rennie at What’s Nonfiction, Julie at Julz Reads, and Leann at Shelf Aware. Leann is hosting this week’s prompt: My Year in Nonfiction.
What was your favourite nonfiction book of the year?
This is a tough one, so I’ve thought about it a lot. In the end, I settled on The Good Mothers by Alex Perry. I keep thinking about this book, recommending that people read it, and bringing it up with my friends. It’s a tale of three women who were Mafia wives and turned state’s evidence to protect their children – a very sad but fascinating read, and one that ends with a note of hope. It covers a whole range of topics, including domestic violence, the Italian legal system, prison reform, social changes in the last twenty years… there’s a lot of ground in there, and I really do recommend it. Though it’s definitely not one for a day when you’re feeling fragile.
Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year?
In both my fiction and non-fiction reading, I’ve found myself drawn to books about the post-WWII era in the UK. I think that’s a reflection of the fact that it’s about recovery from a huge global crisis, but one that’s pretty different from the one we’re currently in. I know that in the US, the 50s were thought of as boom years, but in the UK it was a rather bleak, austere time. There’s still something appealing, though, about seeing people gradually putting themselves together again after an emergency.
I’ll tell you what I haven’t read any of this year, except what’s absolutely necessary for my job: medical or health nonfiction. Nope, no thanks, not this year. I also stopped listening to all but one of my beloved medical history/health research podcasts (and even that one got skipped for several months). A shame, as weird medical history and exciting new therapies tend to be two topics I love reading about, but while I have acquired a lot more medical nonfiction books, I haven’t actually read any of them. Maybe in a year or two.
What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?
I think I’ve recommended Bookworm by Lucy Mangan a great deal – not because it was the best book I’ve read this year, but because I think it will give anyone who grew up loving books a pleasant hit of nostalgia, and don’t we all need that right now? I’m actually currently rereading The Secret Garden because of her abundant enthusiasm for it.
What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
What I always get – a chance to talk about some exciting nonfiction with blog friends, old and new, and some good recommendations for the future. I’ve also not really been reading the last few weeks – my brain has been too full of plagues and politics – so I’m hoping to get a little bit of my reading mojo back as well.
I completely understand your not wanting more medical talk when you’ve had to deal with it for work. Weirdly that’s what I’ve found myself more drawn to, I think just wanting to understand things better without having a good foundational knowledge myself. I hope you’ll be able to enjoy what you loved about it again, sooner rather than later!
The Good Mothers sounds so good, especially knowing it’s your most recommended. I may need to check that one out!
One of the things I have enjoyed (?) about this year is that I feel like a lot of people’s general health literacy has got better. Obviously that’s not a hard and fast rule, but as a nurse and health researcher, it makes me happy to see people taking the time to learn about their bodies and how to look after them – even though the circumstances are not ideal!
I agree. For as much misinformation and snake oil solutions as there’s been, there’s also been a lot of attention to trying to better self educate. It’s helped me so much and I wish I’d taken care to learn more about these topics sooner.
My niece recently finished an abridged/edited for today’s children version of The Secret Garden. Every time I asked her how it was going, she said, “Her parents are dead.” My niece is such a dark weirdo, and I love her to pieces. While I’m not doing Nonfiction November, I’ve rather randomly joined AusReading Month, a month of reading all things Australian. It lined up when my blog friend Bill shared the announcement post and I realized I had one OZ book on my list and added another. Both, oddly, are nonfiction. Maybe I’m just doing all the challenges and not realizing it!
I’m just about to review The Secret Garden (since it’s the only thing I’ve been able to concentrate on for years), and I was surprised by how dark it was in places – especially the start.
Hope you are having a good AusReading Month – maybe you are just doing all the challenges without realising, indeed!
I totally understand what you mean when it comes medical and health nonfiction. I don’t read a ton of it to begin with, but this year has turned me completely away from it.
Bookworm sounds fascinating, though. A bit of bookish nostalgia could go a long way right now. And how fun to be revisiting The Secret Garden. I have a copy waiting for me on my shelf, but haven’t made it around to it yet.
It seems like the year has either driven people to read tons more medical and health nonfiction, or avoid it completely!
Bookworm is really good for nostalgia – all about the author’s relationship with reading (and to a lesser extent, her relationship with her dad who was also a very avid reader). I highly recommend it.
I’ve found it really comforting to participate in Nonfiction November again myself! It’s been so lovely to hear from everyone, especially during the election and as I’m preparing for a cross-country move. Thanks so much for joining in 🙂
Thanks so much for hosting! It’s always one of my favourite blog events of the year and even though I’m not participating as much this year as I normally do thanks to real life getting in the way, I’m still enjoying everyone’s posts 🙂