*humming* It’s the most wonderful time of the year… In all seriousness, I love November for many reasons: personally I am fairly into dark, rainy evenings that allow me to stay huddled up with a book and a blanket, or alternatively with a friend and good food; I enjoy the planning and preparation for Christmas, with Southampton’s inevitably rubbish Christmas market starting and a much better one in Winchester; it’s my brother’s birthday and this year will also be his delayed 2020 graduation ceremony, so I’ll get to see my family; and, of course, it is the month of Every Reading Challenge Known to Man. Each November, my WordPress reader absolutely teems with a celebration of novellas, Australian authors, German literature, nonfiction, and probably some other challenges that I don’t even know about yet. This is a delight and a pleasure. Anyway, this week’s post is hosted by Rennie at What’s Nonfiction, so let’s get on with the questions!
What was your favourite nonfiction book of the year?
This is a particularly difficult choice this year, because almost all the nonfiction I’ve read has been great, but ultimately I think it has to be The Anthropocene Reviewed. Because of the way it combines absolute frankness with carefully-grounded hope, within the pandemic context, I think this is a book I will always remember when I think about this very strange time. I believe John Green has said that he now intends to return to writing fiction, but I hope he writes some more essay collections in the future because he is very, very good at it. I’m still planning to buy the paperback copy – for some reason I can only find it on Amazon right now and I’d rather not give them a second payment for the same book – and revisit some of the essays.
It is, however, hard to completely discount The Whale and the Cupcake and The Butchering Art, both of which were absolutely fantastic, so consider those my runners-up. (It was the fact that I wanted to mention The Butchering Art in this post that prompted me to actually tidy up my review and post it).
Do you have a particular topic you’ve been more attracted to this year?
I’ve only read seven nonfiction books this year (discounting those I’ve read for work), and they are all on different topics. I am gradually starting to read health and medical nonfiction for pleasure again, but it doesn’t outweigh other topics like it might in a normal year. I’ve bought a lot of gardening books during assorted fits of optimism; does that count? Here are some of the gardening books I’ve acquired (the only one I’ve actually read so far is Grounded):
Veg in One Bed – Huw Richards
Joe’s Allotment – Joe Swift
The Essential Allotment Guide – John Harrison
Most of these have come from charity shops, which are, I am discovering, an absolute goldmine for gardening books. Joe’s Allotment is actually from the library, and I just keep renewing it. Oops. Maybe I’ll read it this month! I’m on the look out for a decent garden planner or journal – I bought one online and found that it didn’t really have enough detail or page space for my liking, so if anyone has any recommendations let me know!
What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?
You know, I don’t think I really have recommended much nonfiction this year (other than The Anthropocene Reviewed). I’ve been recommending novels left and right!
What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
The same thing as ever, really – the chance to talk about some exciting nonfiction with blog friends, old and new, and hopefully a few recommendations of new books to love!
louloureads 
Ooo I love a gardening book! Those all look wonderful!!
I have only read Grounded but I am very happy to recommend that one! Hopefully the others will be good too.
This post made me realize I’ve read so little nonfiction this year that I’ve surprised myself just now. I think what happened is Biscuit and I have been doing our book club based around books I already own, and many books I own come from a used book store. I tend to browse in fiction rather than nonfiction.
I browse all over in second-hand book shops, and sometimes that’s where my most unexpected nonfiction books some from. I’ve slowly started picking up local history books in my local charity shop, some of which are wonderful and some terrible, but it’s an interesting process.
Hmmm, now I want to head back to the used book shop I like, but I’ve been reading all the books I own with my mom to get that pile SMALLER!
I really need to look for the John Green book. I’ve seen it on a couple of lists.
I really highly recommend it – the audiobook is great, if you’re an audiobook person. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did.
I love the optimism in buying all the gardening books. We all know that book buying and reading said books are separate hobbies.
I’m with you in loving November. It used to feel like such a ho-hum drawn out month but now I love the cozy, dark, rainy evenings, the planning for Christmas, and of course, all the reading.
Yes, of course book buying and book reading are different hobbies! And when it comes to gardening obviously reading the book and then implementing it would be a different hobby again…
I firmly believe that reading gardening books counts as gardening, so I think buying gardening books counts as reading them.
I like the idea that reading gardening books counts as gardening, so I am on board with that!
After all those great looking gardening books, you’ll have a run of cooking books next year 😀
I actually do have a post all about cookbooks half-written for another week this month! Though I am generally better at putting my plans for cooking into practice than those for gardening.
The Butchering Art definitely appeals to me, gardening not so much – I have a black thumb 🙂
The Butchering Art is wonderful! Really worth reading if you are at all into medical history.
The Whale & The Cupcake is the best title!!!
Isn’t it? I bought it partly on the strength of the title, and it more than lived up to it!
I’ve seen a couple of other mentions of The Anthropocene Reviewed. I’ve added it to my list.
That’s great, I hope you enjoy it!
I added Butchering Art!
Hope you enjoy it!
Don’t forget Novellas in November 🙂 I have only heard a little bit about Green’s nonfiction, I’ve read a couple of his YA books and liked them (not my genre, but have to admit he’s pretty good!).
I’m curious about Green’s book and am on my way to your review.
My post is here https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/11/05/nonfiction-november-my-year-2021-in-nonfiction/
I appreciate you opening with a love letter to November! This is one of my favorite times of year—with Nonfiction November being one of many, many reasons. And I especially love how many new books I discover during this month. I’ve never heard of The Whale and the Cupcake, but it sounds fascinating. Thanks for putting it on my radar!
Oh, The Whale and the Cupcake is just wonderful – honestly, I was expecting it just to be a coffee table sort of book and didn’t realise it would go into so much depth about so many things!
Ooh, I can’t wait until I live somewhere where I have a garden. A garden planner sounds truly wholesome and delightful.
The Anthropocene Reviewed sounds really enjoyable. I know there are several authors whose nonfiction I enjoy much more than their popular fiction (Neil Gaiman comes to mind) and I expect Green would be the same for me.
Yes – I love having an allotment although I still hope one day I will have an actual garden that I don’t have to get the bus to!
I certainly enjoy Green’s non-fiction more than his fiction – I think his essays are great, and YA isn’t particularly my thing so his novels don’t really do it for me.
I already have The Whale and the Cupcake on my list thanks to you! I’m going to try and brave The Butchering Art.
I really hope you enjoy The Whale and the Cupcake! It really is one of my favourite pieces of food writing.