It’s time for Nonfiction November, starting with my ‘Year in Nonfiction’, hosted by Shelf Aware.
Strictly speaking, I should call it Memoir November (Memvember?!) – doesn’t have quite the same ring but it is more accurate in my case, given that the majority of my nonfiction reading is memoir (specifically, I’ve read 13 memoirs, and eight other nonfiction titles this year).
Leann has set some questions:
What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year?
No thought required – Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe is not only the best nonfiction book I’ve read this year, it’s also one of the best I’ve ever read.
Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year?
As mentioned, I’m a sucker for memoir. Highlights this year have been some ‘lighter’ memoirs – This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay made me laugh out loud, and Wham! George and Me by Andrew Ridgeley was a thoroughly delightful walk down memory lane.
What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?
Apart from Say Nothing, I have been pressing Stasiland by Anna Funder on anyone who was late to the party, as I was.
What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
As always, the ‘book pairings’ posts are my absolute favourite, and usually the happy cause of a growing TBR stack in November. I’ll also be on the look out for memoir recommendations.
I always end up with a lot of memoirs too.
And no complaints there 🙂
I need to find more good memoirs, I think. Not a single one on my favorites list for the year (but lots of wonderful books from other genres). I’m adding several of these—I haven’t read or even heard of any of them—to the nonfiction TBR list I’ll post at the end of November.
There are so many memoirs out there it’s difficult to choose. I avoid the self-published, but otherwise pick things that have themes of my other interests (hence why the ones I choose are usually about grief and mental health as opposed to sport, adventure or mountain climbing!).
These look great! This is Going to Hurt sounds like it would be good!
If you need a laugh, it’s an excellent pick (and the author reads the audio version if you prefer to listen),
I will definitely check it out- I could use some laughs!
How have I never read Stasiland?!?! Thanks for participating!
I don’t know! Hurry! Read it!
Say Nothing was so, so good!
An incredible book. I’ve heard the author twice this year (thanks to online events!), and also enjoyed his podcast, Wind of Change, which was fascinating – https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/
I had booked him to come to HomePlace in June but had to cancel. Was so disappointed!
The Egg & I by Betty MacDonald (recommended to me by Bill @ Australian Legend) was the most engaging memoir I read this year.
Haven’t read this one *adds to my NFN TBR list 🙂 *
It’s terribly funny and captures two sides of the U.S.
You and I share a great love of memoirs! And medical themes. Apart from that, I sometimes dip into nature and travel writing (which often has a memoir element too).
Yes, your Goodreads feed is almost 100% responsible for all the additions in my memoir/ medical categories 🙂 (not complaining, of course!). I also sometimes dip into nature, travel, and other science writing.
I hardly read any NF, but memoirs appeal to me more than any other type of NF. I really do want to read Stasiland though!
Stasiland is wonderful – the stories are extraordinary but the writing is what sets it apart.
Quite a diverse combination! Stasiland is superb.
Probably my most diverse year since participating in NFN. Maybe I’ve run out of grief memoirs?!
hahaha I’m ridiculously heavy on the memoirs, too! Hoping to find other nonfiction areas for my TBR this month. 🙂
I’ve been a little more ‘balanced’ this year (in previous years it’s been a 80/20 memoir/other NF split).
Stasiland IMO is a Book of the Decade. Compulsory reading!
Here’s mine: https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/11/03/2020-nonfiction-november-my-year-in-nonfiction/
Agree, compulsory reading. Just can’t believe how long it took me to get around to reading it.
I’ve been wanting to read Stasiland ever since this time last year, when my bookclub read Confession of Blue Horses, a story about the time when the wall came down, but of course, a certain virus, waylaid many a reading plan this year!
I have it is as my reward though – if I actually finish ALL the half-read Aust non-fiction books by my bed during AusReadingMonth and NonficNov, then I will be able to start Staisland!
I’m confident you’ll enjoy it. I read it at the same time as Confession, and on reflection, it meant that I didn’t enjoy Confession as much as I might have (because I kept wondering if the author of Confession had used Stasiland as one of research sources!).
In my Book Pairings post I’m putting together three novels and three memoirs so I hope you enjoy it!
Happy NFN…
I will most definitely enjoy those pairings!
Stasiland is on mah list!
Enjoy (it will be on my end of year ‘best books’ list).
I enjoyed This is Going to Hurt. Just read a column by him in which he talks about his childhood. He used humour while in school as a way of avoiding bullying.
I was tempted to dive straight into his next book but restrained myself – sometimes, particularly reading humour, you can have too much of one author.
I still do need to read Stasiland, and Say No More. Memoirs are always popular, I’ve read two of Kay’s, I seem to be drawn to memoirs by doctors.
I’m looking forward to reading your NonFicNov posts,
Thanks Shelley. Say Nothing and Stasiland will both appear on my ‘best books’ list at the end of the year.
Yes yes yes to Say Nothing! That was my favorite nonfiction read last year. So so so good. I love me a good memoir. Usually a good portion of my nonfiction reading each year is devoted to memoirs!
I reckon it is one of the best examples of narrative nonfiction I’ve ever read.
Yes yes yes to Say Nothing! Best book I read last year. I have not heard of Stasiland. I will have to look it up.
Memoirs are always on my list each year. I’ve read a couple of really good ones this year.
If you enjoy narrative nonfiction (in the style of Say Nothing), I’m confident you’ll LOVE Stasiland.
I hear such great things about Say Nothing! I started it as one point, but I don’t think I had the mental energy for it at the time (it’s been that kind of year). I’ll go back to it one of these days.
You do need to devote some solid reading time to get into Say Nothing – a lot of the names and places are introduced at the beginning, but once I was a quarter of the way in,I couldn’t put it down.
I really loved Say Nothing too! What an interesting story. I’d highly recommend Bad Blood as well, if you’ve not read it and you enjoy true crime 🙂
I don’t know Bad Blood, so will check it out.
Just looked up Bad Blood – haven’t read it but know of the story because I listened to an excellent podcast about it, The Dropout – extraordinary story!
So glad to see that you’re participating in #NonFicNov too. It’s amazing how many people have recced Say Nothing. Will definitely try to read it, if not this month then at least before end of this year.
My favorite this year was Robert Greene’s Laws of Human Nature (https://lexlingua.co/nonficnov-week1-four-questions/). See you around!
I went into Say Nothing not knowing lots about it and then quickly found myself telling my family to leave me alone while I read! That rarely happens 🙂
I’ll enjoy checking out everyone’s favourites.
I’ve been curious about This is Going to Hurt but not actually heard much about it. Glad to read that you recommend it strongly. I’ll be checking it out. I’ve also been reading memoirs this year but of the graphic variety. I didn’t plan for it – it just seemed to form a bulk to my reading this year.
I read two graphic memoirs this year (the first I’ve read) and both were fantastic – Heimat by Nora Krug and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel.
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