It’s time for Nonfiction November, starting with my ‘Year in Nonfiction’, hosted by What’s Nonfiction?.
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 16 memoirs, and nine other nonfiction titles this year).
What’s Nonfiction? has set some questions:
What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year?
Some standouts for different reasons – Fathoms by Rebecca Giggs because it is astounding how much can be written about all aspects of whales. Rosie by Rose Tremain because of the fascinating parallels between Tremain’s lived experience and her fiction. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey because he’s bananas.
Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year?
As mentioned, I’m a sucker for memoir. As well as Rosie, I can recommend Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, and Stray by Stephanie Danler.
What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?
I’ve told my oldest friends to read Everything I Know About Love for the bits about friendship and the university memories. I’ve also pressed Witness by Louise Milligan on people – it’s an important book and I hope it gets a wide audience.
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.