For Nonfiction November, our first topic is to look at our year in nonfiction. This week is hosted by Heather at Based on a True Story. My favorite types of nonfiction are memoirs, history and political issues, racial and gender issues, nature, food and travel.
I’ve only read nine nonfiction books so far this year. It’s been a busy year, and a stressful one, so I’ve probably gravitated more towards lighter fiction. But I’ve loved the nonfiction I have read.
Two of my favorites were about history. Master Slave Husband Wife is about an enslaved couple who escape the South and become abolitionists. They escape because the wife is very light-skinned, so she travels as a white woman with her slave. The second book was Brave the Wild River, which combines women’s history and nature, as two scientists become the first to travel through the Grand Canyon on a botany expedition.
Another book I loved this year was Len Pennie’s book of poetry, poyums. Pennie is Scottish and speaks and writes about the Scottish language. This is her first published book, and her poems are written in a combination of English and Scottish. She writes about issues that most will relate to: love, depression, abusive relationships. She also writes quite a bit about the challenges that face women related to self-esteem, health, and safety.
The rest of my books were memoirs. I loved Patrick Stewart’s memoir, Making It So, and it was especially good by audiobook (I can listen to him talk all day long). At times I was less interested in his many stories about the theater, but generally his book was engaging and thoughtful, from his difficult childhood to his older years where he finally learns to have fun.
I prefer memoirs about people who have undergone great challenges, so I highly recommend two books I read this month. The first is Brittney Griner’s story of her 10-month captivity in Russian prison, Coming Home. It’s a pretty horrific story, but I appreciated the way she tells it, never losing sight of what is most important to her, even though for 10 months she has no communication with her loved ones, no privacy, no freedom – and worse, she never knows how long her imprisonment will be. She goes from having everything to having it all taken away.
The second is Reyna Grande’s The Distance Between Us, where she tells about losing both her parents when they travel from Mexico to the U.S. (“El Otro Lado”) to make a better life for their family. She herself must cross the border illegally and she describes the many challenges she endures, from poverty, to ridicule from other children, to problems with her parents and siblings, to attending school as an English learner.
On the lighter side was R. Eric Thomas’ memoir, Congratulations, The Best is Over! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Thomas’ essays about moving back to his childhood hometown (Baltimore). I also enjoyed Sally Jane Smith’s Repacking for Greece, her second travel memoir.
The only nonfiction read I was somewhat disappointed with was A Living Remedy. I really liked Chung’s first book, but this book was dismal, as Chung must deal with the chronic illnesses of both her parents. I think I didn’t read this at an ideal time, as I was going through some health issues of my own. I was just glad when it was over.
I’m looking forward to picking up a lot more recommendations this month. Next week’s topic is how we choose nonfiction, hosted by Volatile Rune. Will you be joining Nonfiction November? What have you read this year that you recommend?
