Nonfiction November Week 1: My Year in Nonfiction

Thank you to Nonfiction November hosts: Katie of Doing Dewey, Julz of Julz Reads, Rennie of What’s Nonfiction, Sarah of Sarah’s Book Shelves, and Leann of Shelf Aware. Each of the five week’s features a special topic. This week’s topic is the year’s nonfiction:

Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year? Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year? What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?

#NonficNov

My Interest

For years I read nonfiction almost exclusively. Then in 2008 I took my current job and moved to my current house. My 1.25-hour commute each way meant I now listen to a lot of fiction to pass the time. I still get in a good bit of nonfiction though. This challenge will take me back to my love of nonfiction.

The Questions

What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year? Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichel–it was so much more of a book than I expected. I love foodie books and foodie memoirs, love browsing cookbooks, and enjoy cooking, but this was also a darned good read.

 

Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year? Much of my nonfiction reading always concerns royal history, and World War I and II. I enjoy social history the most. I read two books relating to violence or prison and was surprised by how fascinated I was by both–American Prison and American Summer.

What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? Twelve Patients: Life and Death in Bellevue Hospital by Eric Mannheimer. We are all affected by our messed up health care payment system. This book shows that and more.

What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? Just to enjoy reading or listening to well-written nonfiction “stories” of history or interesting persons or new-to-me places.

The Total to Date

Of the 73 books read/listened to so far this year, 17 were nonfiction. This month, obviously, I will read/listen to more nonfiction.

The Books

Click the linked title to go to my review

Twelve Patients: Life and Death in Bellevue Hospital by Eric Mannheimer

Why I Left the Amish by Salmoma Miller Furlong

White Mischief: The Murder of Lord Erroll by James Fox

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichel

Rocket Girl by George D. Morgan

A Well-Read Woman: The Life, Loves & Legacy of Ruth Rappaport by Katie Stewart

American Moonshot by Douglas Brinkley

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinor Pruitt Stewart

American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz

Hitler and the Hapsburgs by James Longo

The Assassination of the Archduke by Greg King and Sue Woolmans

Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II by Jane Dinsmore

Claiming My Place by Planaria Price

Journey Interrupted: A Family Without a Country by Hildegarde Mahoney

Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power by Andrew Nagorski

American Prison: A Reporter’s Underground Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer

1947: Where Now Begins by Elizabeth Asbrink

It’s not too late to join in! Post this week’s topic and link it at Julz Reads.