Woo! Happy Nonfiction November everyone! It’s time for our first discussion post. This week, we’ll be talking about our year so far in nonfiction. The discussion will be hosted by Leann at Shelf Aware, so visit her to share your post if you’re joining the conversation this week. The prompt for the week is:
Your Year in 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?
Favorite Nonfiction
As always, I’m beginning this post wondering why we subject ourselves to this question and then immediately resolving to cheat. Instead, I’m going to give you three books I’ve loved and am sure will make my top nonfiction end of year list. Here For It was a delightful memoir that managed to be funny and hopeful, while also addressing some serious topics. Fathoms should not be a book I love so much, given the descriptions of whaling, but I’m head over heels for the beautiful prose and thoughtful perspective. And Uncanny Valley is a book that could have been written for me. Since moving to Silicon Valley myself, I’ve been fascinated by insider accounts like this one and I’ve enjoyed listening to a number of perceptive talks by the author about the culture in tech companies here.
Topics Of Focus
I kicked off my year with an intentional deep dive into the topic of urban planning (reviews part 1, part 2, and part 3). I’ve also read more nature writing and especially books on birds than I have in prior years. Other than that, I’ve had my typical focus on books on forgotten history, pop science, tech, and social justice related topics.
Most Recommended Book
Maybe still Bad Blood, actually. As someone in biotech in silicon valley, I will always be encountering many people who are likely to enjoy this book about scandalous behavior at a biotech start-up.
Hopes for Nonfiction November
I’m always just excited to interact with all of you! I feel like nonfiction book bloggers are still pretty outnumbered and it’s always fun to find other people who love the genre or are giving it a try. I’m not trying to grow my already excessive TBR, but I accept growing it as an acceptable cost for hearing about what you’re all reading :p So, thanks for joining us for yet another wonderful year of NonficNov! Don’t forget to share your discussion posts and reviews over at Leann’s blog this week and on twitter with hashtag #NonficNov.
Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf
Just from the cover, I thought Uncanny Valley was So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed. LOL
Fathoms sounds like a great pairing with the novel I reviewed today (Creatures by Crissy Van Meter – lots of whale symbolism going on in that book, also beautiful prose).
DoingDewey
Oh, those covers are very similar!
I’m behind on reading reviews, but I’m excited to hear what you thought of Creatures. I’ve seen the cover it looks gorgeous.
Angela
Yay, excited for another Nonfiction November!
DoingDewey
Yes, me too! 😀
Helen C Murdoch
I love nonfiction November and yours is the first post I am reading so that’s a great introduction to the month’s events.
DoingDewey
Me too!
Jen at Introverted Reader
I added Fathoms to my list after Leann posted about it on her blog post today. This month is going to be bad (in a good way) for my TBR….
DoingDewey
Haha, that’s how it always is 🙂 I’m excited you’re planning on picking up Fathoms. I enjoyed it a lot!
Rennie
“I’m not trying to grow my already excessive TBR, but I accept growing it as an acceptable cost for hearing about what you’re all reading” Exactly the same for me! Here For It is one of my favorite reads this year too. I owe you for that wonderful recommendation!
DoingDewey
Haha, I’m glad I’m not the only one! And I’m glad you ended up enjoying Here For It as much as I did. I’d not heard of the author before reading it, so I’m glad I took the chance and picked it up.
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out
Delighted to be taking part in NonFicNov again this year! Fathoms has been very popular. I’m not familiar with Here For It, but I’ll check it out.
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out recently posted…Review: Dr. Karl’s Surfing Through Science by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
DoingDewey
I’m excited you’re joining us! And I’m glad to hear other people have been talking up Fathoms. It was so good!
Bev Baird
Haven’t read any of these but will check them out. Always looking for great recommendations.
DoingDewey
Awesome 🙂 I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Lex
Birds and forgotten history seem like fascinating topics! Look forwarding to reading more non-fic posts, and wish me luck: my first #NonFicNov challenge.
Lex recently posted…#NonFicNov: Week 1 / Your Year in NonFiction
DoingDewey
Thanks for joining us! I hope you’re able to find some great books to read this month 🙂
Erin @ Cracker Crumb Life
I keep seeing Fathoms around the blogs and I need to read it! It looks so good!
DoingDewey
I’m excited to hear it’s getting other positive reviews. I enjoyed it a lot 🙂
CurlyGeek
Here for it sounds perfect – I’ll definitely look that one up.
DoingDewey
I’d not heard of the author before reading his memoir, but I enjoyed it enough that I’ve been checking out his column on Elle ever since 🙂
N@ncyElin
I’ve added Here For It and Bad Blood to my 2021 TBR.
I cannot wait to start the new year…with a clean slate and new president!!
DoingDewey
Awesome! Bad Blood is one of my all-time favorites. I’m so glad the election has finally been called. I’ll be sleeping easier 🙂
Lisbeth @ The Content Reader
I use this challenge to read from my TBR nonfiction shelves. I think they are slightly bigger, or longer, than my fiction shelves.
I enjoy this challenge. It gives me a chance to see what kind of nonfiction you are reading, and get inspired to read areas outside my own interest. My interest is mostly history, but this year I have included books from Nature, Evolution, Literature and Life as well as History.
Lisbeth @ The Content Reader recently posted…Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56
DoingDewey
Those all sound like great categories! I’m interested to hear about what you end up reading this month 🙂
Lisbeth @ The Content Reader
I have at least finished two books from my list, The Gospel of Eels and Vermeer’s Little Street. I am about to write the posts now.
Lisbeth @ The Content Reader recently posted…Book Beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56
louloureads
I’m looking forward to Nonfiction November so much this year! I’ve read more nonfiction this year than normal, so I think it’s time for me to restock my TBR based on people’s recommendations, and I also just love reading posts for the challenge – something about Nonfiction November seems to generate really interesting discussions. Here’s to a great month 🙂
louloureads recently posted…My year in nonfiction #NonFicNov
DoingDewey
Oh yay! I’m excited for it too. Even with topics mostly the same from year to year, I’m always learning new things and getting new perspectives from people’s response.
Lisa notes
I’ve been hearing about Bad Blood so since you recommend it to highly, I’ll add it to my list! My tbr list is already growing more out of control thanks to #Nonficnov. 🙂
DoingDewey
Oh yay, glad you’re adding Bad Blood! My to-read list is also growing out of control this month 🙂