November is always a very busy time in the book blogging calendar and one of the many reading events taking place is Nonfiction November – which actually begins today, while we’re still in October, because of the way the dates fall this year.
Nonfiction has never formed a big part of my reading, but I find that taking part in this event helps me to focus on the few nonfiction books I’ve read and the many I would like to read, so it’s still worth trying to join in, I think! Each week throughout November, one of the challenge hosts (there are five) will post a different topic for us to discuss. I doubt I’ll have time to post every week, but the first topic is an easy one:
Week 1 – Your Year in Nonfiction: Celebrate your year of nonfiction. What books have you read? What were your favorites? Have you had a favorite topic? Is there a topic you want to read about more? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
(Hosted by Heather of Based on a True Story)
I’ve read even less nonfiction than usual this year, which is disappointing, although in my defence I’ve also been reading Rebecca West’s very long travelogue, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, throughout the year in addition to the books listed below:
The Black Count by Tom Reiss – A biography of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, father of the French author Alexandre Dumas.
The Angel Makers by Patti McCracken – A book about a group of female serial killers in a Hungarian village who murdered over a hundred men between 1914 and 1929.
Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives by Alice Loxton – A fascinating look at eighteen historical figures, with a focus on how their first eighteen years shaped the rest of their lives.
Most of the nonfiction I tend to read is biography, history or true crime, so I haven’t been very adventurous this year! I enjoyed all of these books, though, particularly Eighteen and The Angel Makers.
This November I’m planning to read another true crime book, The Peepshow by Kate Summerscale.
Do you like to read nonfiction? Will you be joining in with Nonfiction November this year?
She Reads Novels 
I think I shall try, even though it’s going to be competing with Science Fiction month! I’ll have to look for that Eighteen book. Sounds interesting!
Eighteen was very entertaining and there were some historical figures in it who I hadn’t even heard of before, so I was able to learn something new as well.
Eighteen looks good but isn’t widely available in US libraries. At least, not yet. Maybe it just hasn’t found an American publishing partner.
I hope your libraries will get Eighteen eventually. I really enjoyed it.
I’ve hardly read any non-fic this year either, but I’ve got The Peepshow too to start next year off on a better footing. It sounds promising!
I’ve enjoyed some of Kate Summerscale’s books, but others not so much. I’m hoping The Peepshow will be another good one.
I’m putting The Angel Makers on my list. I hope I can find it here. My Nonfiction November post for this week is scheduled for Friday. I’m beginning to think that’s a tactical error, because everyone seems to be publishing today. At least you made me feel better about having read only 12 nonfiction books this year.
I’m sure people will be posting throughout the week, but I have other posts scheduled so Monday worked better for me. 12 nonfiction books seems like a lot to me!
Ah, but it’s not so many for those big nonfiction readers!
All three of those books sound interesting!
I enjoyed all of them!
I love non-fiction of all sorts so will definitely be joining in. Your titles here sound fascinating!
They were all really interesting. I just wish I’d had time to read more non-fiction this year!
I found The Black Count really interesting! And Eighteen sounds wonderful too, especially relevant as my son is eighteen years old. I wonder if it would be an inspiring read for him.
Also interested in The Angel Makers, I need a true crime book for my last Nonfiction Reader challenge prompt, but when I looked it up it seemed to be fiction? Based on a true story, but still…
Do you have other true crime recommendations? It’s not a genre I gravitate to in general, but I want to branch out.
Have fun with Nonfiction November, i always find it a blast.
The Angel Makers is narrative nonfiction, so parts of it do read more like a novel. My favourite true crime author is Kate Summerscale, although her books are also written in a narrative style so may not be what you’re looking for.
I thought The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife and the Missing Corpse by Piu Marie Eatwell was fascinating and as unusual as the title suggests! I also enjoyed Murder by the Book by Claire Harman which combines a Victorian true crime with a discussion of the bestselling books of that era.
Aha, it looks like there is a different book also based on the same story and also called The Angel Makers! Confusing. I’ll look for the narrative nonfiction version. (I love that style as long as it’s firmly based in the facts). I’ll look into the authors and titles you mention, thanks.
I enjoy biography, too, and The Black Count has been on my tbr list for a while… probably from an earlier Nonfiction November recommendation!
The Black Count was on my TBR for years before I finally got round to reading it. It’s fascinating, particularly if you like Dumas.
I read The Black Count a few years ago and found it really interesting with lots of aspects of the history of France and the West Indies that were new to me.
The Angel Makers sounds interesting but pretty grim!
The Angel Makers is a grim topic but the style it’s written in makes it more fun than you would expect.
Generally about half my reading in non-fiction (as you know doubt suspect!) and I’ve read/reviewed 45 non-fiction so far on my Blog which is what I’d expect. I won’t be taking part in Non-Fiction November *officially*, but no doubt the non-fiction will keep on coming! There’s LOTS of great non-fiction out there. You just need to find a subject you’re interested in or passionate about and then you’re away & will never look back… [grin]
I think part of my problem is that I have such a huge list of fiction waiting to be read, adding non-fiction to it as well will make it even more difficult to ever get caught up! I do want to read more of it, though.
Definitely know how that feels. FAR too many books, too little time!
Those sound like really intersting books. I always like to see people reading and enjoying nonfiction, however many or few they approach, as some people shy away from it completely!
I’ve usually read a few more, although still not a lot – maybe 6 or 7 by this point in the year.
Eighteen sounds fascinating. It really is true that our life stories begin at home, in childhood.
Yes, it was an interesting book! I think it would be perfect for young adults, with its focus on teenage achievements, but there was a lot for older readers to appreciate too.
I like nonfiction, although I don’t read a ton of it, admittedly! But I do want to read more. History is a subject I gravitate towards, too.
I don’t read a lot of it either, but do usually enjoy it. I love historical fiction, so I find it interesting to read historical nonfiction too and get the factual information behind some of the novels I’ve read.
I don’t read a lot of nonfiction and I’d like to read more. So, I’m hoping to get some good recommendations – like The Peepshow by Kate Summerscale. I loved her book, The Suspicions of Mr Whisper and wasn’t aware she had a new one out.
I’ve read three of Kate Summerscale’s books and enjoyed them all, so I’m looking forward to reading The Peepshow. It was just published in October, I think.
When I was in my twenties, I read a lot of true crime. But I haven’t read anything new in many years.
It’s interesting how our tastes change over time!
Hi Helen, I do like reading non-fiction, but I have realised, this year, I have read a lot, lot less then I usually do! 🤔
Blessings, Jessica 💌
I never read a lot of non-fiction, but I’ve read less than I usually do this year too. I hope we both manage to read more of it next year!
I loved LOVED the Black Count. And, I read a snippet of The Angel Makers from The League of Lady Poisoners so I added this to my TBR.
I’m glad you loved The Black Count! I’m a big fan of Dumas’ novels, so I found it really interesting.