This week’s prompt for Nonfiction November is hosted by Frances of Volatile Rune – and here it is:
There are many topics to choose from when looking for a nonfiction book. For example: Biography, Autobiography, Memoir, Travel, Health, Politics, History, Religion and Spirituality, Science, Art, Medicine, Gardening, Food, Business, Education, Music. Maybe use this week to challenge yourself to pick a genre you wouldn’t normally read? Or stick to what you usually like is also fine. If you are a nonfiction genre newbie, did your choice encourage you to read more?
I’m not very adventurous when it comes to nonfiction and tend to stick to the same few topics most of the time:
History e.g. The Brothers York by Thomas Penn; Powers and Thrones by Dan Jones
Memoir e.g. The Oaken Heart by Margery Allingham; A Chelsea Concerto by Frances Faviell
Biography e.g. Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self by Claire Tomalin; The Real Enid Blyton by Nadia Cohen
True crime e.g. The Wicked Boy by Kate Summerscale; Murder by the Book by Claire Harman
I don’t often read any nonfiction that falls outside of these categories, but I’m always open to trying new things and I think participating in Nonfiction November is a good way to find books on other topics that I might enjoy.
So what have I decided to read during Nonfiction November this year? First, I’m trying to finish The Eagle and the Hart by Helen Castor, a very long book that I’ve been reading for a few months but keep putting aside to read other things. It’s about the relationship between Richard II and Henry IV…so yes, another history book! I’ve also just started reading 100 Books to Live By by Joseph Piercy, which I have from NetGalley. I don’t seem to read much nonfiction about books and literature and I have no idea why!
~
How do you choose which nonfiction books to read? Do you stick to the same topics or do you like to challenge yourself to read something different?
She Reads Novels 
I love to read books-about-books. Sometimes I think I love to read books-about-books more than any other sort, and there’s something odd about that.
Books about books are great, but I very rarely seem to pick them up. I need to read more of them!
I tend to read historical non fiction but memoirs tend to be a bit or miss for me. I often pick non fiction based on reviews that I see in the press so the genres can be a bit random.
That sounds like a good way to find books that might not have come to your attention otherwise. I really need to branch out and try different nonfiction genres!
Thanks to my famous (infamous?) butterfly mind, my non-fiction reading tends to all over the place – although to be honest its probably 75%+ History. I’ve recently finished a cultural history of the typewriter (I kid you not!) and am presently reading about modern(ish) archaeologists on The Silk Road as well as a history of the British Army during the first 6 weeks of WW1.
The typewriter and Silk Road books both sound interesting to me!
I am a biography and memoir obsessive – usually writers and artists, so I did challenge myself this time round. Happy to get back to normal next week I think. Thanks so much for sharing your reads Helen and for joining in. I have not read this one by Claire Tomalin but I have read ‘A Life of my Own’ which is her autobiography.
I’ve only read Tomalin’s biographies of Pepys and Dickens, but I would like to read some of her other books.
I do like certain topics, as you know, but I take what strikes my fancy. I haven’t read the Tomalin book yet. I usually like hers. I’ve read three of the books on your list.
I think I’ve only read two of Tomalin’s books. I should probably look for more of them.
They are generally good.
I’m going straight over to look at 100 Books to Live By!
I’m reading it now and although I’ve already read a lot of the books it mentions, I’ve still found even more to add to the TBR!
Great and, oh no!
When I used to edit an Arthurian magazine most of the books I tended to read – on archaeology, history and pseudohistory – were nonfiction, or masqueraded as nonfiction. So the last dozen or so years have been mostly spent catching up on fiction, meaning that my consumption of nonfiction has drastically reduced. The last one I read – and one of the few I’ve tackled the last year – was ‘The Old Straight Track’, and that was a lightning skim-through as I’d read it several decades ago. Let’s see what I come up with this month! A memoir or a study of ancient fairytales? Hmm
I’ve never read much nonfiction at all – I’ve probably read more of it this year than I have for a long time, and even then it’s only been eight books so far. The study of ancient fairytales sounds as though it should be interesting!
A book about books. It sounds fascinating!
It is!
Nice post, it’s so interesting to see what everyone has to say about nonfiction. My favourite month of the year!
I love seeing everyone’s Nonfiction November posts too. I don’t read enough of it, so I’m always looking out for ideas of nonfiction books I might enjoy!