NonFiction November - My year in Nonfiction
This is my first year taking part in Nonfiction November, hosted by DoingDewey. I signed up at the start of the year for the NonFiction reader challenge hosted by ShelleyRae over at Book’dout so the two tie-in together nicely.
When I signed up to the challenge in January, the aim was to read twelve works of nonfiction across a range of categories in 2022. I’m still on course to do that - I have three to read before years end.
Fiction is very much my bag so signing up for the challenge was a way of challenging myself to read more, especially in areas I wouldn’t normally dip my toes. There are categories such as climate, geography, wildlife and economics and I get a brain freeze when science comes up, so I was going to have push myself but that’s what attracted me to the challenge in the first place.
So first question - What was your favourite nonfiction read of the year and What non-fiction book have you recommended the most?
Honourable mentions for Gabriel Byrnes excellent memoir ‘walking with ghosts’ which I found evocative and moving. Ghosts of the Tsumami by Richard Lloyd Parry was a fascinating account of human cost of the 2011 Japanese Tsunami that was also heartbreaking. Dara McAnulty’s ‘Diary of a young naturalist’ was impassioned and wonderfully written and made me want to get into nature again. ‘On Bloody Sunday’ by JulieAnn Campbell was devastating.
But the book that was my favourite and which I recommended the most was ‘Lost Connections’ by Johann Hari.
I think it was very much a case of the right book at the right time, as it coincided with a lot of thoughts and ideas I’d been having. It made me realise how fragmented we’ve become as societies, the lack of connection we have with each other. And most important, it offered up solutions. I was raving about this book for months afterwards and still bring it up.
Did I have a particular topic I’ve been attracted to most this year?
Definitely loneliness and the lack of cohesion in society were topics that attracted me a lot. I also read ‘The lonely century: how to restore human connection in a world that’s pulling apart by Noreena Hertz. I’d say a lot of it has been the reaction to the pandemic but loneliness has definitely been on my mind.
What am I hoping to get out of Nonfiction November?
Like I mentioned earlier, I have three more titles to read before the end of ‘22, and they’re on topics such as Geography, Popular science and Reference, and I’ve left those last for good reason as I think I’m going to be ploughing slowly through them. Taking part in the challenge will give me a much needed kick up the arse to get me over the line.
And I’m hoping to add a few more nonfiction titles to my TBR list. Most of my picks have come from others recommendations, so I’m sure I’ll be picking up a few more. I have enjoyed my year of reading nonfiction and hope to continue to read more going forward.