NonFiction November Week One

Am I posting this a day late? Yes. But better late than miss out on the best reading month of the year – NonFiction November!

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THE HOSTS

Liz, who blogs at Adventures in reading, running and working from home, is one of my go-to blogs for finding a new book to read. Liz is also one of the most generous commenters out there. Even when I was really sick and didn’t have time to stop by, Liz commented on my posts. Thank you Liz!

Frances blogs about the books she has read at Volatile Rune and this site is gorgeous. I have been a fan since last NFN.

Heather of Based on a True Story is where I go to check out what to buy when I need new NonFiction.

Rebekah reviews social justice books on She Seeks Nonfiction. I credit Rebekah for the deep shelf of Cult books I currently own. Rebekah has amazing NonFiction choices and really inspired me to pick a theme for books.

Deb, who blogs at Readerbuzz, always has books I would normally miss out on featured on her blog.

This event would not happen without the time and energy of the hosts and I thank them all!

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WEEK ONE: MY YEAR IN NONFICTION

Week 1 (Oct, 28 – Nov, 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 at Based on a True Story

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2023

A test flagged me for possible cancer mid to late November and I was diagnosed December 23rd with Kidney Cancer. During these months, I have no idea what I was doing but, apparently, it wasn’t reading NonFiction. I had surgery in January and, very fortunately, did not need further treatment at that time. The recovery gave me a lot of time to read but the year of medical tests really took from my blogging time. Another surgery two weeks ago is hopefully my last for a while. Sitting here cancer free and down a few organs but feeling better and very thankful for books!

This year I organized my reading by themed months. I don’t know that I had a favorite theme, per se, but I found myself drawn to either books that would help me understand my world or books that would help me grow. May was a bust – I was totally and completely uninspired by the theme. You know, the one I picked for myself.

JANUARY: BETTER SELF

FEBRUARY: BLACK LIVES AND HISTORY

MARCH: WOMEN’S LIVES AND HISTORY

MAY: FOOD AND DRINK

Complete bust. I couldn’t have read a cookbook or Great British Bake-off memoir?!

JUNE: LGBTQIA+ LIVES AND HISTORY

JULY: READING GREEN

This month was supposed to be about reading environmental books but my anxiety just wouldn’t let me. So, after the disastrous May, I quickly switched to reading books that had literal green covers and it was my most successful reading month since January.

AUGUST: AUSTRALIA

SEPTEMBER: BACK TO SCHOOL

OCTOBER: FRIGHTENINGLY GOOD READS

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MY FAVORITES

Ultra-Processed People: The Definitive #1 Bestseller You Need to Understand Ultra-Processed Food by Chris van Tulleken changed the way I think and talk about food. I stopped using “good” and “bad” foods and just started looking at what I was eating. This book, written by an Englishman who admits to consuming and supplying ultra processed foods to his child, was unbiased and nonjudgmental.

Meanwhile, Eat & Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being by Mary Beth Albright built onto what I learned from Ultra-Processed People and encouraged me to each a diverse selection of foods to support (not cure!) and emotional / mental health.

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Cried Pérez and Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Leghorn were two books that confirmed a feeling that I have always had – that I wasn’t being listened to because the world wasn’t built for me – it was built for meeeeennnnn. I had been sick for years and was told by numerous medical experts that it was just “being a woman” and they only found my cancer because I finally asked, “Would there be any other testing if I had a penis?” These two books made me feel better and madder at the same time.

White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad is the book every white woman should read. When I sit and think about how the world is built for men, I have to stop and remember that I benefit from being a white woman in that world. How much harder would it have been for a woman of color to get diagnosed? This book was uncomfortably wonderful.

Decolonize Drag by Kareem Khubchandani with contributions by Bhakti Shringarpure was a great primer in how even marginalized populations like the queer community can continue to prop up white supremacy in an art form. It was also more fascinating to me as large chunks of it were Chicago based so I had that squeal of excitement when I recognized an establishment.

WHAT ARE MY GOALS FOR NONFICTION NOVEMBER?

The books y’all! I just want to see and gather up a giant list of books to read. I am really looking for a theme or two for books for 2025.

My big “pro” tip after years of participating is this – start making your week five blog now because you are going to see so much wonderful NonFiction posted about each week! This can also double as your holiday shopping list.

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Tell me, please! What did you read for NonFiction this year?

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