NonFictionNovember: Temptations Galore
Non Fiction November should be accompanied by a warning: this event will cause serious damage to your bank balance and book shelves.
I love reading the posts and comments on each week’s topics but oh boy does this mean I get tempted to buy and buy and buy. My letter box is going to be working overtime in the next few weeks as a result.
As we wrap up Non Fiction November for this year, one of our hosts – Katie at DoingDewey is prompting us to talk about the books that have made it onto our TBR lists and piles as a result of the month.
Most of the books I’ve bought on put on my wishlist for the future came as a result of my appeal for books about pandemics and the migrant experience. I also asked for suggestions of knock out memoirs, on a par with Michelle Obama’s Becoming.
Pandemics
Bought:
The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It by Gina Kolata: bought on the recommendation of Tracy @ Bitterteaandmystery.
Added to the wishlist:
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M. Barry
Pandemic 1918 by Catharine Arnold
Migrant Experience
Bought:
The Good Immigrant UK. Recommended by Liz @Adventures in Reading, this is a collection of essays by black, Asian and minority ethnic voices that explores why immigrants come to the UK, why they stay and what it means to be ‘other’ .
Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid by Giuseppe Catozella. The story of desperately poor female runner from Somalia who went missing attempting to escape to Europe. As recommended by Bill @theaustralianlegend
On the recommendation of Carol @thereadingladies: The Girl With Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee: a memoir of a girl who defected from North Korea. This will be a good companion to In Order To Live by Yeonmi Park that I read earlier this year.
Added to the wishlist:
Two Sisters, A Father, His Daughters, and Their Journey into the Syrian Jihad by Åsne Seierstad, recommended by Carol @ cas d’intérêt
Debbie @Exurbanis recommended Peace by Chocolate, an account written by Jon Tattrie of a Syrian family who settled in Canada where they began to make chocolate. Unfortunately the book is not yet available in the UK. I’m keeping fingers crossed that the author does manage to get a deal with a UK publisher.
Memoirs
Bought:
On the recommendation of Carol @thereadingladies: The Girl With Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee: a memoir of a girl who defected from North Korea.
I’ve also bought A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa , another defector for North Korea. These will be a good companion to In Order To Live by Yeonmi Park that I read earlier this year.
The Choice by Edith Eger, another recommendation by Carol. This one is about a woman who was a ballet dancer imprisoned in a concentration camp. The book explores her life, details of which she was afraid to share with family and friends.
On the wishlist:
Sheree @ Keeping Up With The Penguins recommended In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, a memoir of domestic abuse between two women. This is on my list to Santa (not sure if he reads my blog but am hoping he gets the message).
I listened to “Becoming” by Michel Obama on audible and I loved it.
Oooooh! Let Santa know that In The Dream House was just released in paperback a couple of days ago… 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
I’m trying my best to influence the content of santa’s sack though I’m being told that there might be a supply problem because so many containers are stuck at the ports in UK… (damn Brexit)
I’ve read and really enjoyed a couple of books about North Korea this year, so I appreciate the reminder about A River in Darkness. Definitely one I should get to! I’m not sure I’m yet up to reading much on pandemics, but maybe once things have gotten a little more normal 🙂
LOL I know it sounds a bit bizarre to want to read about pandemics in the current circumstances. I’m thinking it might give me a different perspective, putting things in context but reminding me of a time when things were actually much worse.
I added so very many books, it’s almost embarrassing. I tried to limit my wrap-up post to just one book per blogger. Some posts had me adding every book the blogger mentioned to my TBR! Not to mention the innumerable excellent recommendations I received in response to my own request for nonfiction about geographical explorers.
I’ve kept a long list too of books that I might want to go back to in the future but haven’t quite made up my mind…
I didn’t add toooooo many books this year! Not sure how. I’m glad you chose The Good Immigrant UK and look forward to hearing what you think of it.
My copy arrived today so I shall be looking forward to dipping into it in coming weeks
Wow that is a seriously impressive list of new and wishlist books, Karen!! Happy non-fiction reading… you’ve probably got enough there to keep me going for several years! 😅
Oh I didn’t say I was going to READ them did I????
🤣🤣
Yes, a hazardous and yet indispensable event! My nonfiction reading is mainly inspired by books I see recommended by other bloggers, and I’m so grateful for many of those discoveries.
Combining two of your interest areas, I can recommend Inferno by Catherine Cho as a knockout memoir (covering the author’s experience of postpartum psychosis) that also explores her struggles with the superstition and unhealed cultural trauma of her Korean heritage.
Happy reading, till next November!
The Girl with Seven Names is good. I read it a couple of years ago. It’s like a gripping adventure story. Hard to believe one person can endure so much and come out the other end in relatively one piece.
If you are still interested in pandemics/epidemics, I did several blog posts on such books last year–fiction/nonfiction. If you search EPIDEMICS on my blog you’ll easily pull them up. I have also reviewed a few refugee books. Let me know if you want assistance.
Wow, Nonfiction November worked for you Karen. I’m impressed! Looks like you’ve got some good books out of it.
Some excellent reads for sure. Will check these out as well. My TBR has grown so much this month!
I forget how dangerous November can be! 😂 It’s always better to be over prepared with good titles, though! I hope you enjoy Girl With Seven Names and The Choice!
LOL , too true!
It is very dangerous for your reading list, I know that all too well! Still, if you get a few good reads out of it it’s totally worth it 🙂 I hope you like A River in Darkness, I thought it was fantastic. The Girl with Seven Years is very good too, and I really liked In the Dream House as well. Thanks for taking part this year!