I’m thrilled to be co-hosting 2018’s Nonfiction November with Katie at Doing Dewey, Rennie at What’s Nonfiction?, Julie at Julz Reads, and Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness! Nonfiction November is a month dedicated to celebrating nonfiction…we’ll talk about our favorites, trade recommendations, discuss our nonfiction reading habits, and hopefully discover some new book blogs! There will be a link-up for your posts every Monday…see below for the schedule of events and where to find the link-ups.
Personally, I tend to push nonfiction to the back burner in favor of the shiny, new fiction releases, so I always appreciate this month of re-focus on a genre I love, but tend to ignore sometimes.
Hope to see you in November!
Nonfiction November Schedule of Events
Week 1 (Oct. 29 to Nov. 2)
Your Year in Nonfiction So Far (Hosted by Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness)
Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year? Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year? What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
Week 2 (Nov. 5 to Nov. 9)
Nonfiction / Fiction Book Pairing (Hosted by Sarah at Sarah’s Book Shelves)
This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title. It can be a “If you loved this book, read this!” or just two titles that you think would go well together. Maybe it’s a historical novel and you’d like to get the real history by reading a nonfiction version of the story.
Week 3 (Nov. 12 to Nov. 16)
Be The Expert/Ask the Expert/Become the Expert (Hosted by Julie at Julz Reads)
Three ways to join in this week! You can either share three or more books on a single topic that you have read and can recommend (be the expert), you can put the call out for good nonfiction on a specific topic that you have been dying to read (ask the expert), or you can create your own list of books on a topic that you’d like to read (become the expert).
Week 4 (Nov. 19 to Nov. 23)
Reads Like Fiction (Hosted by Rennie at What’s Nonfiction?)
Nonfiction books often get praised for how they stack up to fiction. Does it matter to you whether nonfiction reads like a novel? If it does, what gives it that fiction-like feeling? Does it depend on the topic, the writing, the use of certain literary elements and techniques? What are your favorite nonfiction recommendations that read like fiction? And if your nonfiction picks could never be mistaken for novels, what do you love about the differences?
Week 5 (Nov. 26 to Nov. 30)
New to my TBR (Hosted by Katie at Doing Dewey)
It’s been a month full of amazing nonfiction books! Which ones have made it onto your TBR? Be sure to link back to the original blogger who posted about that book!
Instagram Challenge
This year we’ll also be bringing back an Instagram photo challenge for Nonfiction November, co-hosted by Kim (@kimthedork) and Leann (@Shelf_Aware_). Check out the prompts below! If you’re interested in participating in Nonfiction November but don’t have a blog, feel free to join us on Instagram and Litsy using the hashtag #NonficNov.
Find all the hosts that are on Instagram: @sarahsbookshelves, @kimthedork, @shelf_aware_, and @doingdewey!
Possibilities for my Nonfiction November Reading List
I know I won’t get to all of these, but I like starting with lots of options to accommodate mood reading and DNF’s!
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (January 1, 1994)
A writing guide by a legendary writer who I’ve yet to read
American Radical by Tamer Elnoury (October 23, 2017)
The memoir from an undercover Muslim American FBI agent
Bad Blood by John Carreyou (May 21, 2018)
The true story of the rise and fall of Theranos, a Silicon Valley biotech startup
The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis (October 2, 2018)
Lewis goes behind the scenes of the U.S. government following the 2016 election
Driven by Julie Heldman (August 22, 2018)
The memoir of a 1960’s tennis star and the emotional abuse she took from her mother
Dopesick by Beth Macy (August 7, 2018)
An investigation into America’s struggle with the opioid crisis
Big Game by Mark Leibovich (September 4, 2018)
Political writer Leibovich switches gears to go deep inside the NFL…with extensive access to Tom Brady
How to Be Married by Jo Piazza (August 18, 2017)
Novelist Piazza (Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win) tries her hand at nonfiction with her exploration of marriage
What are you thinking about reading for Nonfiction November?
Does anyone have any thoughts on the books on my list?
Which books should I kick to the top?
I read the American Radical, and I really like it. The book is written by a real undercover operative in the book he writes what it was really like to take down a would be terrorist. The story in this book was real but the names etc have been changed to protect this operative and his family. The book was interesting and informative. Real CIA/FBI work isn’t nearly as thrilling as the books written by fiction writers.
Speaking of pairings I read “The Need To Know” by Karen Cleveland which I loved its one of or maybe my favorite thriller so far this year, then I read The American Radical which I really liked as well. I recommend both books.
Susan – I reviewed those exact two books together earlier this year. Great minds think alike!
I remember Need to Know and it does sound like a good pairing!
I’m ready for a change, so have been looking forward to Nonfiction November and was checking out some books to read last night. Dopesick and The Fifth Risk were two I added to my TBR list, but I’m excited to get lots of ideas from others in November.
I think you’ll love American Radical, Sarah. The audiobook was excellent, so you might want to listen to that one.
I had planned to listen to it on audio, and still might, but I have so many other audiobooks on hold at the library already and I think I’d enjoy that one in print more than the others!
I’m excited for this. I like nonfiction but will go months without reading one. I definitely am interested in American Radical and How to Be Married. I have several biographies I’ve been meaning to read for years, so maybe I’ll finally get around to them in November.
Me too and I wish I were better about making time for it throughout the year! I do listen only to nonfiction on audio, so that’s where I get most of my nonfiction in throughout the year.
Looking forward to this! I’ve been working on my list for a while. I find it challenging to read mostly nonfiction for a month, but there are a bunch that I’ve been putting off until Nonfiction November.
Bird by Bird has been in the back of my mind forever; I’ll be interested to see what you think of it.
Oh, I do too! I usually work in a novel or two and kind of abandon reading nonfiction by the third week. But, that’s still more nonfiction than I’d normally read.
I just purchased American Radical used off Amazon after seeing this post. I’m excited to read some nonfiction!
Yay! Let me know how it goes!
I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve heard amazing things about Bad Blood from virtually everyone who’s read it!
Me too…it’s really picking up steam! And I love a good business tell-all!
Yay, I’m so looking forward to this! I loved participating last year and it really inspired a lot of my reading this year. I hope you enjoy How to be Married!
Awesome!
I agree with Susie, I think you’ll love American Radical. I’m adding Bad Blood to my tbr
Love this! I’ve been listening to non fiction book during my commute for the past month and really love it. I just finished Team of Rivals and cannot explain how awesome it was. One of the first non fiction titles about a former president that kept me engaged from start to finish!
I just put Bad Blod on my TBR after hearing about it from a podcast. Cannot wait to start that one. It may be my first non fiction November title!
Given the way my October is going November may be nothing more than reading Murakami!
However, I will definitely try and participate in some of the events.
I highly recommend American Radical and Bird by Bird for your reading.
I think American Radical is #1 on my list!
I’m in!! Love it. We’ll see how many posts I get to
Yay!! Yeah – I don’t think I’ve done every post in past years, but may shoot for it this year.
I’m hoping to participate this year! I always want to join in events, but life seems to get in the way. However, I think this might be year it gets done.
Get it done! And you can participate as much or as little as you like!
My whole November is Non Fiction and I can’t wait. I have a bunch of good memoirs lined up too. In fact I have already started, reading Pieces of Me by Rose Abrams. It’s an intense read, but a story that has empowered me. mynameisrose.com is her page for her book. American Radical is on my list too! That one looks really good!
Yay – glad to hear it!
this is my first time doing non-fiction november and i can’t wait! i’m not sure what i’m going to read yet – but i’ve been on a huge medical history kick – especially about military medicine and battlefield medicine – so many of my books will probably have some kind of theme like that
So glad you’re participating and hope you enjoy it!