I’m thrilled to be co-hosting 2017’s Nonfiction November with Katie at Doing Dewey, Lory at Emerald City Book Review, 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!
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. And, after this year of Fall fiction, I’ve been especially itching for a change of pace!
Hope to see you in November!
Nonfiction November Schedule of Events
Week 1 (Oct. 30 to Nov. 3)
Introductions and Your Nonfiction Year So Far (Hosted by Julie at Julz Reads)
Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year? What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? What is one topic or type of nonfiction you haven’t read enough of yet? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
Week 2 (Nov. 6 to Nov. 10)
Nonfiction / Fiction Book Pairing (Hosted by Sarah at Sarah’s Book Shelves)
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. 13 to Nov. 17)
Be The Expert/Ask the Expert/Become the Expert (Hosted by Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness)
Three ways to join in this week! You can either share 3 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. 20 to Nov. 24)
Nonfiction Favorites (Hosted by Katie at Doing Dewey)
We’ve talked about how you pick nonfiction books in previous years, but this week I’m excited to talk about what makes a book you’ve read one of your favorites. Is the topic pretty much all that matters? Are there particular ways a story can be told or particular writing styles that you love? Do you look for a light, humorous approach or do you prefer a more serious tone? Let us know what qualities make you add a nonfiction book to your list of favorites.
Week 5 (Nov. 27 to Dec. 1)
New to my TBR Hosted by (Lory at Emerald City Book Review)
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!
Nonfiction Book Swap Sign-Ups
This year, we’ll be bringing back the nonfiction book swap! If you sign up for this swap, you’re committing to sending your swap partner at least one nonfiction book (or more if you want), mailed/ordered in time to arrive by the end of November. You can send books yourself or order them and have them sent directly to your partner. Katie suggests The Book Depository as a great way to send books internationally if you and your partner are in different countries. Sign-ups will be open until Nov 3rd and Katie will do her best to have partner info to everyone by Nov 5th. Sign-up here:
Possibilities for my Nonfiction November Reading List
Bird by Bird
A writing guide by a legendary writer who I’ve yet to read
Forty Autumns
The story of a family caught on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall
How Reading Changed My Life
A tiny “reading life” memoir by an author I’m trying to read as much of as possible
My Life with Bob
Another “reading life” memoir…
Strangers in Their Own Land
The book frequently mentioned as the logical next read if you liked Hillbilly Elegy
Ranger Games
An Army Ranger holds up a bank…the question is “why?”
Red Notice
A real-life “political thriller” about an American financier in Russia tangling with the Kremlin
The Futilitarians
A grief memoir
The Radium Girls
The story of the girls who worked in the radium factories during WWI…with detrimental consequences
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’m definitely going to try to participate more this year. Will there be link ups? I have one you might want too add to your list: Daring to Drive by Manal Al-sharif. It was great on audio, too!
Yes – there will be weekly link-ups for each topic! AND – I’m listening to Daring to Drive on audio as we speak! Really enjoying (although maybe not the right word) it…kind of enraging.
This sounds so great! Non-fiction is a genre I enjoy but definitely don’t read enough of. I hope to join you all this year!
Me too – I love nonfiction, but always seem to push it aside for the latest and greatest novels! Except on audio…I’m a strictly nonfiction audiobook listener.
My NF reading is still not where I would like it to be, but I’m sure that November will bring lots of potential reads to my attention. I’m looking forward to the Non-fiction/Fiction pairing. Forty Autumns and Radium Girls are on my radar already.
I love the pairing…it’s my favorite theme of the event 🙂 Hope you find some great books for your TBR!
“Strangers” is definitely worth a read. I should really read something by Anna Quindlen, and I love reading memoirs, so that sounds good.
I adored her memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake…her outlook on life is just so rational and down to earth.
I enjoyed this so much last year. And I’ve been looking forward to this year ever since! Forty Autumns is amazing! I was really affected by it. Great look at what happens to families when you build a WALL to separate them.
I want to get in on this book swap business – what’s the best/easiest way to create a list?
I’ve never liked November but now it’s one of my favourite months.
You’re the reason I’m going to read Forty Autumns!!
And you can sign up for the book swap using the Google form embedded in the post.
Oh boy…I’m going to try this and hope I do better than I did last year!
I love the Anne Lamott book. I’m curious about the Quindlen- I didn’t she’d written non-fiction!
OMG – get Anna Quindlen’s memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake immediately! Her outlook on life is just so down to earth.
I just signed up! This will be my first year joining this Book Swap. I loved looking for Nonfictions I want to read. It challenged me since I don’t normally read a ton of Nonfiction.
Great to hear! And I need the push of this event to read nonfiction too!