Nonfiction November: My Year in Nonfiction (So Far)

It’s Nonfiction November time, one of the yearly and many many November reading events I enjoy joining in with. While I like reading nonfiction a lot, and find it both informative and entertaining, as always, 2023 was a year where I found myself picking up more fiction than nonfic, but with three nonfiction picture books in the mix, I’ve read 16 books so far this year from January, and hope to add to that list during this challenge. The books I read included only two of my own purchases, the rest being review copies. In terms of genres (or should that be sub-genres?), I think I had more fun ones this year from children’s nonfiction to memoirs of various descriptions, a cookbook, a book on the theatre and another on politics in the list.

The three picture books were My First Highland Cow by Melanie Mitchell, which introduces young readers to highland cows, a nice book but I wished it highlighted distinguishing features of these a little more; Hedy Lamarr, from the Little People, Big Dreams series which acquaints readers with the actress’ contributions to science as she was an inventor (of technology that forms the basis of wifi among other things); and Tibbles a tragicomic read which tells the story of Tibbles a real-life cat who accompanied her master David Lyall when he was appointed lighthouse-keeper on Stephens Island in New Zealand. While there, she (and her progeny) become responsible for the extinction of the Lyall’s wren, a small bird only found there.

Some others on my nonfiction list featured animals in different ways. Ike is the tale of Canadian Olympian Jason Dorland who fosters a golden retriever pup training to be a guide dog, the only way he can afford a dog. But circumstances are such that Ike ends up staying with him, and rescues him from the bitterness and toxic mindset he had driven himself into after failing at his Olympic goal. The Battle Cry of the Siamese Kitten is the entertaining memoirs of Canada-based veterinarian Dr Philipp Schott, featuring many memorable stories as also raising some relevant issues. Barkcuterie by celebrity corgis Hammy and Olivia is a recipe book (with plenty humans can enjoy too) featuring various season- and festive- themed snack and treat boards one can create to include our doggos in our celebrations (there’s one for the meows too).

Dickens and Travel by Lucinda Hawksworth takes readers through Dickens’ travels as also his travel writings across his career, Ada Lovelace into the interesting but complicated life of Lord Byron’s daughter who contributed to the world of computer programming at a time when the first computers were just coming into being, and Death in the Theatre into the macabre yet interesting topic of deaths that occurred in English theatres across the ages for various reasons from accidents to murder, but also looking at their human impact. Borges is an interesting introduction to the fascinating world of Borges and his writings–more the latter–analysing the broad periods his work can be classified into and the themes that often formed part of his writings, taking different forms at different points in time.

Practical Anarchism puts forth the idea that anarchism is not simply about destruction but non acceptance of frames that one is forced to live in, and how one can ‘rebel’ in real life by simple acts like community support; A Defence of Poetry and Other Essays are some of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s reflections on numerous themes from poetry, to the death penalty, the after life and Greek literature–challenging but interesting. Coromandel is author Charles Allen’s ‘personal’ history of South India, highlighting lesser known or explored aspects, dynasties and themes, and also raising how politics necessarily enters any telling of history.

Finally, Homelands, a memoir and bio combined explores the interwoven stories of German-Jewish immigrant to England Henry Wuga and journalist Chitra Ramaswamy herself a daughter of immigrants who in writing his story found resonances and commonalities with her own; Farthest Field, another volume that straddles genres sees author Raghu Karnad reconstruct the stories of three of his ancestors who served in the Second World War thereby also telling the story of India in the Second World War; and Sugar and Slate is author Charlotte Williams’ exploration of home, belonging and identity as a mixed race woman.

All of them (even ones not wholly successful) proved very interesting and thought-provoking reads and I did learn something from each. During this month, I do hope to make a dent in the pile of nonfiction reads on my TBR, but will pick up what appeals to me as I go rather than have a pre-planned TBR. Let’s see how that goes. (I do hope to include a food-related memoir which I only recently got a copy of via Edelweiss)

Do you enjoy reading nonfiction? What were some favourites this year? Are you joining Nonfiction November?

Week 1: Your Year in Nonfiction is hosted by Heather at Based on a True Story