I have seen loads of other bloggers taking part in Non-Fiction November and read their posts with interest, and I thought I wouldn’t have the time, energy or content to do it. But then I thought, well, I DO read a lot of non-fiction, more than most people I know, and it would be fun to find some new blogs to read and to hopefully get some discussion going on the non-fiction I read with a few new people (much as I cherish my regulars!) so here I go.
Week one is hosted by JulzReads and Week 1, which I see I’m slightly late for (oops) has an introductory theme:
What was your favorite nonfiction read of the year?
As I said, I read quite a lot of non-fiction: out of my 89 reads so far this year, 43 have been in this category. So I have a few favourites. One was “Long Live Great Bardfield” by Tirzah Garwood, in Persephone, the diaries of this wonderful artist, my first book of the year, and another Martin Gayford’s “The Pursuit of Art“, which I reviewed for Shiny New Books. Stephen Rutt’s “The Seafarers” was another stand-out.
Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year?
Looking at my acquisitions this year (my Book Confessions category will find them if you’re interested), I have been more attracted to books in the Nature area this year. Especially on birdwatching. I appear to have FOUR books on birdwatching, its people and sociology, on my TBR right now.
What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?
I’ve continued to recommend Lisa Jackson’s “Your Pace or Mine” to many runners I’ve encountered – one of the best running books I’ve ever read. I enthused about “The Seafarers” to a lot of people, too.
What is one topic or type of nonfiction you haven’t read enough of yet?
Given my TBR, probably books about birdwatching! I have also bought and intend to buy more around other people’s experiences in the UK and further afield – so I want to continue reading more widely about the experience of immigrants.
What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
I want to share my love of non-fiction and help people know it’s not all science tomes, and also find new bloggers to read and link up with.
Well, that was fun! Hopefully I’ll get my next post in on the right day!
Nov 02, 2019 @ 10:17:54
I love non fiction yet seem to read a lot less of it than fiction. It’s always good to learn history and science stuff. I have a tendency towards historical theology of late as well. The more varied the better in my eyes though.
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 16:04:27
Yes, i do love a variety, too (says the woman with four birdwatching books on her TBR …)
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 10:52:27
Non fiction does have so much diversity and as I get tired with modern authors trying to outdo each other in the cleverness stakes I tend to veer towards non fiction more than I used to.
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 16:05:13
Oh, interesting. i always think I go off to the older reads, but actually thanks to NetGalley and Shiny New Books I read quite a lot of brand new stuff this time. Not stuff that pushes any boundaries apart from those of knowledge, however.
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 12:32:14
I hope you enjoy the books you read during Non-Fiction November. I made a TBR and have already discovered three books through other blogs that I’d like to read so I think it’s going to be a good month!
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 16:06:07
Looking through my own TBR yesterday, although I have some quick win novels and one for my Murdoch challenge, I have a lot of non-fiction on there, esp the older stuff, so hoping it will just happen naturally. I loved your list though and hope you’re enjoying working your way through it.
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 13:00:47
As you know most of my reading is non-fiction, around 80% this year. To answer your questions:
What was your favourite nonfiction read of the year?
Too many to call so far, but Surfacing, Underland and Ring the Hill would have to be some of the top ones
Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year?
Travel this year, I have read 37 books so far
What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?
Sightlines by Kathleen Jamie
What is one topic or type of nonfiction you haven’t read enough of yet?
Science is a broad subject and endlessly fascinating
What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
To encourage others to read more non-fiction
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Nov 02, 2019 @ 16:07:04
I’ve been very glad to have found your blog as you’re a person who reads more non-fiction even than me. I have high hopes of Ring the Hill, which I hope to get to sooner rather than later. I don’t read as much science as other stuff, although I do still have my moments.
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Nov 03, 2019 @ 00:04:23
I so need to read more non-fiction. Maybe I’ll plan this in for next year:)
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 06:37:42
It’s a good way to encourage yourself to read more, and add to your wish list or TBR.
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 14:52:48
Oh I definitely don’t need to do either of those things, but I do need to read more non fiction
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Nov 03, 2019 @ 02:28:48
I enjoyed browsing through your Book Confessions, thanks for sharing your recommendations, I added Homesick and Dispatches from Pluto to by TBR
Please stop by to see my Introduction to NonFicNov
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 08:07:12
Thanks for popping by and welcome to my blog. I’ve followed yours via Feedly now. Dispatches from Pluto was so good and I wasn’t really expecting it to be, which was a real bonus!
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Nov 03, 2019 @ 09:21:38
Welcome to Nonfiction November! The posts are always so enticing and it’s pretty easy to put together one’s own (as you’ve found).
I checked out your review of Great Bardfield — illustrated memoirs by artists are a subgenre I often enjoy and I always welcome finding more. Thanks for posting!
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 06:41:19
Thank you for your comment and welcome to the blog. Great Bardfield was a very good book although I don’t think it was illustrated – I looked up a lot of her work as I read it, though. I’ve popped over and followed your blog, thus fulfilling my wish to find more blogs to read!
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 10:04:29
Oh, I thought in the review it said illustrations were included. My mistake! Anyway, artists are often fascinating people and I enjoy reading about them. Thanks for following!
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 10:15:56
I was wrong, so sorry! I’ve just gone and looked at the book and there are both photographs and reproductions of her woodcuts!
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 11:00:51
Just makes it sound even more appealing!
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Nov 03, 2019 @ 14:12:55
That’s a lot of non-fiction! You know, it’s funny. I rarely read non-fiction (typically 3 or 4 times a year), but whenever I do I almost always enjoy it. The Ditlevsen trilogy is probably my biggest discovery this year, technically being categorised as autofiction but the books feel incredibly autobiographical to me.
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 06:42:19
Yes, that’s a difficult one to categorise, isn’t it, as I’ve read on a few people’s blogs. I’ve always liked non-fiction and read quite a lot of it, and I certainly get a lot out of it, learning about different places and people, I suppose.
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Nov 03, 2019 @ 14:40:38
Yay nonfiction! I do read a great amount of nonfiction, a trend that started during my undergraduate university years. I’d be curious for a post that includes some of the main highlights from your reads on the sociology of birdwatching; I love sociology yet have little interest in birdwatching so I’d be curious about what comes up. (:
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 06:44:17
I will probably space out the birdwatching books as I don’t like to read too much of the same area at a time (I’m going to have to skip over yet another music book for a week or so soon, for example). But I’ll be sure to share reviews of them. I love reading non-fiction and always have done. As for birdwatching, this may develop as you age!! I’ve always liked being out in the natural world for walks etc (I grew up in a village in the countryside) but only got into birdwatching in my 30s! (having said that, I’ve not “grown into” enjoying gardening yet, so it might not come to you!).
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Nov 03, 2019 @ 21:28:40
I ‘m not very good with non fiction, I don’t read as widely as you. Most of the nin-fiction I read is memoir or essay collections, though I find I sometimes enjoy nature writing too. Enjoy your non fiction reading during November.
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Nov 04, 2019 @ 06:45:19
I think you’re happier with nature writing where the author’s story comes into it, too, aren’t you, where I prefer it undliuted! You read some very interesting memoirs and biographies, though, and each to their own – you certainly read more widely in translated fiction than I do, for example.
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Nov 07, 2019 @ 13:44:50
The Pursuit of Art sounds good, and I love books on bird watching!!
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Nov 07, 2019 @ 21:02:13
You found me! Yes, The Pursuit of Art was truly entertaining and excellent. I like books on bird watching but it seems odd I have four on my shelves at the moment! I’ll have to space them out …
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Nov 07, 2019 @ 14:57:53
Lol. I happen to like science tomes. What kinds do you read?
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Nov 07, 2019 @ 21:04:25
Well, yes, but I think people tend to think non-fiction is all hard books about science and maths. I like a bit of geology and map-making myself, although also soft sciences like botany.
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Nov 07, 2019 @ 16:51:48
I love the idea of non-fiction November. I really need to deep dive through my Goodreads to see the answer to some of these.
47 of my 59 books read this year and the one I currently have going are non-fiction.
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Nov 07, 2019 @ 21:06:21
Wow, that’s a great ratio. I like to keep it 50:50 and would be upset if non-fiction dropped below a quarter.
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Nov 11, 2019 @ 15:43:17
I usually give summer over to fiction, but didn’t happen this year. My ratio will skew some in next month’s holiday. Beach calls for fiction often for me
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