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All in Nonfiction
Running While Black is the perfect blend of memoir and hard-hitting social commentary. Desir’s focus on the running world is both narrow (making it feel particularly fascinating) and broad (illustrating its necessity.
Dyscalculia is a hard-hitting, strikingly original little book about a messy breakup amid the author’s lifelong struggle with trauma and mental illness. It’s a very quick read that will definitely make for a strong reread.
Equal Partners is a quick read with useful insights and suggestions to help everyone in a home work toward equal distribution, not just visible labor but cognitive labor too.
The Good Life is one of those rare “self-help” books that actually uses all its pages well. I really appreciated the way it not only presented the research but also provided helpful, actionable tools to carry to its advice in real life.
When Women Lead is an interesting, hopeful look at what happens when women run companies, from better business results to the existence of more businesses that meet women’s needs.
The Undocumented Americans is a moving, well-written memoir-in-essays that does exactly what I want from nonfiction: it helps open my understanding of the world and other people.
The Year of Magical Thinking is the best parts of Joan Didion — shart, unapologetic, perfect sentences — but, by nature of the topic (grief), more personal and less detached. That was a winning recipe for me.
Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a really interesting look at early Joan Didion. She’s already good, but there are some gems here that hint at the master she’ll turn out to be.
The Intersectional Environmentalist is a short but impactful read. While I did know some of the things it teaches, I learned plenty new and felt re-called to action.
Still Mad was perfect for someone like me, who didn’t take women’s studies or many English classes in college. I learned a lot, and it helped me put famous writers’ names in context with history’s timeline.
The White Album is an essay collection that asks for your close attention, but Joan Didion’s sentences are worth it. Parts of it went over my head, I think, but it will make a good reread.
Four Hundred Souls is a triumph of community history. Its unique format and exceptional contributors make it one of the most noteworthy works of nonfiction I’ve read.
I Came All This Way to Meet You is honest, funny, and of course well written. Jami Attenberg is so good at her craft, and the book feels like a gift she gave us generously.
This Changes Everything is a hard-hitting book on climate change issues, full of real-world stories and examples. I sometimes lost the narrative thread, but I’m really glad I read it.
Fox & I is a unique, heartfelt little memoir. Although it didn’t quite hold my attention all the way through, the prose is excellent and I ‘m glad I read it.
Wallet Activism is a great book and I’m really glad I read it. It taught me new things, reminded me of others, and inspired me to make some changes.
Finding the Mother Tree wasn’t quite what I’d expected, but it was interesting and taught me something new and I’m glad I read it. I also recommend the audiobook!
All We Can Save is a moving, hopeful, and digestible collection of essays on climate activism. It made for an excellent book club discussion and inspired me to join/stay in the fight.
These Precious Days is another beautifully heartfelt essay collection from Ann Patchett. It was a delight to read, especially the title essay.
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is a delightful, super-creative little book. I especially loved the etymology and linguistics included with each definition!
