Let’s Talk Bookish – Reading NonFiction

Aria @ Book Nook Bits is the new host for Let’s Talk Bookish! If you aren’t following her yet, good check out her blog and give her a follow!

October 20: Reading Nonfiction (Hannah @ Hannah’s Library)

Prompts: Do you read a lot of nonfiction? What is the last nonfiction book you read? Are there any nonfiction books you always recommend to others? What are your favorite nonfiction subjects to read about?

Welcome to another week of LTB here at DTRH, everyone! October is also flying by, which is crazy. Today’s topic is about reading nonfiction books and I do wonder about the bookish community and how much nonfiction books are read, and if so, what kind? Let us explore this topic a little bit further.

I personally do not read a lot of nonfiction. I have tried time and time again, and I do occasionally read them for book clubs and in other situations. However, I really have yet to come across a major genre of nonfiction that I resonate with and actually enjoy reading. I like the flexibility and imagination that comes with fiction, and I haven’t really read a nonfiction that has changed my mind on that one yet. It might have something to do with reading fiction books as a form of escape (and interest, of course), and just something about that can’t be replicated in a nonfiction.

The last nonfiction I read was The Healing of America (review coming soon!) and it was about the healthcare system in America as compared to many other models used around the world. It’s an interesting read, and it was very palatable in terms of the way the information was presented (anecdotally, and a bit scientifically). If you have an interest in this topic in particular, I would recommend it, though as a general read I probably wouldn’t.

One nonfiction book that I did read was Braiding Sweetgrass, which I did enjoy and think was really excellent. I would definitely recommend it to others, just purely as a form of learning and exposure, but also as a very engaging read. Check out the linked review for a more in-depth reason as to why you should read it, but if you’re interested in the topic at all or interested in nonfiction, that could be a good one for you!

I have yet to find a topic that I particularly like reading about. I definitely know that self-help books tend to be a no-go for me. Too much preaching, or overly aggressive stances in such books also tend to be a flop for me too. I think perhaps more of a diary-style, without overly assertive opinions, but merely presentative of their experience may be the easiest for me to read. If you know of any that you want to recommend, do please let me know!

Do you all like to read nonfiction? If you do, what kind? Let me know in the comments below!