I used to not be able to imagine ever purposefully picking up a nonfiction book and reading it for fun. I didn’t think there could be anything fun about nonfiction. With a few exceptions, I used to strictly be a fiction reader. I wanted to escape into new worlds and read about fictional people, not be slapped by reality every time I opened a book to relax.
Then I came to college. When you’re in a major that is all about studying people and their lives, a nonfiction book is a gold mine for discussion questions and theory application essays. I had no choice. I was forced out of my fiction bubble and stepped into the world of nonfiction.
With some experience, my fears about nonfiction started to rest. I no longer worried that I wouldn’t be smart enough to understand the topic at hand. I no longer felt like other people’s realities were something that I wanted to avoid. In fact, I had a realization that reading about other people’s lives is pretty liberating. I finally understood that reading nonfiction wasn’t just about surface level self-help books by pseudo psychologists and tales from old washed up celebrities that are looking for another way to make money. In the end, nonfiction books can show readers what it means to be human, and better yet, what it means to be a messy and imperfect human.
I have ended up at the point where I no longer see nonfiction books as a lecture, but instead as a mirror. I am able to see myself in these authors, relate to them, and find some hope in my own situations. At our core, we’re all storytellers in some way, and nonfiction reading may be one of the most vulnerable forums.
Considering I feel more experienced in the non-fiction world, I feel that it’s appropriate to provide some recommendations to others who may need to just find a way into their own nonfiction journey. Here are 4 nonfiction book recommendations:
UnSweetined by Jodie Sweetin
Full House was one of my favorite shows when I was younger. This was one of the first true nonfiction books/memoirs I read that I enjoyed. Sweetin talks about being famous starting at a young age and her addiction. I really enjoyed this book and how honest it was.
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
This graphic novel was one of my favorite books I had to read for a young adult literature class. This book recounts Takei and his family’s experience in a Japanese Internment Camp during World War 2. He recounts his experience being in this camp as a young child and how he felt about the imprisonment as a young adult and adult. This book was a powerful representation of the ugly experiences in the United States.
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Another memoir that I just couldn’t put down. Alderton discusses her life throughout her teenage years and into her thirties. She writes honestly about love, jobs, addiction, and friendship. Her writing style is bold and hilarious, but also doesn’t shy away from real experiences. You can read my full review of this book in a previous article.
The Scalpel and the Silver Bear: The First Navajo Woman Combines Western Medicine and Traditional Healing by Lori Arviso Alvord
Finally, this book is all about an Indigenous woman’s experience of combining her Navajo cultural practices and Western medicine. The book gives readers a lot to think about in terms of culture and identity.
Overall, nonfiction reading can seem intimidating, but I’ve learned that you just kind of have to throw yourself into the experience. Like fiction, I think that it’s all about finding the right author and book. There is such a wide variety of nonfiction books that anyone can find just what they are looking for.