Top 5 Nonfiction

Welcome to my unapologetically casual top-5 series. Follow the tag ‘Top 5 2023’ for more. There are no stars and no metrics. The only criteria is how much I enjoyed the book, and how well its strengths place it primarily in a given category. Yes, books can appear on more than one list if they fit. 

Non-Fiction

Ah, non-fiction. This blog’s ultimate curveball. Floating in a spaceships and dragons are a few islands of current events, historical figures, and expert opinions. You wouldn’t know it if you primarily knew me from my writing, here, but between different streaming documentaries, youtube series, and podcasts, nearly half of my average weekly entertainment is educational or related to current events. Although I love living with my head in the clouds, I still believe in a well-balanced literary diet.

Anyway, here’s the list:

Top 5:

5. The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England – For my money, this series is a must for historical fiction or pseudo-historical fantasy writers. It’s just a fun way to learn little details you wouldn’t think to google, but give your writing a ring of truth. 

4. When You Are Engulfed in Flames – For readers of a certain type of magazine, David Sedaris needs no introduction. This series of essays culminating in the story of how he traveled internationally to quit smoking is delightful, insightful, and witty. 

3. How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them – I’m cheating a little bit, I confess, because I did not review this book in this space. However, this timely and relevant expert analysis frames the deep partisan divide we see in America today in a realistic historical context. The divisions we are experiencing are not unique in a global conflict, and we would do well to learn the lessons of nations who avoided all-out war. This book continues to live in my head every time I read the news.

2. Reading Lolita in Tehran – This autobiography of an Iranian professor who lived through the transition from liberal freedom to fundamentalist intellectual terrorism is deeply moving. It follows a cohort of women who defy the government and, often, their families to continue expanding their minds. 

1. I’m Glad My Mom Died – This autobiography was quite the ride. A fast-paced unflinching look at a woman who survived an overbearing stage mom, but not without her scars. The author’s journey through their complicated relationship is tragically, hauntingly inspiring.

Happy Reading, folks.