Sunday, November 9, 2014

Sunday Salon -- November 9

Greetings, Fellow Book Lovers! I'm posting for the first time under the banner Sunday Salon. I love the idea of a "salon" as a weekly update and book discussion forum. I'm going to link this up to It's Monday, What Are You Reading on Book Journey and The Sunday Post on The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

This week I've become absolutely immersed in Nonfiction November! It's my first time participating, and at first I didn't intend to officially participate. I thought I would check out a few blog entries, maybe peak in to the group read-a-long. Instead, I am fully engaged and having so much fun with it! Nonfiction has completely taken over my reading life in the past week, which is not at all something I expected. You can read my Week I post (My Year in Nonfiction) here. Because of Nonfiction November, I've read these books in the past week:

Here are two reviews of nonfiction books that I posted on my blog last week:

The Lost Book of Mormon: A Journey Through the Mythic Lands of Nephi, Zarahemla, & Kansas City, Missouri by Avi Steinberg. Steinberg's book is a quirky memoir/travelogue style book, in which he makes a case for considering the Book of Mormon as an important piece of American literature. It's interesting and at times even hilarious, but also deviates into a few too many maddening digressions.

Without You, There is No Us: My time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim. I really enjoyed reading this memoir of journalist Kim's year teaching at an all-male college in North Korea. Kim's insights into the deep brainwashing of North Korean youth is, as you would expect, unsettling and disturbing.

So now I need to decide what I am going to read next for Nonfiction November! Here is what I'm thinking of . . .

And of course, I'm hoping to hear about lots of other great nonfiction titles from other bloggers this week. Nonfiction November is causing me to add to my list of library holds each day!

How about you . . . are you reading any nonfiction titles this month? How often do you read nonfiction during the year, and what kind of nonfiction do you like to read?

20 comments:

  1. Savage Harvest sounds intriguing.
    Even though I'm not doing the Nov Nonfiction event, I'm listening to The Innovators, by Walter Isaacson, absolutely awesome, and have read 16 nonfiction/87 total titles so far this year. In nonfiction, I often read religion, but also all kinds of stuff

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    1. The Innovators sounds fascinating, and I will need to get my husband a copy! I can give it to him as a gift (shh!), and then read it myself. I really hadn't read much nonfiction at all this year, until I decided to participate in Nonfiction November. It's definitely going to increase my count. Actually, I'm kind of overwhelmed by the sheer number of great nonfiction titles I'm learning about that hadn't been on my radar. . . .

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  2. Good choices for upcoming books! I thought Lives in Ruins was really delightful. And again, so glad you're enjoying Nonfiction November and found it worthwhile to participate!

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    1. I am really looking forward to that book--have to wait for the library copy to come in. Or, maybe I will just download it . . .

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  3. I don't actually read a lot of non-fiction but I've been eyeing that Cleopatra book for a while. Have a great week!

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    1. The Cleopatra book is interesting . . . I thought I might just skim it a bit, but now I'm hooked in. :)

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  4. I love the cover on the Cleopatra book. I'm glad to hear you are enjoying it-- I might like that one!

    I looked up my numbers, and I read 12 non-fiction last year and 7 this year so far. My current reads were 5 memoirs/biographies, 1 cookbook and 1 arts/crafts. I do love non-fiction and am surprised at myself. I think having the blog pulls me into other people's book choices and I forget what I myself enjoy. I usually like to read memoirs of the "everyman"-- not famous celebs, and books that deal with historical or sociological events.

    Enjoy your month-- I would join but I'm bad at following through on blog commitments and I already have a read-a-thon and another holiday event this month.

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    1. Rita, I am completely surprised that I got so pulled in to this . . . Maybe I was due for a break from fiction anyway! The Cleopatra book is interesting . . . I don't think I would have read it except that I want to participate in the read-along later this month.

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  5. The Lost Book of Mormon sounds truly interesting, I've always been fascinated with that story and it looks like this would provide some insights into it. Plus it looks very readable as well. Hope you enjoy the rest of nonfiction November!

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    1. Thanks--you too! I''m looking forward to reading everyone's Week 2 posts. Oh--and I need to write one myself!

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  6. Hooray for nonfiction. I sincerely love it and I'm so glad to see it receiving so much attention. :D

    I read that Cleopatra book before. I've enjoyed other books of hers but I have to admit that wasn't my favorite. The Lost Book of Mormon sounds fascinating.

    Have a great week :D

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    1. I can see why Cleopatra got mixed reviews . . . but you know, I'm IN it now, and the topic is interesting, so I must see it through! Yeah, the Lost Book of Mormon IS fascinating--kinda all over the place, but I enjoyed it.

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  7. I'm loving nonfction November as well! It was just the kick my reading needed! The Girls in Kabul is going on my TBR...everyone has raved about it. Happy nonfiction reading!

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    1. Yes, it's great--you should try it! I need to write a review, but it will be an embarrassing gush of "GAH, this book was so GOOD!"

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  8. I really enjoyed Cleopatra. I hope you do too!

    I would suggest The Empathy Exams, Careless People (about the history of The Great Gatsby), Carry on Warrior by Glennon Melton, and Half the Sky as great non-fiction reads.

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    1. Those are great suggestions, thanks! I am hearing about The Empathy Exams quite a lot this month . . .

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  9. Lives in Ruins looks good. Cleopatra was VERY long.

    ENJOY your reading week.

    Nice blog...going to look around.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It's Monday, What Are You Reading

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  10. Thanks, Elizabeth! Yes, Lives in Ruins looks so very good . . . I've got it on hold at my library, but I'm not sure how quickly their copy will come in. I may have to buy my own if it takes too long!

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  11. Glad you're enjoying your nonfiction reading. You've picked some interesting titles.

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    1. There are just SO many of them out there! It's getting hard to limit myself. :)

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