Nonfiction for Hard Times

I promised four posts, all with extensive book lists, and here's my second, "Nonfiction I Have Actually Read."

I am married to a reader...no surprise. But, Bob Swisher reads nonfiction. In our 52 years together, I remember him reading two novels: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and Killing Mr. Watson. Neither of those made MY list of novels to read during trying times.

He mocks my fiction-reading habits, and I was happy to report to him in the past few years my nonfiction reading equaled my fiction. But, I still prefer stories, so many of the nonfiction books I enjoy are narrative nonfiction: memoir, biography, and just plain-old stories. Creative nonfiction feeds my soul.

Other than narrative, I DO read education policy books. I'm excited to say, I now read the books of friends -- social media friends. Pretty cool to be only that degree separated from authors.

Of  the four lists I will share, this is my shortest...a lifetime of reading novels means I have not caught up.

The nonfiction I share now are all books I have read. I have learned, I have enjoyed. Every one of them has left me a better, smarter, person.

My next two blog posts will be the books my very well-read friends suggested for our bibliotherapy through  tough times.

How many of these have  you read? What would you tell someone about them?

Nonfiction I’ve Read

Devil’s Highway – Urrea

Diary of a Young Girl  – Frank

Dreams from My Father – Obama

Girl Interrupted – Kaysen

Hoosier School Heist – Martin

I Am Malala -- Yousafzai

Ishmael -- Quinn

Man’s Search for Meaning – Frankl

March Trilogy – Lewis

Most Dangerous – Sheinkin

New Testament

Partly Cloudy Patriot – Vowell

“Politics and the English Language” -- Orwell

Quiet – Cain

Ratf*cked – Daley

Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty – Gorski

Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – Manson

Symphony for the City of the Dead – Anderson

Teachers Have it Easy -- Eggers

Testimony – Williams

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack -- Skoot

The Innocent Man – Grisham

The Myths of Standardized Tests – Harris

The Other Wes Moore – Moore

The Power of Habit – Duhigg

The Stories We Live By – McAdams

There Are No Children Here – Kotlowitz

What it is Like to Go to War – Marlantes

Worst Hard Times -- Egan

Zeitoun – Eggers