6 Books I Recommend + 6 Books Recommended to Me—November 2022
“We read books to find out who we are.
– Ursula K. Le Guin
We may read alone.
But we aren’t alone in choosing the books we read. Or in talking about the books once we’ve finished reading them.
One of the advantages of #NonfictionNovember is hearing about the great variety of nonfiction books available. As you read about the best of the best from other bloggers, you jot down the titles you’d like to try, too.
For Week 5 of Nonfiction November, I’m sharing not only 6 books I recommend from what I finished this month, but also 6 books that were recommended to me. See more recommendation posts at Jaymi’s blog, The OC BookGirl.
Here are 6 books I recommend from what I finished reading this month.
[See previously recommended books here]
NONFICTION
1. Good Inside
A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be
by Becky Kennedy
This is far more than a parenting book. It’s a book for every relationship, whether with a child or an adult. Dr. Becky gives great advice to look for the good inside each of ourselves.
2. The Fire Next Time
by James Baldwin
For years I’ve read quotes from James Baldwin’s writing, but now I’ve finally read a complete work. I’m glad I did. Even though we’ve come a long way fighting racism in this country, Baldwin’s truths from 1963 show how far we still have to go.
3. Bright-Sided
How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America
by Barbara Ehrenreich
Wow. This book really underscores so many thoughts I have about the harm of toxic positivity in our culture. I can’t speak for other countries, but we Americans overdo our zealousness to “deny reality, submit cheerfully to misfortune, and blame only ourselves for our fate.”
4. The Body Keeps the Score
Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Bessel van der Kolk
I didn’t like this book as much as I’d anticipated. But it’s still worth recommending. Van der Kolk has made amazing progress through the years in helping people find hope again after surviving horrific traumas.
FICTION
5. Necessary Lies
by Diane Chamberlain
In this novel set fifty years ago, 15-year-old Ivy Hart works on a tobacco farm. When she’s assigned a new social worker—the first job for young Jane Forrester—secrets begin to unravel. Such a heart-rending story.
6. Sing You Home
by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult dives straight into the ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding pregnancy and family in modern times. Music teacher Zoe Baxter saves her fertilized eggs when she and her husband can’t get pregnant, but they later divorce. The plot gets more complicated as the book unfolds.
WHAT I’M READING NOW
- This Chair Rocks
A Manifesto Against Ageism
by Ashton Applewhite - No Time Like the Present
by Jack Kornfield - How to Keep House While Drowning
A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing
by K. C. Davis - Learning Humility
A Year of Searching for a Vanishing Virtue
by Richard J. Foster - True Biz
by Sara Nović
6 BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY OTHERS
I’ll be following up on MANY recommendations this month from fellow nonfiction readers. Here are 6 of those books I’ll be looking into. Have you read any of these? Would you would recommend them, too?
- Selfie
How We Became So Self-Obsessed and What It’s Doing to Us
by Will Storr
Recommended by whatsnonfiction - Decluttering at the Speed of Life
Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff
by Dana K White
Recommended by TheOCBookGirl - Revenge of the Librarians
by Tom Gauld
Recommended by WordsandPeace - The 1619 Project
by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Recommended by Unsolicitedfeedback - How the Word Is Passed
A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
by Clint Smith
Recommended by Spiritblog and by Readerbuzz - White Evangelical Racism
The Politics of Morality in America
by Anthea D. Butler
Recommended by SheSeeksNonfiction
What good book do YOU recommend? Please share in the comments.
Interesting assortment of books. I’m not a nonfiction reader but do appreciate seeing what people are finding good there. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
As always, Lisa, your book recommendations are appreciated. 🙂
Blessings!
I found both Necessary Lies and Sing You Home to be such though provoking novels. It was my first introduction to Diane Chamberlain books and I enjoyed seeking out other novels she had written as well.
The title, How to Keep House While Drowning, caught my eye. I love a good title!
Some really good recommendations. The one I find myself most drawn to is Bright-Sided.
Hi Lisa, The only one of those I’ve read is Baldwin, and I can definitely second that recommendation! I’ve also enjoyed other books by Ehrenreich but haven’t read that one, although it does sound intriguing. Positive thinking sounds like one of those things that’s hard to oppose, but I can see how it could have a dark side in terms of creating a pressure to be happy, an unhealthy denial of negative feelings, etc. So I’ll be interested to read that one!
yet again, my favorite reads this year were non-fiction. memoirs.
I also added Selfie to my TBR.
Thanks for sharing your nonfiction
I always enjoy reading your book lists and reviews, Lisa. You bring new authors to my attention.
As for nonfiction I (finally) read Atomic Habits, by James Clear. And today, I began listening to The Problem of Pain, by C. S. Lewis. And, just because my son recommended it (and he’s reading it in school, I read/listened to The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Fascinating book!
I just finished Atomic Habits. I wish I’d read it when I was so much younger because I think the trajectory of my life would be different. It’s never too late, though, and I’m grateful for that. And The Brothers . . . Fascinating indeed!
It’s that time of year when I’m putting together my reading list for next year, so I appreciate this list. I found some new options and got some confirmation about some that I’ve been considering. Thank you! So many books. So little time!
Thanks for all your wonderful posts and recommendations!
Bright-Sided and This Chair Rocks just got added to my TBR–thanks! Very interesting list.
Bright-Sided sounds like a very interesting read. I’m also curious about How To Keep House While Drowning and Decluttering At The Speed of Life. Happy Reading!
Looks like you’ve got some great ahead of you! Thanks for including one of my recommendations.
Hi Lisa,
We are many who read several books simultaneously.
Love this list of books you recommy. A great compilation since am skewed towards non-fictional work.
H E
ps. via Encouraging Hearts & Home Blog Hop
Love your lists. I always find one to order at our library so our local library thanks you too! LOL
I added a few to my wishlist from NonFicNov but found I had added a lot of people’s already from their blogs during the year.
I hope you enjoy True Biz, I really highly rated it when I read it earlier this year. I’ll look out for your review with interest.