7 Books I Recommend + 7 Books Recommended to Me—November 2023
“We read books to find out who we are.”
– Ursula K. Le Guin
7 Books I Recommend
Here are 7 books I recommend from what I finished reading in November, plus 7 books recommended by other bloggers during this month of Nonfiction November.
[See previously recommended books here]
NONFICTION
1. I Didn’t Sign Up for This
A Couples Therapist Shares Real-Life Stories of Breaking Patterns and Finding Joy in Relationships, Including Her Own
by Dr. Tracy Dalgleish
This is a very interesting book by a marriage therapist about her practice with clients as well as how she needs to apply her advice to her own marriage.
2. Dr Karl’s Little Book of Climate Change Science
by Karl Kruszelnicki
If you don’t know much about climate change, this is a great starter book. It’s (mostly) easy to understand while very informative.
3. Right Kind of Wrong
The Science of Failing Well
by Amy C. Edmondson
Edmondson shares her research that creating a safe venue for failure (corporately and personally) actually sets you up for greater success.
4. How To Talk About Guns with Anyone
by Katherine Schweit
I highly recommend this book for everyone who wants to understand more about firearms, laws, amendments, attitudes, etc. around our gun culture.
5. Find the Helpers
What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hope
by Fred Guttenberg
Guttenberg is the dad of 14-year-old Jaime, who was killed by the shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This is his story before, during, and after this horrific tragedy.
6. The Day the World Came to Town
9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland
by Jim DeFede
This is a wonderful feel-good book about what happened to several planes that were re-routed from entering the U.S. after the terrible 9/11/2001 hijackings. Many went to Gander, Newfoundland, whose residents opened their hearts to the passengers for days.
FICTION
7. Counterfeit
by Kirstin Chen
This novel is about a con artist who manufactures fake designer handbags and how her hustle interferes with a college friend’s life.
WHAT I’M READING NOW
- Romney: A Reckoning
by McKay Coppins - Your Heart Was Made for This
Contemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love
by Oren Jay Sofer - Wolfpack
How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game
by Abby Wambach - Optimal Illusions
The False Promise of Optimization
by Coco Krumme - Forgive for Good
A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness
by Fred Luskin - The Fifth Agreement
by Miguel Ruiz and Jose Ruiz - When Religion Hurts You
Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High-Control Religion
by Laura E. Anderson
7 Books Recommended by Others
Here are 7 of the many titles I collected this month from the blog posts of other writers during Nonfiction November. Do you see one you’re interested in, too? See more recommendations at Hopewell’s Public Library of Life’s Week 5 roundup post.
1. Unfollow
A Journey from Hatred to Hope, Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church
Recommended by Market Garden Reader
2. Ultra-Processed People
The Science Behind Food That Isn’t Food
Recommended by Books Please
3. Avid Reader: A Life
Recommended by The Intrepid Angeleno
4. Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement
Recommended by She Seeks Nonfiction
5. Love Your Enemies
How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt
Recommended by Readerbuzz
6. Fascism: A Warning
Recommended by HopeWell’s Public Library of Life
7. The Ends of the World
Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth’s Past Mass Extinctions
Recommended by Unsolicited Feedback
What good book have you read lately? Please share in the comments.
Read more about reading:
- How Do You Decide What to Read Next?
- What Your Reading List Says About You
- Narrow Down Your Notes to Remember Your Books
I do a book linky over on my athomealot blog, you’d be welcome to join us. I love your huge selection of choices here, some not for the weak hearted for sure.
Lisa, something for everyone on this list! Thank you for sharing with us at SSPS! I appreciate it! Have a great week ahead, take care.
I loved The Day the World Came to Town, Lisa. Thanks for all the recommendations.
Blessings!
Interesting assortment of books. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Thank you Lisa for your weekend coffee share. I’ve read The Day the World Came to Town and visited the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander. I enjoyed both the book ad the museum.
Oh how fun that you visited the museum in Gander! If I’m ever up that way, I’d love to see it. (I googled the distance for fun; it’s over 1,900 miles from my house. lol)
Hi, Lisa –
You are currently reading seven books at one time?! Very impressive.
Thank you for the recommendations. I haven’t yet read anything on your list, but I continue to hear good things about 6. The Day the World Came to Town.
I’ve been reading about Army Edmondson’s new book. I am v interested in her work on “teaming”.
A good book I am reading atm is “Jerusalem: a Biography” by Simon Sebag- Montefiore. A bit of a whirlwind tour — from pre-Hebrew times to the 21st century, and a lot of fighting — but very nicely-written.
I always enjoy hearing what you’re reading too, David. Both those topics sound interesting and quite intellectual!
I Didn’t Sign Up for This and The Right Kind of Wrong both sound like books I’d like.
Your synopsis of I Didn’t Sign Up for This rings so true with me in my counseling. There have been many times when I’ve been pricked by God’s Word even as I share it with others.
I like the way you ordered this post. It was very helpful to me. Now I am adding UNFOLLOW and HOW TO TALK ABOUT GUNS WITH ANYONE to my list. THanks!
My Nonfiction wrap up at HeadFullofBooks
Great list as usual. Did you see the musical based on the Gander Newfoundland? I think it is call Come from Away. It is great.
Yes, I saw the musical and loved it, too! I feel like I understood it better from having read the book and knowing the backstory, but it would have been great even without having read the book.
oddly enough, this year hasn’t been the best reading season for me. a few good historical fiction novels and memoirs mid-year, a couple others here and there. i probably need to sit and analyze why.
mmm …
An interesting assortment. I’m currently reading several nonfiction books and listening to Christmas audio books.
I just got “The day the world came to town” and I’m really looking forward to reading it. I’m going to see the musical “Come from away,” which tells the same story, next year so I wanted to learn more about it.
Oh, I’m excited that you’re going to see the musical, Lesley! I saw it last month with some friends and it was fabulous! I read the book first too, so it was fun knowing the backstories. The musical doesn’t have time to get into all the stories, and some of them were altered from the book of course, but the basic plot was the same. I hope you love it!
I really like the sound of The Day the World Came to Town.
I’m in awe of how many books you are currently reading! I’m a strictly one book at a time peron.
Popping over from Book Worms Monthly.
That’s a good set of new additions – not too many but not almost none, which is what I ended up with by being too picky!
You’re not the obit one who likes The Right Kind of Wrong:
https://twitter.com/FT/status/1731801738783396271
Lisa, I may need to look into #4-How To Talk About Guns With Anyone. My husband would possibly enjoy that book. I’d likely dive into #1. I’d love to hear about what that marriage therapist learned through clients. Thank you for sharing this with us at the Crazy Little Love Birds link party #16. We hope you will join us again soon.
These do sound like such interesting books! I really need to start reading more non-fiction stories… that aren’t just memoirs.
There is a good mixture of books here. What I love about the linkup is connecting with other bloggers and seeing what they are reading and recommending. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Happy reading also.
Hi Lisa a good selection of books here and yet I haven’t read any of them. I love the #WOYBS link up because I hear of books which otherwise I might have missed. Thanks so much for joining us and I hope you will join us again in 2024. Happy reading! x
Hi Lisa, it’s great to see your recommendations and Dr Karl is a very clever man and popular here in Aus. You’ve included some great titles. Thanks for joining us for #WOYBS and we hope to see you next year!
Thank you for sharing these wonderful books with us at Hearth and Soul, Lisa. I always find something to add to my reading list. The book about Newfoundland 9/11 particularly appeals to me. My friend was one of the pilots who landed at Gander on 9/11 and many of the people on his plane were accommodated by the locals. (Unfortunately he had to sleep on the plane for security purposes!). Happy New Year – and thank you for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community!