How do you decide what to read next? One of my most reliable methods is simple: I trust the readers whose taste has proven itself over time.

That’s why I look forward to Nonfiction November every year. I get to collect trustworthy recommendations from bloggers I’ve followed for years—plus discover new voices I haven’t met yet. From this year’s posts around the web, I added 24 nonfiction titles to my growing 2026 reading list.

But four books rose to the top. I’m hoping to read these by the end of the year . . . but we’ll see.

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

1. Is a River Alive?
by Robert Macfarlane

I actually started this one last Saturday. Harry first recommended it last August, and I sampled it on my Kindle then. But hearing him mention it again this month at his blog Unsolicited Feedback nudged me to bump into my end-of-year reading. It seems like a fitting choice to close out my One Word of the Year: Ripple.

Harry writes,

“Is a River Alive? is a journey into an idea that Macfarlane says changes the world: the idea that rivers are alive. The book explores what it might mean for our relationship with nature, for our laws, economies and societies if we took this idea seriously.”

2. Banned Together
Our Fight for Readers’ Rights
edited by Ashley Hope Perez

My town’s independent bookstore has spent this year in our book club spotlighting banned books, so this title immediately caught my attention as a meaningful book to close out the year. (Next year’s club theme may be nonfiction, which I’m thrilled about.)

On her blog, My Head Is Full of Books, Anne recommends Banned Together because she wishes she’d had a resource like this when she was a teen librarian.

“It is a collection of essays, short stories, memoirs, graphic novels/biographies, poems, and lists of books and resources by YA authors who have recently found themselves in the same club—authors with at least one banned book.”

3. The Afterlife of Data
What Happens to Your Information When You Die and Why You Should Care
by Carl Öhman

Because my Ripple theme this year also includes thinking more proactively about end-of-life planning, I’ve been gathering information my daughter may someday need after I die. This book recommendation about what happens to our data after we die (also by Anne!) lands at exactly the right time.

This book appealed to Anne after she was looking through Facebook friends and discovered that many of them were no longer living, yet their data lived on. I’ve had the same experience.

“Did you know in a few years [2070] there will be more dead persons’ accounts on Facebook than live persons? And businesses are attempting to monetize the relationship between social media and grief?”

4. The Common Good
by Robert Reich

In these days when public trust feels dangerously absent, this book seems especially important. When it popped up on Deb’s recommendation list at her blog , I knew it belonged on my to-read list. I want to better understand what I can realistically do as an individual to help strengthen our declining social trust.

Deb says,

“Wow—everyone needs to read this book. . . . If you are feeling bleak about America, I urge you to read this book and act in ways that will work for the common good. I intend to try.”

Next Up on My 2026 Nonfiction List

To round out the top 10 of the 24 books I’ve chosen from Nonfiction November, here are the next 6 books I’m excited to get to next year:

5. Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by B.J. Fogg, PhD, recommended by Anne
6. Monster: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer, recommended by Olivia
7. The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook by Jesselyn Cook, recommended by Heather
8. So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson, recommended by AJ
9. The View from Down Here: On being Disabled in an Ableist World by Lucy Webster, recommended by Liz
10. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by by Omar El Akkad, recommended by AJ

Your turn: What’s one nonfiction book you recommend often? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

It’s week 5 (the final week) of Nonfiction November, when we share what books made it onto our TBR. Join Deb at Readerbuzz to see more.

Nonfiction is one way we can get a glimpse into someone else’s world. This week’s theme for Nonfiction November—seeing through another’s eyes—reminds me that books have helped me understand more perspectives than I have access to in person. Books teach us so much about people of different cultures, politics, ages, abilities, and experiences.

And if we’re open to them, the diverse perspectives we meet in books can carry over to genuine connections in real life.

Here are 5 books I’ve read this year that showed me Diverse Perspectives.

The Migrants We Misjudge

Migration is one of the most natural human acts, yet certain people are punished for it while others are praised. It’s often the media we consume—not the actual facts—that determines how we view it.

In Dear America, renowned journalist Jose Antonio Vargas writes about his own difficult immigration story coming to America from the Philippines at 12 years old. But he also shares staggering statistics about immigration in general—like the billions in taxes undocumented workers pay each year and the reminder that “there is no line” here for people who want to become citizens.

“Even though it is an illegal act to enter the country without documents, it is not illegal for a person to be in the country without documents. That is a clear and crucial distinction. I am not a criminal. This is not a crime.”

As I read this book, I thought often of my own friends who have come to the United States to escape extreme violence in their own countries. I’m grateful they made it here alive.

The Justice We Skew

Arbitrary Death is quite an enlightening book about the death penalty in America.

The death penalty is often framed in legal absolutes, but author and prosecutor Rick Unklesbay—writing from firsthand experience—shows that decisions for a death sentence are actually quite arbitrary, including occasional wrongful sentencing of innocent people. Again and again he witnessed victims’ families feel no promised closure after decades of legal wrangling to see human executions.

“Are we willing to take the chance of an innocent person being executed? The alternative of life in prison without parole exists. Shouldn’t that be sufficient?”

The Struggles We Overlook

Disability Visibility opened my eyes to more struggles (practical and otherwise) than I ever knew existed for people living with disabilities. I picked this book from last year’s recommendations in Nonfiction November. So glad I did!

I learned so much from the multiple authors who share their real-life experiences in this collection of essays, including the perspective on the high cost of—and eventual resignation from—pursuing miracle cures:

“People ask me, ‘Have you tried yoga? Kombucha? This special water?’ And I don’t have the energy to explain that yes, I’ve tried them. I’ve tried crystals and healing drum circles and prayer and everything. What I want to try is acceptance. I want to see what happens if I can simply accept myself for who I am: battered, broken, hoping for relief, still enduring somehow.”

The Faith We Force

In How to End Christian Nationalism, Amanda Tyler writes from her research on Christian nationalism.

She concludes that when Christian nationalism abounds, there is no religious freedom for anyone. Why? Because . . .

“Religion that relies on state control for protection and enforcement is not a flourishing faith that can be freely chosen. . . . Christianity is not what unites us as Americans. Belonging in our society must never depend on how (or if) we worship, what we believe (or don’t), or how we identify (or don’t) religiously.”

Who is the “right person” to have a conversation with about Christian nationalism? Tyler says it’s someone you’re already connected to. Because if we can’t attend to it close to home, we won’t be able to end it in the public square. (Maybe not at the Thanksgiving table though?)

The “Them” We Mislabel

Finally, What’s Our Problem? makes a challenging suggestion: Get rid of our labels of Us vs. Them.

Tim Urban says it’s always a delusion to believe it’s only good guys vs. bad guys in this world. Rather, take the view that each person has the capacity to be both. So,

“There is no Them. Just one big Us.”

I don’t agree with everything Urban says in this book, but enough to wonder, as he suggests, if the real danger may not be that we just disagree, but that we’re losing trust in each other altogether.

Summary

Reading nonfiction through someone else’s eyes can be a shortcut to learn more compassion toward people different than us. Every person deserves to be treated with respect. The more we understand others’ lives and experiences, the easier it becomes to extend that respect.

But these particular books didn’t just help me see others more clearly—they also helped me see myself a little more clearly, too. For better and for worse. And isn’t that where real change begins?

What about you? Was there a book this year that opened your eyes to a perspective you hadn’t considered?

Share your thoughts and book suggestions in the comments.

It’s Week 4 of Nonfiction November. Find more book suggestions (and add your own) at Rebekah’s blog, She Seeks Nonfiction.

If you’re a reader, you probably have a favorite: fiction or nonfiction. Some of us love escaping into stories; others seek facts and insights.

But what if real understanding happens when you don’t choose between them, but read both?

Reading fiction and nonfiction together can deepen your perspective of both worlds. One stirs emotion; the other sharpens perspective.

Below are a few reasons why this pairing works for me—and three book pairings from what I’ve read this year.

1. Fiction Opens Your Heart; Nonfiction Opens Your Mind

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that simple (fiction and nonfiction can both open hearts and minds). Still, books we read for stories often help us feel something, while books we read for information often help us think something.

Try these two together.

Fiction: Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

The plot centers around a mysterious passenger aboard a flight who walks down the aisle predicting deaths. The story shows you the human side of how each person reacts to the news, and the ripple effect it creates in their lives.

Nonfiction: Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klaas

This fascinating look at chaos theory and randomness shows how tiny moments can have huge consequences. It’s a real-life counterpart to Moriarty’s fictional story of ripple effects.

The fiction and nonfiction together help you feel the fragility of life as well as understand why even small choices matter.

2. Together, They Give You a More Complete Picture

Fiction fleshes out a concept without having to explain it. You see it for yourself as it unfolds in a story. With nonfiction you get a full explanation with details and facts and often even possible solutions.

Fiction: The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Set in the early 1900s, this classic novel follows Celie, an African American woman, as she navigates trauma, resilience, and self-discovery in the American South.

Nonfiction: We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite by Musa al-Gharbi

This well-researched book is a thought-provoking look at how modern social justice movements intersect with class, culture, and power structures.

Read together, these two books offer a clearer picture of both historical and modern struggles over identity, race, and progress.

3. When Nonfiction Gets Heavy, Fiction Offers an Escape

Honestly, sometimes nonfiction can feel like homework, especially when the topics are intense or the science is dense. That’s where fiction provides a welcome release. Having both genres in your stack lets you match your reading mood.

Fiction: There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

This sweeping novel sucks you in over several centuries and continents, connecting four people linked by water, memory, and the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh.

Nonfiction: Returning Home to Our Bodies by Abigail Rose Clarke

This book invites self-reflection as you reconnect with their own body as part of nature—through somatics, social awareness, and imagination.

When you’re ready to go deep, pick up the nonfiction. But when you need to come up for air, reach for the novel.

The Best of Both Worlds

Pairing genres can keep your reading life fresh. Switching back and forth between fiction and nonfiction keeps your brain active and your heart engaged. It doesn’t have to be either/or.

When you need a change of pace, try adding some of both to your stack.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

More pairings here:

• The Power of Pairing Fiction and Nonfiction Books – 2024
• What Nonfiction and Fiction Books Go Well Together? – 2023
• Pair Your Nonfiction and Fiction Books – 2022

It’s Week 3 of Nonfiction November: Book Pairings. Find more pairings (and add your own) at Liz’s blog, Adventures in Reading, Running, and Working from Home.

Week 2 of Nonfiction November is about Choosing Nonfiction. Here are a couple questions I often ask when I decide on a nonfiction book:

• Can I do something with this book besides just read it?
• How can I experience this for myself, too?

(Disclaimer: I also love novels! But I read them for escape, for fun, and for entertainment. If it turns out to prompt action, too, well, that’s just bonus.)

5 Reasons to Do a Book Instead of Just Reading It

Here are 5 reasons why I find doing a book to be beneficial—and a book suggestion for each.

1. YOU UNDERSTAND BETTER WHEN YOU PRACTICE.

Reading about something is one thing. Doing it is another. To get better at basketball, for example, you don’t just read about plays and strategies; you pick up a ball and play.

“Doing” a book works the same way to me. Answer the journal prompts. Try the exercises. Experience the game, when possible.

My book club recently finished Priya Parker’s book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters.

But instead of only reading it, we are trying to individually experiment with Parker’s ideas in our own gatherings. It’s been interesting to try new strategies in how we meet with others.

2. YOU DISCOVER BLIND SPOTS.

My friend showed me how to do something. It looked easy. Until I tried it myself. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know until you actually try it yourself.

Here’s a book that is perfect for this if you want to discover your blind spots: Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World by Scott Shigeoka.

While reading about curiosity is one form of practicing curiosity, it’s more beneficial if you take the material outside the book to see where you can improve.

Shigeoka suggests practical tips, like acknowledge small bids for attention, take a “brave pause,” or ask yourself key questions before taking action.

While we want to learn from others’ mistakes, the strongest lessons still come when we experience our own.

3. DOING MAKES IT STICK.

We retain what we do longer than what we simply read. Books that get us out of our heads and into our bodies make knowledge stick around better.

This book did it for me: Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives by Sami Sage and Emily Amick.

Some of its practical suggestions include:

• Audit your news consumption
• Create a civic calendar
• Show up at local events
• Join a nonprofit
• Call your representatives
• Celebrate small wins

At the book’s prompting, I finally downloaded the Five Calls app for calling Congress, and now I use it to keep up with my calls to representatives instead of starting every time from scratch.

4. DOING BUILDS CONFIDENCE.

This summer when I realized I was on my phone too often, I read this book for strategies: How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price.

In it, she instructs the reader to actually pull out their phone and do things like this:

• Set a digital Sabbath
• Assign a bedtime and wake-up time for your phone
• Establish no-phone zones in your home
• Unsubscribe instead of just delete unwanted emails

These are all actions I can do (well, some of the time anyway?), thus building my confidence (a little) that I can control my phone instead of my phone controlling me. This one is still a work in progress for me….

5. DOING TURNS KNOWLEDGE INTO WISDOM.

After watching the encouraging reels by James ‘Fish’ Gill on Instagram, I grabbed a copy of his book about relationships: How to Fall in Love with Humanity: 16 Life-Changing Practices for Radical Compassion. And I’m so glad I did.

His insightful advice can improve relationships—but only if they’re practiced.

Here are some examples from his book, things you may already know but good reminders to practice them:

• Share your experience, not your analysis
• Listen to understand, not just to respond
• Ask questions with curiosity, not assumption
• Witness both the yearnings and the pains of others

Learning is rarely one-and-done. It takes time and repetition to go from head-knowledge to heart-wisdom. 

The Takeaway

Books aren’t only for your thinking—they’re also for your living.

The best nonfiction doesn’t just inform. It challenges you to act.

So read a book, then do it, and watch for the changes that follow.

Which book have you read recently that you could put into practice? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Read more about reading:

• 5 Ways to Get More From Reading Nonfiction Books
  Don’t just read a book. Do the book. See 5 ways to get more from reading nonfiction books.
• Read What Matters Most
  Explore 5 inspiring nonfiction books on productivity and aging to help you use your time wisely, live intentionally, and read what matters most to you.
• Can a Book Make You Do Something?
  It’s easy to read and forget. But instead, what if we read and do? Can a book inspire you to do something?

Find more posts on choosing nonfiction books at Frances’s blog, Volatile Rune, for week 2 of Nonfiction November.

Each November, nonfiction lovers pause to reflect on the books that have shaped us over the past year. Week 1’s theme—Celebrate Your Year of Nonfiction—invites us to look back at favorite books, topics, and what we want to explore next.

But here’s the challenge:

So many books, so little time.

Eventually we readers realize this truth—there’s not enough time left to read everything we want to.

So how do we choose wisely?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula.

You likely do what I do to decide what to read next:

• take recommendations from trusted reader friends with similar tastes,
• sample fresh books that break new ground,
• reread old books that stand the test of time,
• follow your personal curiosities, and
• know when to stop reading a boring book.

This year, especially relevant with my year of Ripple, I’ve been drawn to this theme: making the most of my time while I’m here—both in reading and in life.

To help with that, two topics have stood out in my nonfiction stack in 2025: productivity (time management) and presence (aging well). These books encouraged me to use my limited days (and book time) with more focus and intention while also accepting my finitude with more grace and clarity.

Five Favorite Books on Using Your Time Well

Here are my five favorite books so far this year on managing our remaining years better. I hope they inspire you, too—not just to read more books, but to spend your reading time (and all your time) on what truly matters most to you.

1. Tranquility by Tuesday
9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters
by Laura Vanderkam

I’ve been working through Vanderkam’s nine strategies this year to give me a better perspective about time. Such as, I now have a weekly planning session with myself each Friday about my week ahead (it only takes about 10 minutes). I see what things I have to do, such as appointments, but also create slots to fit in things that I want to do, like working a jigsaw puzzle.

I hope I keep this habit going forward because it’s made such a difference—this year I’ve already put together another photo album, almost finished my end-of-life documents (Jenna will thank me later for this one!), learned new piano songs, and begun reading my and my mother’s old journals.

2. Advice for Future Corpses (And Those Who Love Them)
A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying
by Sallie Tisdale

This book about death and dying is fascinating, but not in a creepy way. Tisdale’s experience as a nurse in palliative care brings a wise perspective on what to say and not to say to a dying person; how the last few weeks of life can look; what options are available for the body after death; and how to grieve your own future death.

Death is a given for each of us, so why not be better informed about it?

3. Aging as a Spiritual Practice
A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser
by Lewis Richmond

I used the schedule in this book last December to reflect back on my year (and life) and think about my years ahead in a more intentional way. I hope to do it again this year as I reread this book.

It is full of personal reflections and practical meditations with wisdom gleaned from Buddhist philosophy. I want my aging to be an opportunity for growth instead of something to dread.

4. Meditations for Mortals
Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts
by Oliver Burkeman

Highly recommend! (And it’s NOT about meditating.) I read the short 28 chapters during the 28 days of February as an apt reminder that I’ll never get everything done—and that it’s perfectly okay.

One idea that has stuff with me is Burkeman’s 70% rule—that a 70% readiness is fine to put most things into the world, even if they feel unfinished, imperfect, or below our best. Life is too short to wait for perfection. Focus most on what matters most—even with its imperfections—in your limited time here.

5. Joyspan
The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half
by Dr. Kerry Burnight

Joyspan is a very practical book. Dr. Burnight provides one idea after another on how to live a more joyful life, not just a longer life. While you’ll know some of these things already, it’s nice to hear how they all add up—things that help you grow, stay connected, be flexible, and give back.

Aging isn’t all downhill; there are many things that can actually improve as we age, and this book shines a light on those.

What’s a common denominator in these 5 books?

Not only is each book interesting to read, but each one prompts me to set the book down when I’m finished and go live a more interesting life.

That makes a book worth reading to me.

What helps you decide which books are worth your time? What’s a favorite nonfiction book you’ve read this year—or a topic you want to explore more?

Share in the comments.

Find more posts on Favorite books at Heather’s blog, Based on a True Story, for week 1 of Nonfiction November.

“A good book is an event in my life.”
― Stendhal

To Read or Not to Read

Let’s say you just got a book recommendation. How do you decide whether or not to take it?

Sometimes you question the book. Here are a few questions I ask myself.

• Does this topic interest me?
• How many pages is it?
• Do I have time and the mental bandwidth for it right now?
• Could it help me with something?
• Would it be entertaining?
• Does my library have it? 

Other times, you question the recommender.

• Are they a reader themselves?
• Do we have the same taste?
• Can I trust their values or expertise on this subject?
• How well do they know me?
• Have they recommended books in the past that I’ve liked?

So last week I saw a list recommending 21 books. That’s too many. I almost didn’t even look at it.

Until I saw who it was from: Daniel Pink.

And why he recommended these books: they changed his life.

Daniel Pink is one of my trusted guides. Through the years, I’ve read many books at his suggestion, and never regretted any of them. He is also an author himself of seven New York Times best sellers (I’ve read five and I highly recommend them).

• A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. Copyright 2005. One of my top 10 books I read in 2013
• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Copyright 2009.
• To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. Copyright 2012. One of my top 5 social sciences book I read in 2015
• When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. Copyright 2018. One of my top 10 books I read in 2018
• The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. Copyright 2022. One of 5 books that changed me in 2022

So I made a decision: look at his list and watch his video.

A Little Headstart

Of the 21 books in this list that changed his life, I’d already read 9 of them. I wonder if some were because of his recommendation?

This gives me a lot of confidence in the remaining 12 books, which I now plan to read over the next 12 months, aiming for 1 book per month, along with other books I’ll also be reading.

His list of books is good enough for me to pass along to you, too—especially my fellow book lovers— for your own journey of learning, growing, and maybe even reshaping the way we see the world.

Some of the books are recent. Some are decades old, but they’ve aged well. Reading them now—wherever you are—will still feel relevant.

I created my own pdf to check off the 21 books (well, I politely asked AI to set it up for me, and it did, of course, then I tweaked it). You can download the pdf at the bottom of this post if you’d like your own checklist, too.

Why You Should Watch the Video (Even If You Don’t Read the Books)

However, maybe you’re not a big reader. The list has zero appeal to you.

Nonetheless, I encourage you to watch his video anyway. Put it on double speed if you don’t have 18 minutes.

Why? Because Pink doesn’t just name-drop titles here. He explains why each book matters, how it shifted his thinking, and what kind of ripple effect it had on his life and work.

So even if you never pick up a single book from the list, you’ll pick up insights and aha moments just from the video itself.

The List

Here are 9 books from the list I’ve already read, so I can join Pink in highly recommending each of these myself.

1. Grit by Angela Duckworth, 2016. Read 2017.
3. Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, 1990. Read ???.
4. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, 2002. Read 2014.
5. The Stoic Challenge by William Irvine, 2019. Read 2020.
14. The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt, 2012. Read 2017.
17. Scarcity by by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir, 2013. Read 2021.
18. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont, 1994. Read 2008.
20. Moneyball by Michael Lewis, 2003. Read 2007.
21. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, 1946. Read 2006.

And here are the 12 books I plan to read over the next year. Some are on my to-read list already. I’m starting this month with The Sports Gene since my library has it available both as an ebook and hardcopy.

2. Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke, 2018.
6. The Sports Gene by David Epstein, 2013.
7. Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt, 2019.
8. Give and Take by Adam Grant, 2013.
9. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, 2018.
10. Unfair by Adam Benforado, 2015.
11. Influence by Robert Cialdini, 2013.
12. Rule Makers, Rule Breakers by Michele Gelfand, 2018.
13. The Genetic Lottery by Kathryn Paige Harden, 2021.
15. Uncivil Agreement by Lilliana Mason, 2018.
16. Mindset by Carol Dweck, 2006, 2016.
19. Nonzero by Robert Wright, 1999.

I’ll share reflections along the way—maybe a quote, a new thought, or if anything creates a mindset shift in me—because that’s what these kind of books do. They nudge us to become more aware of ourselves and our world, and then hopefully make the world just a little better.

Daniel Pink ends his video by saying,

“When we read books like these we change our minds, and when we change our minds we change the world.”

I couldn’t agree more.

How do you decide about book recommendations? Have you read any on Pink’s list? Which would you most like to read? If you read one, let me know and we’ll talk about it together.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Want the full list of all 21 books? I created a printable for you here, “21 Books Recommended by Daniel Pink.”

If the books on my Kindle could talk, I imagine they’d be deep in a heated debate right now. Two of the books I’m currently reading are Forgive for Good alongside You Don’t Need to Forgive.

On one hand, Forgive for Good makes the case for peace that comes with forgiveness. Fred Luskin writes:

“The most important benefit of forgiveness is our assertion that we are not victims of the past. We cannot change the past so we must find a way to resolve painful memories. Forgiveness provides the key to acknowledge the past and move on. When we can forgive we have less to be afraid of.”

But on the other hand, Amanda Ann Gregory writes in You Don’t Need to Forgive:

“My point is that forgiveness should not be regarded as a compulsory component of any trauma-recovering process, or as a prerequisite for ‘moving forward.’ . . . Forgiveness is not required to recover from trauma, but safety is.” 

I didn’t intentionally choose to read these books at the same time. But here they are, staring at each other every time I open my Kindle each morning, challenging me to hold two viewpoints at once.

They remind me that while some truths are black and white—actions speak louder than words, love is stronger than hate, holding a grudge is harmful—other things live in gray spaces.

• Is forgiveness one of those gray areas?
• Does recovery come only if there is forgiveness?
• Is there a level of harm so great that forgiveness becomes an unfair burden to demand?

Both authors agree that when possible, forgiveness can be a healthy, healing process. Their disagreement seems to be whether forgiveness is the sole path to healing. (And another complicating factor is how you define forgiveness; it’s complex.)

But this is what I love about reading books that seem to contradict each other: they force me to ask questions beyond my initial assumptions. They require me to dig a little deeper than I would on my own.

My brain isn’t always happy about the challenge. It’s easier to stick with what we already know. Don’t challenge the status quo. Stick with the familiar stories.

But more often than not, wisdom comes from considering opposing ideas instead of packaging a quick resolution into tiny, tidy boxes.

So as my Kindle quietly hosts the ongoing debate on forgiveness (and more), I’ll also keep the conversation active in my own mind. Maybe I’ll come to a new conclusion. Or maybe not.

Either way, maybe the most important thing I’m learning is there may not be a final answer to every dilemma. Rewards come through staying open to the questions.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

We’ve all felt it—the mental clutter from living in an age of dinging notifications, scrolling, and digital distractions. Information overload is a real thing.

Maybe we don’t need another book—with even more information—to identify the problem.

But what if that book offered a blueprint for the way out? Sometimes a single book is enough to challenge our assumptions and shift our behavior.

This might be that book: Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. It is a wake-up call to any of us living in the smartphone era.

Haidt tackles a question that gnaws at us as we notice the difference between our childhoods and the one that many of today’s kids are experiencing. How dangerous is the shift from the “play-based childhood” many of us grew up with—filled with tree climbing and hide-and-seek—to today’s “phone-based childhood,” dominated by selfies, TikTok, and endless texting?

The answer is chilling: it’s not just a change; it’s a crisis.

The data Haidt presents is staggering. The rise of smartphones and social media isn’t just altering how kids spend their time; it’s causing a mental health epidemic. Rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm have soared, especially for girls, as screens rewire their brains in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

Reading this book made me pause and reconsider my own relationship with screens. No, I’m not tossing my phone in the nearest river (my neighbor accidentally did that; it was painful to even hear about the experience).

But Haidt’s book is pushing me to think about the opportunities we might be missing for real connection because of our split attention between the in-person world and the virtual one.

Herein lies the beauty of reading good nonfiction. It not only highlights a problem, but it also shares research on practical solutions. Books like Haidt’s are meant to move us into action. Whether it’s advocating for tech reforms, setting boundaries around screen time in our homes, or simply having conversations about these issues, Haidt offers four rules in his book that can help us find a better balance.

So if you’re ready to rethink your relationship with technology—and to help the next generation do the same—I recommend you also read The Anxious Generation. (Full disclosure: ironically, I read this book on a screen.)

And then maybe set aside your phone for an hour. Or two. Or a day. Talk to a friend, have a meal together, or just enjoy the quiet. See how good it can feel to live untethered.

For Week 4 of Nonfiction November, we’re sharing mind-opening books at Rebekah’s.

What book has opened your mind? Share in the comments here.

• Nonfiction November 2024 Week 1
  My Must-Read Nonfiction Recommendations: Books that Deepen Connections
• Nonfiction November 2024 Week 2
  4 Inspiring Nonfiction Books for Readers, Writers, and Talkers
• Nonfiction November 2024 Week 3
  The Power of Pairing Fiction and Nonfiction Books

Maybe you prefer fiction over nonfiction. Or vice versa. But often they’re better together.

Sometimes when I’m caught up in a great story in a nonfiction book I have to stop and check the cover: “This is really nonfiction, right?” Nonfiction can contain some amazing stories.

Or sometimes I’m reading a novel and note, “This happens in real life too!” It feels so true.

We often think of nonfiction and fiction as opposite genres, yet they have more in common than we realize. They both can educate, entertain, and open our eyes to new things. They both can have either great endings or no ending at all. They both can impact our real lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined.

Imaginary or true, stories we read in books can encourage us to be braver, kinder, and more compassionate human beings in this world.

For Week 3 of Nonfiction November, we’re pairing nonfiction and fiction books to create a dynamic reading experience. Here are four sets of books I recommend that combine the heart of storytelling with the depth of real-life insights.

Book Pair #1

• FICTION: The Women by Kristin Hannah
• NONFICTION: Cloistered: My Years as a Nun by Catherine Coldstream

In The Women, Frankie joins the Army Nurse Corps during Vietnam, only to find her hardest battle begins when she returns home to a divided America.

In Cloistered, Catherine seeks purpose in a silent monastery, but discovers the dangers of blind loyalty and ultimately must choose between obedience or reclaiming her voice.

Together, these books reveal the price of idealism—and the strength it takes to find truth.

Book Pair #2

• FICTION: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
• NONFICTION: With the Devil’s Help: A True Story of Poverty, Mental Illness, and Murder by Neal Wooten

The Covenant of Water is a multi-generational family saga set in India. Much of it is centered around a family curse tied to water.

With the Devil’s Help also follows multiple generations but tells a true story of abusive men and hidden family secrets.

Both books explore a common thread of resiliency by a few strong family members who fight to break free of generational trauma.

Book Pair #3

• FICTION: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
• NONFICTION: Children Under Fire: An American Crisis by John Woodrow Cox

The House in the Cerulean Sea tells the story of a group of special children living in an orphanage. Linus Baker, a 40-year-old case worker, is assigned to assess the orphanage and quickly notices many unusual happenings.

In Children Under Fire, we hear stories of two young children traumatized by the loss of a friend or family member to gun violence. The book tells intimate details about their lives as they learn to cope with their losses and the ripple effects that follow.

Each of these books will motivate you to look around for the vulnerable children in your own circles and be a steady force for justice in their lives.

Book Pair #4

• FICTION: It Ends with Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
• NONFICTION: A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy by Tia Levings

It Ends with Us follows Lily, a young woman who finds herself trapped in an abusive marriage with a neurosurgeon who is successful on the outside, but who is troubled behind closed doors.

Tia tells a similar story about her life in A Well-Trained Wife. In her quest to be a godly Christian wife, she discovers she is married to a man whose abuse demands far more than anyone should bear.

The women in both these books tell stories I’d rather not know about, but ones I know occur every day around us. Becoming aware of domestic violence is a first step in learning how to help stop it.

Do you have a favorite fiction/nonfiction pairing? Share in the comments here.

• Nonfiction November 2024 Week 1
  My Must-Read Nonfiction Recommendations: Books that Deepen Connections
• Nonfiction November 2024 Week 2
  4 Inspiring Nonfiction Books for Readers, Writers, and Talkers
• Read from other readers at Nonfiction November Week 3
  Fiction/Nonfiction Pairings at Liz’s blog

Here are my book pairings from previous years:

• Why Fiction and Nonfiction Are More Alike Than You Think
  Whether we’re grabbing a novel or a nonfiction book, either one can be entertaining, encouraging and educational. You choose. I offer 4 sets here.
• Fiction and Nonfiction Books that Go Together 
  Have you noticed how these can come in pairs? Here are 4 pairings I like.
• 4 Pairs of Nonfiction and Fiction Books
  Fiction books can grab our hearts to make us care about nonfiction information. See four pairings here of nonfiction and fiction.
• What Nonfiction and Fiction Books Go Well Together?
  Many nonfiction and fiction books go well together. Here are 4 sets I found in my reading in 2023.

When I pick up a nonfiction book, I want it to do more than provide words to read; I want it to change me. I love books that are useful. That teach me something. That prompt me to think wider, to behave better, to love deeper.

Some books do this; some don’t.

For books that do prompt action, it’s often because the author: (1) has something worth saying, and (2) knows how to say it effectively and efficiently (and if we’re lucky, also beautifully).

While I can’t assert that what I say is worth saying (1), I can make better efforts to say it better (2). That’s why I like to read books about reading and writing and just communicating in general. I like learning why people choose the words they do, how they communicate their messages so powerfully, and what keeps them motivated to keep reading, writing, and talking.

For Week 2 of Nonfiction November, I’m sharing four standout books I’ve read this year on reading, writing, and communicating. If you, too, are interested in how to better convey your thoughts and tell your stories, I highly recommend any of these as additions to your own reading list.

1. Writing for Busy Readers
Communicate More Effectively in the Real World
by Todd Rogers

Everybody writes—whether it’s emails, texts, contracts, blogs, etc. This practical book offers straightforward advice on how to improve your writing, making it easier and quicker for others to understand what you’re saying.

Some of their tips for easier-to-read writing are:

• Less is more—use fewer words.
• Use short, common words.
• Write straightforward and shorter sentences. (Did you know? Novels published in 1800 averaged 27 words per sentence, whereas those published in 2000 averaged just 10 words per sentence.)

2. Magic Words
by Jonah Berger

Words matter. Altering just a few words here and there can make all the difference.

For example:

• Use nouns (say, “I’m a runner”) instead of verbs (“I run”) to better motivate yourself.
• Instead of saying you “can’t” eat the extra helping, say I “don’t” eat extra helpings.
• Instead of saying I “should” get up earlier, say I “could” get up earlier.

3. Write a Must-Read
Craft a Book That Changes Lives―Including Your Own
by A.J. Harper

I started writing a nonfiction book last year. But I’ve done nothing with it this year. However, while reading A.J. Harper’s book this spring about how to write a book, I became inspired again. When I do pick up my book later, I’ll definitely follow A.J.’s advice about the writing and editing processes.

4. Supercommunicators
How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection
by Charles Duhigg

If you’re able to talk about difficult topics, if you’re able to discuss opposite viewpoints, or if you’re able to get others to speak up, you might already be a supercommunicator. And for the rest of us, we can improve by reading (and doing) this book.

From Supercommunicators, here are three common conversations we all have:

1. The “What’s this really about?” Conversation
This one is practical. It deals with facts. It is helpful when we need to make a decision and move on.

2. The “How do we feel?” Conversation
When we need to connect on an emotional level, this is the conversation to have. It invites awareness of our emotions, beliefs, and memories.

3. The “Who are we?” Conversation
We tap into a broader, more social mindset with these conversations. These help us acknowledge social differences rather than pretending they don’t exist.

Read more about them here: Which of These 3 Conversations Are You Having? Insights from a Doctor’s Office.

Nonfiction November Week 1: My Must-Read Nonfiction Recommendations: Books that Deepen Connections

It’s Week 2! Link up about your year in nonfiction for Week 2 of Nonfiction November with Frances.

Do you read books about writing and/reading, too? Share your thoughts (and book recommendations!) in the comments.

Read More:

• 3 Reasons You Don’t Read Nonfiction and Why You Should Anyway
  Think about why you don’t read nonfiction books. Might you change your mind?
• What’s Your Favorite Nonfiction Category?
  What categories of nonfiction do you prefer to read? How much does the title influence you? The cover?
• Can a Book Make You Do Something?
  It’s easy to forget what you just read. Instead, what if you just put it into action? How can a book encourage you to make change?