I did not manage to keep up with the weekly themes for Nonfiction November this year, but I enjoyed browsing others’ posts, and I want to thank all the hosts:
Heather – Based on a True Story
Frances – Volatile Rune
Liz – Adventures in Reading, Running and Working from Home
Rebekah – She Seeks Nonfiction
Deb – Readerbuzz
At the tail end of the month, I’m chipping in by listing ten of my favorite nonfiction reads this year. Just in case you need something to top up the TBR!
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein – Finished January 12. Starting off the year with a glimpse of alternate realities, I encountered much that was disturbing and a gleam of hope.
In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Peter Levine – Finished February 4. I find Levine’s work on somatic healing of trauma truly hopeful and inspiring, even if his book could use better editing.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea – Finished April 4. Pure delight for Shakespeare fans – full of insight into character and craft, along with priceless behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings by Mary Henley Rubio – Finished April 14. A comprehensive examination of the dark and tragic life of a writer known for uplifting stories.
Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story in Music Lessons by Jeremy Denk – Finished May 3. Part memoir, part music writing by a concert pianist I’d never heard of but now feel I know in a strangely intimate way.
Julian of Norwich: The Showings by Mirabai Starr – Finished May 9. Just beautiful, a book to live by. Starr has rendered the medieval mystic’s visions in inclusive language for today.
“But He Doesn’t Know the Territory”: The Story Behind The Music Man by Meredith Willson – Finished May 27. It’s hard now to believe the iconic American musical was ever not a sure thing, but Willson’s quirky voice tells another story.
My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remen – Finished September 9. A companion to Kitchen Table Wisdom, one of my all-time favorite books, more wise, compassionate stories to comfort and enlighten the heart.
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney – Finished October 13. I was not enamored of Romney’s overly informal style, but the information she has gathered is fascinating — concerning the largely forgotten female authors who influenced Jane Austen, and who deserve to recover their place beside her in the canon.
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman – Finished November 7. Ignore the misleading title; this is not a steamy romance novel, but a riveting memoir about two college graduates in the 1980s traveling woefully unprepared in China and making it out alive, though not unscathed.
I’m grateful to have found so much information and inspiration in my nonfiction reading this year, and look forward to more reading adventures in the year to come.
What would you put on your list of top nonfiction from 2025? Have you read any of these? Which ones interest you the most?
What an interesting list. I need to read more non-fiction.
Nonfiction November made me into a nonfiction fan, for which I am forever thankful.
That’s good to know
That’s a great list and I’ve not read any of those. I’ve had some good nonfiction reading this year, I have to say – I’m worried about choosing my top ones at the end of the year!
It was hard to choose. I had to stop somewhere, but I could have listed at least another five that were close.
Nice!
I have only read The Showings, a few decades ago.
You will find here my 3 favorites nonfiction I read in 2025:
https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/10/27/nonfiction-november-my-year-2025-in-nonfiction/
Entangled Life looks good! I need to read more science and nature, that is something that I did not do this year.
Rebecca Romney’s Austen title is tempting, even if it’s rather chatty, and I’ve already got a copy of Fanny Burney’s Evelina as a further foray into 18th-century romantic fiction.
Romney’s research was solid, and I know her colloquial style was meant make it feel accessible, it just struck an off note for me. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to all the authors on the bookshelf, but I definitely want to give Burney a try.
I also didn’t keep up with all the posts but wanted to do at least one post, like you.
I read a few books by Jane Austen and have yours on my wishlist.
Here is my post:
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/nonfiction-november-2025.html
Thanks for linking! The book “mama learn German” caught my eye especially…I do highly recommend Jane Austen’s Bookshelf to anyone interested in that author. It puts paid to the notion that she was some kind of exceptional phenomenon- she did have foremothers!
Nonfiction November always has me thinking I need to read more nonfiction! Of all the books here, Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven has caught my eye. As someone who moved to Japan with the plenty of knowledge and support gleaned from the internet, I’m always impressed by anyone who did so pre-internet. I’m not sure I read more than one non-fiction book this year but Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts would top my list.
They not only went with no Internet knowledge, but with very little knowledge of any kind. It was quite a trip. Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts does sound appealing too.
Thanks for sharing your Nonfic recommendations!
My pleasure!