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Nonfiction November is an unofficial holiday where book lovers commit to reading at least one nonfiction book during November (and because alliteration is cool). As 2020 is winding down, it is good to end the year with a little more knowledge than you came into it with.
‘Know My Name’ by Chanel Miller
This is a moving memoir by the formerly anonymous woman who was in the Brock Turner case. Here, Miller takes us not only to that night but to the weeks, months and years that follow as she reflects on the assault.
Since reclaiming her identity, she wrote this resilient novel and her courage has let many others step forward to share their experiences. If you have not had the chance to read this, be sure to check it out.
‘Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Boy’ by Roxane Gay
Gay is a prolific writer that has written multiple nonfiction books about feminism, the black experience in America and cultural criticism. My personal favorite of hers is this one, where she talks about body image and mental health.
Struggling with weight is something everyone experiences, but Gay opens up that conversation by talking about our relationship with food and family, and how society’s idealization of a “perfect” body pushes us to create unhealthy habits.
‘All the Real Indians Died Off: and 20 Other Myths About Native Americans’ by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it is important to be mindful of the inception of this country and some of the very racist and harmful ideas about Native Americans.
This short book could be read in one sitting, and it gives you some basic information to allow you to look at the world differently and to challenge the American-centric status-quo.
‘So You Want to Talk About Race’ by Ijeoma Oluo
There are multiple lists of books to help open up the conversation about race, but in my opinion, this is a fantastic book to start with. Oluo brings up her own experience growing up black, and how white people throughout her life have treated her--both intentionally and unintentionally.
It answers basic questions that white people, and people of other races, have and how it impacts us in our everyday lives. The title of this book is blunt and eye-catching for a reason, and while this should not be the only book you read on race, it is a great start.
