2025 Favorites—Non-Fiction
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- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson - I know I say this about every other book I read but I mean it when I say this is one of the most interesting books I have read in my life. It asked so many important, engaging questions and opened my eyes to ideas and philosophies I had not fully fleshed out in my mind.
It is a staggeringly open, free, and raw examination of identity and self, queer and gender theory, death, and language. It is a memoir of a woman going through pregnancy while her partner transitions from female to male. It is a story of love. It is amazing. - Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke - The science of butts, their cultural history, and how butts are racist.
- Fox & I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven - Science writing with a personal touch. The author forms a friendship of sorts with a fox who visits her remote cabin. Through this bond she discusses solitude, connection, and loss.
- H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald - Another memoir about a woman forming a life-changing bond with an animal. A beautifully written and personal tale of grief, falconry, healing, and T. H. White.
- Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe - An interesting history of the ups and downs of Marvel comics over the years. Interesting to a comics fan, at least.
- Music is History by Questlove - Fantastic cultural criticism with music in the foreground.
- Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi - Part memoir about being an english literature professor in Iran, part literary criticism that demonstrates the relevance and meaning of fiction. Entirely captivating.
- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi - As the subtitle suggests, this book details how everything in America (not just butts) is founded on and perpetuates racist ideas and practices. It is a constant barrage of dates, names, and actions detailing America's sins and crimes against humanity.
- Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever by John McWhorter - Explores the history and ever-changing nature of language throughout time. Words and phrases that were once benign become profane and taboo (and vice-versa).
What non-fiction did you enjoy reading this year?
- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson - I know I say this about every other book I read but I mean it when I say this is one of the most interesting books I have read in my life. It asked so many important, engaging questions and opened my eyes to ideas and philosophies I had not fully fleshed out in my mind.
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I only read one nonfiction this year: Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams. It's an insider perspective about how Facebook is led and it's not pretty. Some anecdotes were entertaining but overall this was a slog for me to get through. It's embarrassing to admit, but this was my first time reading in depth about the 2017 Facebook-facilitated ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. If you want more info I would opt for an article rather than this book.
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- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson - I know I say this about every other book I read but I mean it when I say this is one of the most interesting books I have read in my life. It asked so many important, engaging questions and opened my eyes to ideas and philosophies I had not fully fleshed out in my mind.
It is a staggeringly open, free, and raw examination of identity and self, queer and gender theory, death, and language. It is a memoir of a woman going through pregnancy while her partner transitions from female to male. It is a story of love. It is amazing. - Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke - The science of butts, their cultural history, and how butts are racist.
- Fox & I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven - Science writing with a personal touch. The author forms a friendship of sorts with a fox who visits her remote cabin. Through this bond she discusses solitude, connection, and loss.
- H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald - Another memoir about a woman forming a life-changing bond with an animal. A beautifully written and personal tale of grief, falconry, healing, and T. H. White.
- Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe - An interesting history of the ups and downs of Marvel comics over the years. Interesting to a comics fan, at least.
- Music is History by Questlove - Fantastic cultural criticism with music in the foreground.
- Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi - Part memoir about being an english literature professor in Iran, part literary criticism that demonstrates the relevance and meaning of fiction. Entirely captivating.
- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi - As the subtitle suggests, this book details how everything in America (not just butts) is founded on and perpetuates racist ideas and practices. It is a constant barrage of dates, names, and actions detailing America's sins and crimes against humanity.
- Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever by John McWhorter - Explores the history and ever-changing nature of language throughout time. Words and phrases that were once benign become profane and taboo (and vice-versa).
What non-fiction did you enjoy reading this year?
@jeffmower Alright alright, Argonauts was already on my wish list but you've convinced me to actually place a hold!
- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson - I know I say this about every other book I read but I mean it when I say this is one of the most interesting books I have read in my life. It asked so many important, engaging questions and opened my eyes to ideas and philosophies I had not fully fleshed out in my mind.
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I only read one nonfiction this year: Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams. It's an insider perspective about how Facebook is led and it's not pretty. Some anecdotes were entertaining but overall this was a slog for me to get through. It's embarrassing to admit, but this was my first time reading in depth about the 2017 Facebook-facilitated ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. If you want more info I would opt for an article rather than this book.
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