Tuesday 17 November 2015

Nonfiction November: Nontraditional Nonfiction



The topic for Nonfiction November this week was one that I initially didn't think I'd be able to write about as my thoughts originally leapt to audiobooks, but then I realised hey, I can write about graphic nonfiction. I've read a fair amount of that!

This week is hosted by Becca of I'm Lost in Books and we're talking about Nontraditional Nonfiction, so head over there to find more posts on the topic!

The first part of the post is my recommendations for some brilliant graphic nonfiction, and as ever, for the second part I'll be focusing on some titles I'm interested in reading.


I was going to write about all these titles in detail but I feel like I've mentioned them all a fair amount before on the blog so instead I'll just link the titles to whatever I've written! In case you can't tell what they are: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (growing up in Iran during the revolution), Maus by Art Spiegelman (his father's experience as a Polish Jew and in concentration camps during WW2), Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (memoir of growing up and her relationship with her father), Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (memoir of growing up and various other things including depression. Hilarious), Naming Monsters by Hannah Eaton (memoir about coming to terms with losing her mother to cancer), and Relishby Lucy Knisley (memoir about growing up with food). 

* this post is not really about Relish. It's about other stuff, but I mention Relish once and how I loved it and 'am going to write about it at some point'. And then I never did. 

And some that I really want to read:


I think you can see but just in case (links go to IndieBound and are affiliate):

March: Book One by John Lewis (civil rights), Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle (journalism on Burma), Thoreau at Walden by John Porcellino (a graphic interpretation of Henry David Thoreau's Walden), Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me by Ellen Forney (memoir about creativity and mental illness) and Displacement: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisley (actually any of Lucy Knisley's books will do)

Also a couple of cool lists for more recommendations for those that want them:

A Goodreads list of Popular Graphic Nonfiction
The Atlantic's Comic Books as Journalism: 10 Masterpieces of Graphic Nonfiction

I'm hoping this weeks posts (when I get a chance to catch up with them!) will help me expand my nonfiction reading horizons even more! Have you read any of these?

5 comments:

  1. I love graphic nonfiction, so I am excited you wrote about it! Persepolis is such a great book, one I did not mention but I did love it, love it. I do hope you read March, as it is very inspiring! I really want to read Maus, Burma Chronicles, and Displacement!

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  2. I loved Persepolis and am always looking for graphic nonfiction suggestion. Hope to read Relish and Displacement soon. Will check out the list on goodreads, too. Thanks.

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  3. I've not read any graphic nonfiction, but I keep saying I'm going to grab some before the next Readathon; I need to do it now so that I don't forget! Thank you so much for these suggestions!

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  4. I've never tried graphic novels, but I hear Persepolis is fantastic!

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  5. I really like RELISH. I think of it often when I cook.
    My Nonfiction November #3

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