Nonfiction November – Week 3
This week’s link-up is hosted by Sarah at Sarah’s Book Shelves. The prompt for this week’s Nonfiction November entry is to make a pairing of a non-fiction book and a related novel.
The best match I can think of is Beginning French: Lessons from a Stone Farmhouse and the Bruno, Chief of Police series. Both are set in the same area of southern France. But I’ve talked about those books before.
So instead I’m going to present some of my reading from last year and suggest
Alan Turing, the Enigma Man by Nigel Cawthorne which supposedly was the book that the movie The Imitation Game was based on.
It’s not the most interesting lifestory I’ve ever read but it’s not bad, and it’s short.
I’d follow that up with Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis. Although these are two separate books, they’re not really, being just one long story that had to be divided up for publishing. Both concern time travel from the year 2060 to WWII England – London, Kent, and Bletchfield Park among other locales.
Willis’ time travel is complex but, in the end, it all makes sense. I did so enjoy both of these books.
Do you have interesting nonfiction/fiction pairings for me?
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Alan Turing is a character in Speak by Louisa Hall, a novel rather similar to Cloud Atlas in the way it alternates between storylines from various centuries.
Speak sounds like an interesting concept, Rebecca.
I recently finished The Last Days of Night, about Edison, Tesla and Westinghouse. Now I would like to read a biography of Tesla.
That sounds interesting, Judy. I’m intrigued by Tesla since we use his alternating current, yet Edison gets all the fame.
Interesting pairings. I am not familiar with either of these titles so I will dig further.
There is a Turing book at my audiolibrary, The Man Who Knew Too Much by David Leavitt that I’m keeping my eye on. Maybe it’s a better biography? I”ve also wanted to read a Connie Willis book. I think I read a Christmas short story book of hers, but I know people have raved about her novels. Some day, sigh.
I loved the Tesla book and would love to read more about him!
There are a lot of different Turing biographies out, raidergirl, and I have no idea which ones are good. 🙁 If you read The Man Who Knew Too Much, please let me know what you think of it!
All new titles to me… now I’m off to investigate!
I really enjoyed The Imitation Game movie. Now I don’t have to read the book! I do like time travel, though…
I love time travel, Naomi – even though sci-fi in general is not my thing.
I’m so enjoying seeing everyone’s answers for this prompt!
I loved Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s Crow Planet and over the summer I read and loved The Company of Crows by Karen Molson (a debut novel). There is a lot more to each book than crows (though I’m not saying there needs to be – I think they’re fascinating) but I think they’d make a neat set to read together. (BTW, I just started the new Connie Willis, but I’ve yet to finish that quartet you’ve mentioned!)
There were a lot fewer crows around this year, Marci, and I missed them, They are very clever! That pairing sounds like great reading. Thanks for the suggestion.
Oh, I just watched The Imitation Game for the first time over the summer, so I’m definitely putting Enigma Man on my TBR list.
The book’s not as good as the movie, Amanda but, like I said: it’s short, and it does fill in backstory that the movie couldn’t cover.
The Connie Willis books sound interesting. We keep meaning to go visit Bletchley Park, we will have to put it on our 2017 to do list!
How lovely to live close enough to visit such historic sites, Ellie!
I think I’ve considered Blackout on audible before, but I’ve not yet picked it up. I’m glad to hear that you liked it! I’ve not read anything about Turing, but I love reading about scientists and I enjoyed the Imitation Game, so I’d definitely like to pick up a biography.
Katie, as I said, this is a short biography but it was a touch dry. You might (or might not) find a better one.
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