Nonfiction November – Week 5
The 2016 edition of Nonfiction November is wrapping up. This week’s link-up is hosted by Lory at The Emerald City Book Review.
Lory asks: Which of this month’s amazing nonfiction books have made it onto my TBR?
NEW TO MY TBR LIST THIS MONTH:
Field Notes: A City Girl’s Search for Heart and Home in Rural Nova Scotia by Sara Jewell
Amazon: “Field Notes includes forty-one essays on the differences, both subtle and drastic, between city life and country living. From curious neighbours and unpredictable weather to the reality of roadkill and the wonders of wildlife, award-winning narrative journalist Sara Jewell strikes the perfect balance between honest self-examination and humorous observation.” Plus, Jewell lives just an hour down the road from me!
This was recommended by Naomi of Consumed by Ink. I already have it reserved at the library.
The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Kilmer-Purcell writes with dramatic flair and trenchant wit, uncovering mirthful metaphors as he plows through their daily experiences, meeting neighbors, signing on caretaker Farmer John, herding goats, canning tomatoes, and digging a garden, as he and his partner fix up their 205-year-old house near the hauntingly beautiful town of Sharon Springs, N.Y.
JoAnn of Lakeside Musing recommended this to me. My library ‘holds’ list now also includes this title.
When in French: Love in a Second Language by Lauren Collins
Amazon: “What does it mean to love someone in a second language? Collins wonders, as her relationship with her French boyfriend Olivier continues to grow entirely in English. Are there things she doesn’t understand about Olivier, having never spoken to him in his native tongue? Does ‘I love you’ even mean the same thing as ‘je t’aime’?”
Language, French – this is for me! I first saw this book on Kathy’s blog at Bermuda Onion, and Kate at Parchment Girl also recommended it to me. I’m so looking forward to this!
Am I Alone Here?: Notes on Living to Read and Reading to Live by Peter Orner
Amazon: “‘Stories, both my own and those I’ve taken to heart, make up whoever it is that I’ve become,’ Peter Orner writes in this collection of essays about reading, writing, and living. Orner reads—and writes—everywhere he finds himself: a hospital cafeteria, a coffee shop in Albania, or a crowded bus in Haiti. The result is ‘a book of unlearned meditations that stumbles into memoir.'”
This was on one of Deb’s lists at ReaderBuzz.
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence on her nightstand. As a result, she discovers the solace and sense of wonder that this mysterious creature brings and comes to a greater understanding of her own place in the world.
An Adventure in Reading‘s raider girl told me about this one, which is now also on my library ‘reserved’ list.
A couple of great recommendations that also made it to my TBR list came in after I wrote this post but this represents one new book for each fabulous week of Nonfiction November 2016! Are you adding any of these to your TBR list?
P.S. The links are affiliate links so I will receive a small percentage of any purchase you make after clicking through from this blog
Ooh, I have just added ‘The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating’ to my to-read list as well.
Also, isn’t it just lovely when you stumble on a book by a local author? I bet reading that book will be even more fun/meaningful for you.
I’m so looking forward to the Field Notes, Louise but I can’t take credit for stumbling on it. Naomi recommended it to me specifucally because she knows I live near the author. I’m grateful!
I own the snail book, but haven’t ever gotten to it. It sounds really interesting.
I think so,too, Rachel. I’m going to have to get it from my library.
I really like the sound of “Am I Alone Here?” I hope you enjoy it once you get to it.
I’m a sucker for anything remotely bibliophilic, Iris. I will post about what I think of Am I Alone Here?
All these are new to me, I’ll have to check them out.
I hope you find something you might like, Vicki.
Am I Alone Here? sounds great to me, too. Hope you enjoy The Bucolic Plague as much as I did!
Thanks, JoAnn – I’ll find out soon. It’s waiting at the library for me to pick up. 🙂
I do like the sound of the book about the wild snail ?
I expect a lot of introspection with the snail book, Cleo.
Welcome to Exurbanis!
Great additions! I should have had Am I Alone Here on my list. I should have done a better job tracking all my finds. I am finding several that I missed just from hopping around this morning. Enjoy your new finds.
Tracking is one thing I’ve learned to do fairly thoroughly, Toady. Reading – is something else again.
I very much enjoyed the Collins. Another French-themed read (pre-release, Apr. 2017) popped up on Edelweiss today and made me think of you: How to Make a French Family: A Memoir of Love, Food, and Faux Pas by Samantha Vérant.
The Bailey is a sweet, offbeat little book. I read it a number of years ago now. I have the Orner on my Kindle and look forward to it; books about books are (usually) safe bets for a cozy read.
That Verant sounds wonderful, Rebecca!
“Sweet and offbeat” is good – I’m looking forward to the Bailey. And I agree – books about books: how can you lose?
I was hoping the Jewell book would be at my PEI library, but it must be a very local book. Looking forward to hearing what you think about it, as well as the Snail book. Enjoy!
The Jewell book is quite new, raider Girl, so it might be available in a while?
Happy to see Field Notes on your list, Debbie! I hope to get around to writing about it soon, but I’m very behind right now. I hope you enjoy it!
I like the sound of “Am I Alone Here?” (I’m always interested in the books about reading), and the snail book sounds good, too. I think I’ve heard about that one before, but forgot about it.
(Btw, I don’t always see your posts, and then I click on one and realize I’ve missed a few. I think I’ll try subscribing by e-mail and see if that helps.)
Field Notes is the only interlibrary loan that hasn’t come through yet, Naomi. I’m wondering if it’s too new to be sent inter-library. 🙁
Subscribing is always a good idea 🙂
Yes, sometimes if I try to request new books they tell me I have to wait 6 months and try again. Unless they decide to purchase it. If you want, though, I could send you my copy! E-mail me if you’re interested. 🙂
Thanks so much for your offer of the loan! I’ll let you know after I’m next to the library. (The librarian is able to see ‘notes’ on my account that I can’t access online.)
I bought Field Notes while visiting my sister in Halifax and have now just finished. Delightful! Hope you got to read it as well. I can only imagine how familiar all the locations will be to you.