Week two is hosted by Frances at Volatile Rune. The subject is how you choose the NF books you read. I could almost just copy and paste my post from last year as I don’t think much has changed in the way I do this.
My favourite genres remain the same:
- Memoirs from actors, musicians, artists, writers, journalists and others working in the arts or media that I like or are interested in their work. More often alive rather than dead too.
- Medical books, be they memoirs, history or health-related.
- Popular Science – virtually any topic – from astronomy to quantum physics, botany to the ocean deeps, Marie Curie to fireworks, plus the environment and ecology.
- The 1960s and 1970s – the decades I grew up in. Anything relating to social history, rock’n’roll, TV and movies etc. esp if relating to South London.
- Books about books – any kind!
However, is it me, or are medical and popular science titles less in vogue, or less visible, now than they were? A few years ago, I was devouring many medical memoirs – this year, just Gabriel Weston’s latest, Alive, and only The Future of Gardens by Mark Lane ticks the popular science box. Whereas the market for self-help books of all varieties has exploded – not a genre I venture into often if at all.
So it seems I’ll stick with arts and media memoirs for now – and I’m very happy with that. And next on my list is Vagabond by Tim Curry which has an amazing cover photo.
More memoirs on the pile:
- I Shop, Therefore I Am: The ’90s, Harvey Nicks – and Me by Mary Portas
- Homework by Geoff Dyer
- Wish I was here by M John Harrison
- Berserker by Adrian Edmondson
- Doppelganger by Naomi Klein
I shall read Mary Portas next, but which of the others would you read after that?
I have the Tim Curry lined up too. Adore him!
We can compare notes. I finished it this weekend.
Doppelganger by Naomi Klein has been on my TBR for a while, it sounds very interesting.
Happy Nonfiction November
Oh how I miss the Wellcome Book Prize and its championing of health and science books! I need to catch up on the Weston.
Oh yes, I miss it too.
I might try Tim Curry’s autobio. He certainly is versatile! I don’t think many actors could go from Frank N. Furter to the nervous medical officer of The Hunt for Red October. Have you read Patrick Stewart’s Making It So? Delightful!
The Curry is brilliant. I also adored Stewart’s memoir – he’s a very generous man, simply lovely.
I have my eye on this book, too. Tim Curry is my favorite audiobook narrator, or was, before his stroke.
My week 2: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2025/11/nonfiction-november-week-two.html
His Lemony Snicket audio books were a source of great pleasure when my daughter was young.
I just finished Henry Winkler’s memoir tonight. It was so interesting hearing about his start with the Fonz, and then how he struggled to get past that stereotype for years. I alternated between reading it and listening to the audiobook, which I highly recommend.
I found Doppelganger disappointing. Yes, it must be very aggravating for Canadian Klein to be perpetually confused with American Wolf, especially as the latter has gone over to the right in politics, but the tone is bitchy. I plodded through for book group and still get the names (not the personalities) confused. The most interesting part for me was the association of ‘natural health’ idealogues and the right in the U.S. I don’t think it was a particular hit with any in my book group.
Oh! I won’t be in a rush to read that one then!
I recently read the medical related book The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke with my book club and everyone loved it.
I have heard really good things about Rachel Clarke’s books. One to remember for my book group perhaps.
I like memoirs a lot, but I prefer memoirs of regular people rather than celebrities.
I am very picky with which celebrity memoirs I read though! 😀
The Tim Curry cover is a wonderful photo. I haven’t read any of these but I share your love of memoire. I’m off to investigate the Naomi Klein title.
I also enjoy popular science books, and I definitely agree there seems to be less of them published these days!
Medical isn’t a field I venture into often but I have enjoyed ‘Brain on Fire’, in the past.
I have Klein’s ‘Doppelganger’ in my TBR as well. I’m not sure why I haven’t gotten around to it yet. And you’re right about that Tim Curry cover – amazing!