Nonfiction November, 2025
- thecontentreader
- Oct 29
- 3 min read
Week 1 (10/27-11/2) Your Year in Nonfiction: Celebrate your year of nonfiction. What books have you read? What were your favorites? Have you had a favorite topic? Is there a topic you want to read about more? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? (Heather)
What nonfiction books have I read so far this year?
When looking back I thought I had not read that many, but it turned out to be 25 books. I did not write many reviews this year, but I link those I did. Those connected to Paris are short reviews, in the same post. The rest of them mostly are mentioned in my wrap-up for each month.
Jag såg kärleken och döden by Erik Eriksson
Vad gör alla superokända människor hela dagarna by Fredrik Lindström
ABC-bok för vuxna by Sara
The Lost Café Schindler by Meriel Schindler
Min bokvärld by Kerstin Ekman
The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, a Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter
Talk to the Snail, Ten Commandments for Understanding the French by Stephen Clarke
Otroliga Historier, Ur vår danska historia by Birgitta Petrén
Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
101 World Heroes: Great Men and Women Who Changed History by Simon Sebag Montefiore
Lagom finns bara i Sverige, och andra myter om språk by Mikael Parkvall
Tamara, Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium by Tamara Talbot Rice
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by david sedaris
Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks
Sex with kings, 500 years of adultery, power, rivalry and revenge by Eleanor Herman
Gilgamesh
Kungar, En världshistoria by Erik Petersson
What were your favourites?
Tunnel 29 by Helen Merriman was a fantastic, true story on escaping through the Berlin wall. More fantastic than any story you can make up. Sex with Kings by Eleanor Herman, and Kungar, en världshistoria (Kings, A World History) by Erik Petersson. Petersson's history of the power of leaders were really interesting and gives a different view on historical events, and they way nations are led. Herman takes us into the bed chambers of kings and the tough life of being a royal mistress. It also fitted well with Mitford's Madame de Pompadour.
Drakspår (Dragon trails) is another interesting book looking into the origins of dragons.
Have you had a favourite topic?
I am mostly interested in nonfiction history books, and that is what I mostly read. It is mixed with biographies, mostly about authors, but also other interesting people.
Is there a topic you want to read about more?
I stick to history here as well. I would like to do more connected reading. Concentrating on a specific historical era and learning more about that time. Maybe even trying to learn a language connected to it.
I am presently travelling in South Korea and Japan. I have downloaded a few books, both nonfiction and fiction, to read during this time. Not much time to read though. The history of South Korea is very interesting, and I don't know very much about this area. We have a great guide, so also get a lot of information about how Koreans live today, and how the society works. It is all very interesting.
What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?
The great things with this challenge is to discuss nonfiction with other enthusiasts. To see what interested other readers, and how they get around to read the nonfiction they like. The variety of interests from other bloggers. A great month in other words.
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I'm planning to read Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman. I'm glad to see how much you enjoyed it. I hope you have a lovely Nonfiction November.