Welcome to Nonfiction November! I'm sure you already had this earmarked on your calendar, but just in case you forgot, I wanted to bring it to your attention. And with Election Day, it feels like the perfect time to talk about a little something called history.
So often, when I think of nonfiction, and especially U.S. history nonfiction, I'm catapulted back to a desk in high school, staring at an outdated textbook while a teacher talks at us and flashcards filled with dates taunt me from my backpack.
But here's the thing: history is a story.
I'm the first to admit that I tend to reach for fiction over nonfiction. And yet, it's often the nonfiction books that linger in my mind the longest.
I think part of that comes from how I grew up. My mom was a history major in college. My grandma could trace our lineage back to the Founding Fathers. My dad was always up to date on current events, subscribing to multiple newspapers. In my family, U.S. history wasn't just something you learned in school. It was something you talked about around the dinner table.
My mom was particularly passionate about reminding us that history wasn't about reading a dry summary or memorizing a random date. It was about examining firsthand accounts, considering context, and asking questions. It was about understanding the people behind the events.
I feel lucky to have grown up with that perspective. Lucky to have a family that wanted to talk about roots, the importance of understanding different histories, and how the past connects to the present.
Because history is both a collective experience and a deeply personal one. Don't we all have some interesting family lore about that one long-lost relative who did something particularly great, scandalous, or downright questionable?
I actually own a shirt that says, "It's not gossip, its oral history." And while I recognize that this makes light of some pretty serious human experiences and historical tragedies, there's also a point to it. History is made up of people. People with complicated lives, big ideas, messy relationships, extraordinary experiences, and sometimes questionable decision making.
History is here and now. It's finding lost perspectives, gaining insight into ourselves, contextualizing the world around us, and recognizing that history is constructed from the stories people tell, the stories people leave out, and the stories we're still trying to uncover.
So, if the idea of reading history makes you shudder (hello, high school textbook flashbacks!), I have a few recommendations for you.
These aren't traditional history books. They're nonfiction reads that pulled me in, made me think, and gave voice to lived experiences. Because sometimes the best way to understand history isn't to start with a timeline. It's to start with a person.
A Few Nonfiction Reads to Get You Started:
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
A memoir about grief, relationships, food, and cultural identity. Come for the beautiful writing, stay for the emotional devastation. Maybe don't read this one while hungry.
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
Part music criticism, part cultural commentary, part love letter to the things that make us human. And fun bonus that Hanif Abdurraqib is a local author.
An American Girl: How a Billion Dollar Doll and Its Unlikely Founder Changed Girlhood Forever by Rachel R. Smith
An in-depth look at the woman and the business behind American Girl, that was nuanced and made me want to get my Samantha doll out of storage.
Murderland by Caroline Fraser
A deeply unsettling exploration of violence, environmental destruction, and the darker corners of American history. Equal parts fascinating and horrifying.
Educated by Tara Westover
A memoir about growing up in an isolated survivalist family and finding an education that completely changes the trajectory of her life.
So, this Nonfiction November, maybe pick up something a little different. Read about a person you've never heard of, a piece of history you've never considered, or an experience that looks nothing like your own.
You don't need to memorize a single date. You just need to be curious.
Happy reading!
