My Year in Nonfiction 2026
Welcome to Nonfiction November 2026! I’m eager to participate again this year. My post today is a review of the nonfiction I’ve read from November 1 2025, through November 1, 2026. I will also include titles I’m reading now or look forward to reading soon.
More information about Nonfiction November 2026: Deb @ Readerbuzz
***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
My Year in Nonfiction: Nov 1, 2025-Nov 1, 2026
Nonfiction November is an opportunity to reflect on the year, to celebrate and appreciate nonfiction, and to share recommendations.
I read THIRTEEN nonfiction books this year, and some were more enjoyable than others.
What is your favorite category of nonfiction?
I love narrative nonfiction (followed closely by thought-provoking memoirs and fascinating biographies).
Narrative Nonfiction is “Nonfiction that uses novelistic devices and strategies to shape the work. That’s material that I really like.”
~Rick Moody
For this post, I am counting my nonfiction reads from the beginning of November 2025 because those nonfiction reads were not represented in last year’s post. So my nonfiction year will be from November 1 to November 1!
My Year in Nonfiction:
Top THREE:
No One’s Coming
Family of Spies
Cleared for Takeoff
***Book titles are Amazon affiliate links or links to my blog reviews
Narrative Nonfiction
MOST PAGETURNING: No One’s Coming: The Rogue Heroes Our Government Turns to When There’s Nowhere Else to Turn by Kevin Hazzard. A dramatic and harrowing account of the rescue of medical workers from West Africa to the U.S. during the Ebola crisis. Ties with Family of Spies for Best Nonfiction read of the year. 5 Stars. My review.
MOST INTRIGUING: Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn. A fascinating story of a family caught up in Hitler’s Nazi regime. Ties with No One’s Coming for Best Nonfiction read of the year. 5 Stars. My review.
MOST HISTORICAL: Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. Fascinating account of the assassination of President James Garfield. 4 Stars. My review.
Essay Collections
MOST SPIRITUAL: Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer by Tyler Staton. Inspiring and motivational. 4 Stars.
MOST SKIPPABLE: The Little Books of Lykke: The Danish Search for the World’s Happiest People by Meik Wiking. Riding the coattails of Hygge I fear. 2 Stars.
Memoir
MOST INSPIRING: Cleared For Takeoff: A Pilot’s Memoir of Purpose and Resilience After 9/11 by Captain Nia Gilliam. An inspirational against-the-odds memoir by a Black female pilot. Nia shares the obstacles she overcame in achieving her childhood aspirations. Just when she made it, she was an eyewitness to the 9-11 attacks on the Twin Towers. 4 Stars. My review.
MOST INTERESING: Joan: Life Beyond the Script by Joan Lunden. As a young wife and mother of littles, Good Morning America with Joan Lunden was the background track to my life. I found it interesting to read her story and how she was a trailblazer in many ways. 4 Stars. My review.
MOST REFLECTIVE: You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith. Beautifully and poignant reflections on marriage and motherhood. 4 Stars.
MOST AMAZING “Against-the-odds”: This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir. A sometimes humorous, often harrowing, and definitely remarkable story of a woman who escaped an arranged marriage in India and established a successful career as a comedian in the U.S. I imagine that this might be good on audio. 4 Stars. My review.
Books About Books
MOST CHARMING AUDIO: Receipts from the Bookshop: A Bookseller’s Year in an English Seaside Town by Katie Clapham. Narrated by the author, this slice of life as a bookstore owner is amusing and light-hearted. Audio format recommended for this gentle read. 3 Stars.
MOST CONVINCING: Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell. The author traces the history of children’s literature and builds a compelling case for reading it. The title is entertaining and the content is very academic….maybe this was a class she taught? 3.5 Stars.
MOST MOTIVATIONAL FOR NEW READERS: Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Jwang Bo-Reum. If you want to be a reader, you will find many ideas for developing the pastime within these pages. Avid readers will likely not find anything new here. 3 Stars.
Slice of Life Memoir
MOST RELATABLE: Turn Right at the Rainbow: A diary of House Hunting, Happenstance, & Home by Roz Morris. If you’ve ever moved or bought a new (to you) house, you will find much to relate to within these pages. What makes a house a home? How do you know you’re making the right decision in finding your next home? All the second-guessing. 3.5 Stars.
Nonfiction TBR
On my near future nonfiction reading radar:
- London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe
- Truly: An Inspirational Musical Journey Through the Life of a Musical Legend by Lionel Richie
I’m looking for more recommendations!
Question of the Day:
Are you participating in Nonfiction November?
I’m eager to read posts from other bloggers and add inspiring nonfiction titles to my 2027 TBR! I’m especially hoping for some terrific narrative nonfiction titles and a couple of great biographies/memoirs.
Happy Reading Book Friends!
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~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
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You’ve done very well this year. Destiny of the Republic was excellent, as was Family of Spies. For once I’m not sure I’ll get anything read this month. I have two novellas done though so maybe it’s the year for NovNov and one book for Nonfiction. Usually it’s the other way for me.
Thanks! I’ve selected Truly by Lionel Richie as my November nf read. I chose audio format and I’m really enjoying his story so far!
Now I’ve got “Hello” and “Dancing on the Ceiling” in my brain!
I don’t do Nonfiction November, per se, but I do read nonfiction thru the year, and memoirs are my favorite. I just made such a list and can hardly break down which were my favorites! Taking a stab—Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart, Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur, Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee*, and Devotion by Dani Shapiro. Also Queen Meryl, a bio of Meryl Streep.
I’ve read Destiny of the Republic, excellent, and Turn Right at the Rainbow, which was right up my alley—I am interested in Cleared for Takeoff, but I have to tell you , I had a scare! This morning I saw that one of the pilots on that flight that crashed so spectacularly in Florida was a woman and I thought, Oh no, I hope it wasn’t Nia Gilliam! Then later, I saw it was a 20 year old girl co-piloting the plane!! OH. MY. WORD.
Thanks for all the great recs! I’m tempted to pick up the new Shapiro. Also, the Streep memoir!
I’m currently reading (via audio) Truly by Lionel Richie and enjoying it! I also loved Nia Gilliam’s memoir!
You’ve read some very interesting nonfiction this year. I would be intrigued to hear what you think of London Falling when you get to it. I thought it was a remarkable and courageous act of journalism. But then that’s what this author does.
I’ve read great reviews! Thanks for recommending it!