BEST OF 2017: Our Favorite Nonfiction for Adults

The books considered for our 2017 nonfiction list ran the gamut—from intensely personal memoirs to true crime investigations, travelogues, ethnographic studies, historical biographies, science texts, and even cookbooks. But even in examining all of those topics, nonfiction is an extensive and wide-ranging category to cover. For example, it's difficult to directly compare the merits of Electric Arches, Eve L. Ewing's mixed-media, poetic collection, with Samin Nostrat's beautiful and lively cooking guide Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking, in which the recipes are almost secondary.

Neither of those books made the final cut, but trust me—both are worth looking into. In the end, we went with our gut, choosing the books that each of us most enjoyed and appreciated. I think you'll find a bit of bias in the results—apparently, we really love memoirs!—but there is still a bit of variety in the final list for you to explore, to learn, and to enjoy.

(Also... in the interest of full disclosure, no one ever got around to reading that massive biography of Ulysses S. Grant. I'm still #32 on KLU's e-audiobook waitlist!)


The 2017 committee includes:

• Anna, Circulation Clerk, Mt. Washington Branch Library
• Brandy F., Reference Services, Lebanon Junction Branch Library
• Heather, BCPL Public Relations Administrative Assistant
• Marianne, Reference Services, Ridgway Memorial Library
• Tanya, Circulation Clerk, Mt. Washington Branch Library
• Tracy (that's me), BCPL Public Relations Coordinator & Committee Organizer

Alligator Candy by David Kushner

Marianne says:

An unforgettable memoir about a family's ultimate tragedy and their struggle to recover and carry on.

American Eclipse by David Baron

Marianne says:
I listened to this book in the week before the August 2017 eclipse and so really felt like I understood the excitement that the 1878 eclipse must have generated. It's an interesting and informative book about science, discovery, and invention.

American Fire by Monica Hesse

Tanya says:
I enjoy reading true crime, if it's well written, and this one definitely is. It covers all details, from beginning to end, and doesn't miss a beat. I think true crime readers will enjoy this one.
Tracy says:
This is a solid true-crime read with a little extra. The author did a masterful job putting this bizarre occurrence into thought-provoking economic and historical contexts.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Heather says:
This short, quickly moving book packs a wild punch. Mind-blowing nuggets of information given in such a way non-scientists can understand. Not to mention, Neil deGrasse Tyson himself narrates the audiobook, and his voice is like warm molasses!

Tracy says:
This gem of a book provides a clear and fascinating overview of the subject. I might have to listen to the audio again or pick up the book to fully grasp a few of the concepts—but the book is so short and accessible, I wouldn't mind that a bit. I loved the author's occasional shamelessly dorky asides.

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

Heather says:
This captivating memoir could not have been told in a more beautiful way than the graphic novel format. A raw and emotional monologue on identity and heritage.

Tracy says:
 Emotionally and visually evocative. 

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

Anna says:
I really enjoyed reading this.  It provided a broad understanding of basic civil rights issues that were going on during the 1950s and 60s in the black community. 

Tracy says:
Tyson does a clear-eyed, thorough, and thought-provoking job covering a seminal case in civil rights history, painting a vivid picture of the era's social landscape and explaining why the event is still so very relevant today. 

The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs

Brandy says:
I LOVED The Bright Hour. It's honest and thought-provoking, lyrical and touching. Heart wrenching even. It will make you laugh and make you cry. Loved every moment.

The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesenvich

Tanya says:
Very compelling read. It's almost like reading a work of fiction, but knowing it's not just amazed me. 

From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty

Anna says:
 This book is in my top three for 2017.

Heather says:
A macabre but beautiful exploration of what it means to live and die in cultures around the world. Extremely well-written and entertaining. I fought sleep to stay up and read it!

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Tracy says:
Stunning, honest, and brave. Roxane Gay is a superb talent, and I was by turns heartbroken, inspired, and awed by every word she wrote. Her story is both universal and achingly personal.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Anna says:
A well-written combination of history and memoir, told from multiple voices.

Marianne says:
Another heart-wrenching and mind-boggling history lesson about the incredible injustice dealt to the Osage American Indians by our government.

Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder

Tracy says:
I can't stop thinking about and talking about this book. It's an eye-opening look at a hidden subculture of America that is far more prevalent that we might think, based on the encounters of a journalist who embedded herself within the secret tribe of van dwellers and nomads on and off over a period of more than three years. The book does much to challenge our perceptions of "homelessness" and "houselessness," and the various "characters" and situations Bruder introduces are completely engrossing. I finished the audiobook—about 10 hours in length—in two days, listening to it on my commute, at work, while cooking dinner, and any other time I was able to squeeze it in to my day.

Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Marianne says:
This is a fascinating and astounding history lesson about life in the early 1900s for some young women who were "lucky" enough to land a lucrative job painting clock faces. You can't make this stuff up!

Tracy says:
This is a well researched, fascinating story that deserves telling. 

Rebel Mother: My Childhood Chasing the Revolution by Peter Andreas

Anna says:
Really well-written and fascinating story. I highly recommend.

Shoot Like a Girl by Mary Jennings Hegar

Anna says:
Extremely well-written and an excellent perspective on female military service.

Heather says:
 This absolutely incredible memoir is one of my favorite books of 2017. MJ's strong, she's smart, she's funny, she's flawed, and she's brilliant. She's every repressed woman reaching for a man's dream and doing it with amazing finesse. I read this book covered in goose bumps.

Traveling with Ghosts by Shannon Leone Fowler

Heather says:
A lovely, rambling monologue on love, life, tragedy, and the healing power of immersing yourself in the world after grief has changed you.

Tanya says:
What an emotional journey this takes you on. It's not just a book, but a life story, so much love and heartbreak and healing in what seemed like not enough time. A very powerful read. 

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

Tracy says:

A hypnotic blend of poetry and prose that provides a raw, searing portrait of grief, a complicated childhood, and—as can be expected from Alexie—the realities of life as a modern American Indian.

BEST OF 2016: Adult Nonfiction

As some of you may know, I tend to gravitate to fiction books over nonfiction. Case in point: of the 80+ reviews I've written for Book News & Reviews over the years, only two of them—Sex on the Moon and Tiger, Tiger—have been for nonfiction works. That's not to say I haven't read, enjoyed, and recommended plenty of nonfiction books. But perhaps I've been a bit less enthusiastic in my desire to share and talk about the nonfiction titles I've read.

But this year, there have been nonfiction books I couldn't wait to talk about. I was delighted when I learned a new essay collection would be released by Annie Dillard, a personal favorite ever since I discovered Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in an undergrad writing class. Then there was Rovelli's Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Klosterman's But What If We're Wrong?, both of which helped me finally get a word in edgewise with a certain friend who's convinced he understands all the mysteries of the universe and tends to lecture his less informed friends (like me) despite pleas for mercy. And who wouldn't want to tell everyone about a book featuring "the bad-ass librarians of Timbuktu"?

There were so many discussion-worthy nonfiction books in 2016, and not all of them could make our list of the Best Books of 2016. But if you have a favorite that didn't make our 2016 list, let us know. We're ready to talk books—fiction, nonfiction, whatever. 

The 2016 Adult Nonfiction committee includes:

• Stephanie S., Reference Services, Hillview Branch Library 
• Tanya, Circulation Clerk (various locations) 
• Tracy (that's me), BCPL Public Relations Coordinator & Committee Organizer

The Abundance by Annie Dillard

I say:
Annie Dillard can always be counted on for an offbeat perspective on seemingly everyday occurrences, and her way of observing the natural world is nothing short of inspiring. She's not for everyone, but her writing always leaves me in awe.

*E-book available via Kentucky Libraries Unbound*

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans De Waal

Stephanie says:
I am not usually one to read about science, blah! However, De Waal's book may just change that. De Waal's cross-species study of cognition is amazing, even to a layman like me. This book is to make you think twice when talking to your pets or walking through the zoo. 

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu and Their Race to Save the World’s
Most Precious Manuscripts by Joshua Hammer

Tanya says:
It had me hooked in the first chapter. There's just the right mix of history and mystery, not overwhelming with unimportant details. This is a great read!

The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama XIV and Desmond Tutu, with Douglas Abrams

Stephanie says:
LOVED it. It is a simple read, but thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational.

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Stephanie says:
Loved it! Often when a musician writes a memoir, they use the same poetry they utilize in lyric writing and the outcome is disjointed, sporadic bursts of words that end up being too stream of consciousness. That is not the case with Born to Run. Springsteen does indeed employ the poetry he is famous for, but the end result is inspiring.

Evicted by Matthew Desmond

I say:
In past years, books like Ghettoside (2015) and Behind the Beautiful Forevers (2012) have given me an eye-opening glimpse at an unfamiliar world through in-depth fieldwork and compassionate reportage. Desmond's stories of eight real families living in poverty in Milwaulkee is yet another gripping ethnographic study that I will remember for years to come. Literary journalism at its finest.

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach

Stephanie says:
This book is definitely a niche book, but it's really good!

Morgue: A Life in Death by Dr. Vincent Dimaio and Ton Franscell

Tanya says:
I absolutely loved this book! It was a fast read, with very informative insights into current cases as well as infamous cases in history.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

I say:
I got more out of this book than I retained from an entire semester of advanced high school physics and two semesters of college astronomy. Rather than introducing boring formulas I'll never use and endless technical terms and dates, Rovelli focuses on the wider theories, their inconsistencies with one another, and the questions that still exist in our understanding. In under 80 pages, he explains a century's worth of physics in conversational language, creating an accessible, beautiful meditation on physics and philosophy.

*E-book and e-audiobook formats available via Kentucky Libraries Unbound*

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

I say:
Okay, I'll be honest. I haven't quite finished this book yet (it's over 600 pages, and the audiobook I'm listening to is over 19 hours), but so far it's fascinating! So I had to put it on this list anyway, even if it's all downhill from here. Jackson's life is interesting enough on its own, but Ruth Franklin does a wonderful job of grounding Jackson's work and influence in her time and makes a convincing case for why she deserves more recognition in the greater literary canon. I'm a total book nerd with an interest in the history of publishing, so I am loving the references to Sylvia Plath, Ralph Ellison, and other writing and publishing personalities of the era as well as the insights into Jackson's life and work.

*E-audiobook available via Hoopla*

The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaiman

Stephanie says:
This is a book about writing, but more than that. It is about the love of words, sentences. Anyone who loves books for the artform that they are, for more than mere entertainment, would enjoy this book. It was written to inspire, and it did. I wanted to write in the margins and highlight my favorite passages.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I say:
What a profound and moving book this is about death and about life. It's beautifully written—I  have oodles of  passages saved in my Kindle highlights—and the author's love of literature and his command of it permeates the entire book. One of my highlights (location 355) reads as follows: "Books became my closest confidants, finely ground lenses providing new views of the world." With his own book, Kalanithi indeed provides a lens into the world, not only into his own life that ended far too soon but also a lens through which its readers can better understand their own hearts and minds.

Stephanie says:
Paul Kalanithi always wanted to be a writer; instead, he followed in his father's footsteps and became a doctor. I am sure many lives were saved by Kalaithi’s hands, but I mourn the loss of the writer. When simultaneously faced with death and new life, Kalanithi struggles with the one question we all struggle to answer; why are we here? And in my opinion, he answers it. Full of hope, full of wonder, Kalanitih will help you look at your world through a different perspective. A highly enjoyable read!

REVIEW: Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Genre: Adult Nonfiction, True Crime, Popular Science  
Audience: Older Teen/Adult
Format: Audiobook

Summary: Banished by his family at the age of nineteen, Thad Roberts was headed for a dead-end life when he suddenly grasped onto the unlikley dream of becoming an astronaut. By that time he was well into his twenties, but with the combination of hard work, natural intelligence, and a hefty dose of charm he eventually made his way into an elite NASA co-op program. But Thad's need for constant challenge, paired with a desire to impress his new girlfriend, led him to risk everything by orchestrating the theft of a priceless lunar sample, aka moon rocks.

First Line: "It had to be the strangest getaway in history."

Tracy's Thoughts:
Despite a few quibbles, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook of this "amazing story behind the most audacious heist in history," read by Casey Affleck. The story of Thad Robert's background and his improbable rise to such a coveted position is fascinating. I also enjoyed the "space geek" aspect of the book; I loved the descriptions of the Johnson Space Center, its work culture, and its accomplishments. In fact, the lead up to the robbery itself was so compelling that the actual theft and its aftermath were a bit of a letdown. The first half of this book is definitely the highlight, though caper fans may still find something to enjoy in the heist itself. Personally, I felt crucial details were glossed over and Thad's motives were somewhat underdeveloped. (Although, in Mezrich's defense this is based on a true story, and sometimes criminals' motives aren't exactly rational.) It is interesting to note that this book is written by the author of The Accidental Billionaires, and the team at Sony behind its film adaptation (The Social Network) have optioned the film rights to Sex on the Moon as well.

REVIEW: Terror by Night by Terry Caffey

Star Rating: 4/5 (Playaway audiobook)
Genre: True Crime
Audience: Adult/Upper Level Young Adult

Summary: When his young family is murdered by his own daughter's ex-boyfriend, Terry Caffey must learn to live as the only survivor of the attack and come to grips with this tragedy.  As he strives to take up his life again, he comes to a great understanding of the grace, mercy, and purpose of God. 

Lucinda's Views: This book was recommended to me by a fellow librarian and at first I was sceptical as to whether or not I would enjoy reading it.  However, I found myself glued to my headphones and caught up in the tragedy of Terry's life.  I found myself close to tears many times in this book as Terry recounted anecdotes from his family life prior to the horrific murders. 

This book does have a Christian bent, but it comes across as an integral part of the story as opposed to being didactic.  Terry's faith is the impetuous that allows him to rebuild his life and truly forgive his family's murderers including his own daughter Erin.

If you find that you like books that tell a tale of triumph over adversity and the strength of the human spirit this is a must read for you.