It’s that time of year when nonfiction about changing your life is everywhere. I’m not a huge nonfiction reader, and I often find self-help books repetitive and not always helpful.
But I have read a small handful that were life-changing. So, I’m curious! What nonfiction books have you read that you found life-changing or super helpful? 📚 ✏️ 📓 💡 🧠
I’d love to hear your recommendations and I’ll start us off in the comments! ⬇️
I have two recs, one that I finished earlier this week and one I read about two years ago now. Both made me rethink the way I look at time, productivity, and where I put my attention in general.
The first is Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It's a philosophical approach to how we spend our limited time on earth and I loved it! It gave me a mild existential crisis, but also put a lot in perspective.
The second is Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport and it definitely changed the way I use technology and social media. It was so helpful, practical, and it's principal of "choose what's important to you to focus on and happily miss out on the rest" has been such a mantra in so many areas of my life since reading it (including my reading life!).
I read "No Ordinary Assignment" by Jane Ferguson and found her experiences, insight and courage just amazing. A completely different view of war from what the media shows.
I listened to Henry Winkler (and his wife) narrate his book "Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond". It was more life affirming than life-changing. His humor, determination, joie de vivre and authenticity were heartwarming and inspiring. He genuinely loves life and it comes through. Even with adversity, struggles he's endured he's just so upbeat. A feel good book for me
I've really loved Creativity Inc (Ed Catmull) and Quiet (Susan Cain). Both were more useful for me as an employee of a big corporation though.... they were better management books than books I've read on management. Creativity Inc especially for tech managers managing creatives! Plus, all the juicy tea from pixar as a bonus.. And Quiet is THE book on introverts, which I read along with my boss and made her question the open office layout she chose for our office remodel 😅. And Stephen King's "On Writing" is such a masterpiece of writing advice! I'm not even a writer, but working in the creative industry, this book has served me well in it too. It's not just for writers!
But my favorite nonfiction are history books (I know! I'm 40 and into history, what a cliche!). I feel like there's a lot of growth in learning the history of the world, so I've been looking for books on history of the places I'm from (Brazil and US) and places I know almost nothing about (anyone has a good rec on history books about China or South Africa?).
I always hear such amazing things about Quiet and want to read it (especially as an introvert!). Also, I love when non-fiction books unexpectedly relate to work or areas they aren't specifically about. That is the best!
When my father passed away suddenly two years ago, I was completely floored with grief and pain. at 38, I just couldn't see a world without him. Someone gave me "Lost & Found: A Memoir", which had come out a few days before my dad died. This book helped me understand grief so much as Kathryn Schulz put words on feelings that I couldn't express. I read a excerpt of the book at my dad's funeral as well. I'm not sure I would have been able to go through this period with this book.
Oh, Marie, I can only imagine! Books are especially so helpful to making sense of our experiences. I'm so glad that one found you at the right moment when you needed it.
Same here! Not a huge fan of nonfiction books (the only exception are books on writing), but these two are really great: 1) Wintering by Katherine May 2) Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
Ah, I really want to read Wintering! I hear great things and feel like I should have read it by now living in a place that has such a fluctuation in pace of life because of the seasons. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it so much.
Same here, not huge nonfiction reader. But there are a few gems out there, Taste by Stanley Tucci and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. On the other side of the spectrum, Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson. This one is about the prison uprisings at Attica in the 70s. Not exactly inspirational, but very well-written and well researched.
What great ones, Jael! Taste and Bird by Bird are recommended to me often, so I look forward to reading them. I've heard great things about Taste as an audiobook, too!
I’m currently reading The Lost Supper by Teras Grescoe. It’s not a self-help book, but it is non-fiction, educational, eye-opening, and at times entertaining. If you care about food, your body, and the earth, this is a great read!
Four Thousand Weeks gave me a lot of food for thought but my particularly favorite genre of non-fiction relates to environmental & nutrition knowledge & the intersection of both. I learned so much from How Not to Die, I’m planning to re-listen to it. In Defense of Food was also interesting & it’s been a long time since I read it but Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer & his second book on the topic, We Are The Weather were great too.
Such an important topic! You're inspiring me to pick up one of these. Also, you were the one who first sent me the Four Thousand Weeks recommendation a few years ago and I just finished it and, wow! Thank you for sharing it.
It's quite woo, but a massive read for me was Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarrissa Pinkola Estés. It was the first "self help" book I read that was not a list of shoulds and how-tos. It felt like an initiation rite reading it. I totally agree that most self-help reads like fluff! Something interesting that the author of Women of Run with the Wolves has noted on is that we, as humans, are the midpoint between the world of spirit and the physical world and we were possibly made to be conduits of creation be it writing, storytelling, painting, singing songs, cooking a meal, cleaning our apartment etc. etc. and that when there is often a book or an article laying out "the best/most effective way" to do these things, a consequence is that it stifles our own imagination and unique approach to all creative acts even those as mundane as dishes. I did a deep dive of her work after reading WWRWTW and she has a handful of audio books as well. Anyway, if anyone likes a bit of woo, woo and magical, flowery language I highly recommend that one! I also found The War of Art by Steven Pressfield to be useful for understanding more about my relationship to creating!
Four Thousand Weeks was great! A lot of my non-fiction reading tends to be about parenting but I read several books last year I think anyone would benefit from:
Slow Seasons: A Creative Guide to Reconnecting with Nature the Celtic Way by Rosie Steer
The Power of Ritual: How to Create Meaning and Connection in Everything You Do by Casper ter Kuile
Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Becky Kennedy
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis
If you want to try a science-y nonfiction (my fav kind) that is still rooted in real life enough that you can apply what you’ve learned and shift your perspective a little, The Memory Illusion by Julia Shaw. It really changed how I thought of my own memories and allowed me to be a little more gracious with others’ too.
And I see someone has rec’d Taste by Stanley Tucci -- really sweet and comforting, definitely would do the audiobook because his voice is so soothing! I’m not even an audiobook person and thought it was great.
Also seconded from above: Set Boundaries, Find Peace ... definitely a book I think people come to in crisis but we could truly all learn to set healthier boundaries lol
I have two recs, one that I finished earlier this week and one I read about two years ago now. Both made me rethink the way I look at time, productivity, and where I put my attention in general.
The first is Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It's a philosophical approach to how we spend our limited time on earth and I loved it! It gave me a mild existential crisis, but also put a lot in perspective.
The second is Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport and it definitely changed the way I use technology and social media. It was so helpful, practical, and it's principal of "choose what's important to you to focus on and happily miss out on the rest" has been such a mantra in so many areas of my life since reading it (including my reading life!).
"Understanding Media" by Marshall McLuhan helped me understand how media works, then and now.
That sounds intriguing! I'm sure the evolution of media over the years has dramatically shifted and must be fascinating to learn about the changes.
I read "No Ordinary Assignment" by Jane Ferguson and found her experiences, insight and courage just amazing. A completely different view of war from what the media shows.
I listened to Henry Winkler (and his wife) narrate his book "Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond". It was more life affirming than life-changing. His humor, determination, joie de vivre and authenticity were heartwarming and inspiring. He genuinely loves life and it comes through. Even with adversity, struggles he's endured he's just so upbeat. A feel good book for me
I love books like that! Especially how they make you walk away from them with a different perspective on life.
Very few! I share your feelings, and have always said I've learnt everything I know from (good) fiction!
That said, a Buddhist book 'Tools for Living' has helped me in the last few years.
I am reading about Stoicism atm... but I never know what to DO with information and knowledge, when I finish a book.
I find that whenever I learn something new I end up noticing it in a lot of other places and find it pretty cool that now I get the reference!
I've really loved Creativity Inc (Ed Catmull) and Quiet (Susan Cain). Both were more useful for me as an employee of a big corporation though.... they were better management books than books I've read on management. Creativity Inc especially for tech managers managing creatives! Plus, all the juicy tea from pixar as a bonus.. And Quiet is THE book on introverts, which I read along with my boss and made her question the open office layout she chose for our office remodel 😅. And Stephen King's "On Writing" is such a masterpiece of writing advice! I'm not even a writer, but working in the creative industry, this book has served me well in it too. It's not just for writers!
But my favorite nonfiction are history books (I know! I'm 40 and into history, what a cliche!). I feel like there's a lot of growth in learning the history of the world, so I've been looking for books on history of the places I'm from (Brazil and US) and places I know almost nothing about (anyone has a good rec on history books about China or South Africa?).
I always hear such amazing things about Quiet and want to read it (especially as an introvert!). Also, I love when non-fiction books unexpectedly relate to work or areas they aren't specifically about. That is the best!
I was really into Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab. Her instagram is a really great follow as well!
Nice! I'm going to have to go give it a look ◡̈
I enjoyed this book as well! It's on sale on Kindle today.
I really learned a lot and felt validated by this book!! I recommend it all the time.
When my father passed away suddenly two years ago, I was completely floored with grief and pain. at 38, I just couldn't see a world without him. Someone gave me "Lost & Found: A Memoir", which had come out a few days before my dad died. This book helped me understand grief so much as Kathryn Schulz put words on feelings that I couldn't express. I read a excerpt of the book at my dad's funeral as well. I'm not sure I would have been able to go through this period with this book.
Oh, Marie, I can only imagine! Books are especially so helpful to making sense of our experiences. I'm so glad that one found you at the right moment when you needed it.
Same here! Not a huge fan of nonfiction books (the only exception are books on writing), but these two are really great: 1) Wintering by Katherine May 2) Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
Hidden Valley Road was amazing! I’ve got Wintering on my TBR...I’m thinking of moving it to the top of my list to read while it’s still wintertime.
Ah, I really want to read Wintering! I hear great things and feel like I should have read it by now living in a place that has such a fluctuation in pace of life because of the seasons. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it so much.
Hidden Valley Road was amazing! Sad and fascinating.
Same here, not huge nonfiction reader. But there are a few gems out there, Taste by Stanley Tucci and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. On the other side of the spectrum, Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson. This one is about the prison uprisings at Attica in the 70s. Not exactly inspirational, but very well-written and well researched.
What great ones, Jael! Taste and Bird by Bird are recommended to me often, so I look forward to reading them. I've heard great things about Taste as an audiobook, too!
One word of caution, don't read Taste when you're hungry!😊 There are some good recipes in the book.
I’m currently reading The Lost Supper by Teras Grescoe. It’s not a self-help book, but it is non-fiction, educational, eye-opening, and at times entertaining. If you care about food, your body, and the earth, this is a great read!
Great rec! I'm going to look it up.
Four Thousand Weeks gave me a lot of food for thought but my particularly favorite genre of non-fiction relates to environmental & nutrition knowledge & the intersection of both. I learned so much from How Not to Die, I’m planning to re-listen to it. In Defense of Food was also interesting & it’s been a long time since I read it but Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer & his second book on the topic, We Are The Weather were great too.
Such an important topic! You're inspiring me to pick up one of these. Also, you were the one who first sent me the Four Thousand Weeks recommendation a few years ago and I just finished it and, wow! Thank you for sharing it.
Awe yay, yes I’m so glad it resonated with you too. ☺️
These made enough impact on me to serve the purpose of self-help and beyond; books that stick with you and help inform life going forward. 👍🏻:
- Night, Elie Wiesel
- Dispatches, Michael Herr
- The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion
- Reading My Father, Alexandra Styron
- The Opposite of Loneliness, Marina Keegan
- Teacher Man, Frank McCourt
- The Big House, George Howe Colt
- My Dearest Friend, Letters of Abigail and John Adams
- Home Game, Michael Lewis
It's quite woo, but a massive read for me was Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarrissa Pinkola Estés. It was the first "self help" book I read that was not a list of shoulds and how-tos. It felt like an initiation rite reading it. I totally agree that most self-help reads like fluff! Something interesting that the author of Women of Run with the Wolves has noted on is that we, as humans, are the midpoint between the world of spirit and the physical world and we were possibly made to be conduits of creation be it writing, storytelling, painting, singing songs, cooking a meal, cleaning our apartment etc. etc. and that when there is often a book or an article laying out "the best/most effective way" to do these things, a consequence is that it stifles our own imagination and unique approach to all creative acts even those as mundane as dishes. I did a deep dive of her work after reading WWRWTW and she has a handful of audio books as well. Anyway, if anyone likes a bit of woo, woo and magical, flowery language I highly recommend that one! I also found The War of Art by Steven Pressfield to be useful for understanding more about my relationship to creating!
Four Thousand Weeks was great! A lot of my non-fiction reading tends to be about parenting but I read several books last year I think anyone would benefit from:
Slow Seasons: A Creative Guide to Reconnecting with Nature the Celtic Way by Rosie Steer
The Power of Ritual: How to Create Meaning and Connection in Everything You Do by Casper ter Kuile
Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Becky Kennedy
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
If you want to try a science-y nonfiction (my fav kind) that is still rooted in real life enough that you can apply what you’ve learned and shift your perspective a little, The Memory Illusion by Julia Shaw. It really changed how I thought of my own memories and allowed me to be a little more gracious with others’ too.
And I see someone has rec’d Taste by Stanley Tucci -- really sweet and comforting, definitely would do the audiobook because his voice is so soothing! I’m not even an audiobook person and thought it was great.
Also seconded from above: Set Boundaries, Find Peace ... definitely a book I think people come to in crisis but we could truly all learn to set healthier boundaries lol
Attached; Both/And; Ride Of a Lifetime; Malcolm Gladwell’s novels.