Nonfiction November 2023 Potential Reads

I *cannot* tell you how much I love Nonfiction November. You might be like, why LynnDee, your Goodreads says you read nonfiction all throughout the year. And you’re right, I do. But I don’t know, something about the way nonfiction is celebrated during November and the way Olive at A Book Olive develops prompts that get me thinking creatively when crafting my reading list just makes the reading month all the more fun. So anyway, below is a list of what I tentatively plan on reading during this year’s Nonfiction November (tentative being the operative word lol).

The Prompts

For each Nonfiction November, Olive gives 4 prompts that readers can use to help guide their reading throughout the month. These prompts can be interpreted however the reader chooses. You absolutely do not have to follow these prompts to participate, but I like to try to create a reading list based off of them. This year’s prompts are fraud, display, capital, and web. Here is what I have on my tentative TBR for these prompts:

• Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies In a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou–this one is like an OG of true crime and the downfall of Elizabeth Holmes was the trainwreck no one could look away from in 2017. I watched the HBO documentary on this situation and knew I wanted to read this book eventually.
• Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson–this is a recommendation I got from Mara at Books Like Whoa. So fun fact, I tried to sell Arbonne when I was in undergrad, but I was too poor to afford the products I was supposed to hawk lol and the people I was trying to sell too were just other poor undergraduates like myself. I got into it because I attended a party someone else was hosting and the Arbonne person was just very convincing on how I would be such a success at this. Needless to say, I clearly wasn’t and a decade later we’re seeing MLMs have their comeuppance for taking advantage of vulnerable women. Hey, Hun will probably make the MLM girlies mad but I’m excited to dive into it.
• A Short History Of the World In 50 Lies by Natasha Tidd–I honestly don’t remember how I heard about this one but it was on my Goodreads TBR so here it is.
• Billion Dollar Loser: the Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neumann and WeWork by Reeves Wiedeman–A couple of years ago I watched the WeWork documentary on Hulu and was fascinated (although not surprised) by the white man audacity on display, so when I heard of this book I knew I wanted to read it.

• Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech by Sara Wachter-Boettcher–I don’t remember how I heard about this one but as a frequent user of apps I’m sure I’ve felt the affects (even if I didn’t know it at the time) of what the title insinuates. For this title, I’m interpreting the “web” prompt as the “world wide web” (which apps and algorithms would definitely apply).
• The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth and Power by Deirdre Mask–what’s in a (street) name? Well, this book says a lot: “The Address Book illuminates the complex and sometimes hidden stories behind street names and their power to name, to hide, to decide who counts, who doesn’t―and why”. The sociology major in me is fascinated by all aspects of society, and this is an aspect I have never really thought of critically. For this title, I’m in interpreting the “web” prompt as the web that streets form when you’re looking at a map (I told you, this prompts make you think creatively!).
• The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist–I heard of this one from a mini-newsletter I get from my public library every once in a while. As a cishet white woman, I am continuing to educate myself on all aspects of the Black experience in America and unlearn the sugarcoated version of American history I was taught in school. From the title, I’m guessing this one will discuss how the American legacy was built on the violence of slavery. The word “capital” is literally in the title, so you can see how it fits the prompt.
• The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans-and How We Can Fix It by Dorothy A. Brown–this another Mara recommendation and as someone who knows nothing about taxes (I mean, I know enough to use TurboTax [not sponsored] to get them done), I figured I could learn something from this one. Our capitalist system involves taxes, so that’s why I’m using this title for the “capital” prompt.

• Razzle Dazzle: the Battle for Broadway by Michael Riedel–for those who don’t know, I did musical theater in high school so I used to be very in tune (pun intended) with what was happening on Broadway. I’m not so much anymore, so I thought this book might scratch that theater kid itch. For this title, I’m interpreting the display prompt as being when you’re on stage (like on Broadway), you’re on display.
• The Body Is Not an Apology: the Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor–as a millennial, body positivity and self-love was not as widely embraced as it is now (although we still have a long ways to go because misogyny); I’m still working it out in therapy how to really love myself so I thought this book might help (plus it’s been well recommended). For this title, I’m interpreting the display prompt as our bodies being on display and this book talks about bodies.
• Women Who Read Are Dangerous by Stefan Bollmann–this is a collection of paintings and drawings throughout the history of women reading. As the blurb says, “there was a time when female literacy was a radical idea”, so for me to be able to read this book now seems kind of full circle. For this title, I’m interpreting the display prompt as artwork is on display and this book mentions art.
• Women In Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World by Rachel Ignotofsky–I’ve read and own Rachel’s Women In Science and Women In Sports, so this is just me catching up on her backlist. For this title, I’m again interpreting display as artwork being on display and this book is talking about artists.
• Nevertheless, She Wore It: 50 Iconic Fashion Moments by Ann Shen–Ann Shen is another artist I enjoy and have read from, so I am again catching up on her backlist. And again, for the display prompt, this is another art book.
• A Little Devil In America: Notes In Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib–I don’t know much about this title but it came highly recommended by a friend. This is another title where I’m interpreting the display prompt as being on display when you’re performing.
• Forgotten Women: the Artists by Zing Tsjeng–I’m obsessed with reading about forgotten women (which there are a lot of them because, you know, the patriarchy), so obviously this one peaked my interest. And you guessed it, another art book!
• Harlots, Whores & Hackabouts: a History of Sex for Sale by Kate Lister–I love reading about all aspects of women’s history, and with the conversation surrounding sex work I thought this one sounded really interesting. For this title, this is another one where I’m interpreting the display title as the body being on display.
• Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History by Bridget Quinn–again, another women’s history/art book! I have a type, ok???

So those titles are what I hope to get to during Nonfiction November! I know I won’t get to all of them, but I like to have options. Let me know what you think of my interpretations of the prompts! And are you participating in Nonfiction November?

Until next time,