3 Captivating Nonfiction Recommendations to Add to Your TBR

For longer than I’d like to admit, my idea of nonfiction was limited to newspapers and academic texts (textbooks and journal articles). After university, once I started reading for fun, I realized there was more to nonfiction than I previously thought. Some of the most popular forms of nonfiction include self help, memoirs/biographies/autobiographies and personal essays. As I mentioned in my Read What I Own post, I’m participating in BookItQueen’s 19 Nonfiction Challenge and if you’re looking for new nonfiction books to add to your list, check out some of my go to nonfiction recommendations.

I’m Telling the Truth But I’m Lying: Essays by Bassey Ikpi

Get it here : Amazon | Libro.fm

I listened to this in 2020 and it was quite the experience. Bassey’s talent as a writer and narrator is undeniable. Listening to her describe her life challenges through the lens of mental illness was heartbreaking. She is raw, honest, and unflinching as she details broken relationships, harmful coping strategies, receiving a diagnosis and the rotating door of medication adjustments and dosage changes while seeking symptom management.

Black women telling their stories of mental illness is what we need more of. “The Strong Black Woman” narrative is harmful because others think we’re invincible, so we feel like we must be. As such, the tell-tale signs of various mental illnesses are missed or explained away causing us to be misunderstood. When we need help sometimes we are unable to ask for it and sometimes unwilling to accept it when it is offered. Empathically understanding the pervasive nature of mental illness and its profound effects on one’s inner experience and relationship with the world, is paramount in removing stigma and creating a more compassionate and inclusive society.

From The Ashes by Jesse Thistle

Get it here: Amazon | Libro.fm

I read From The Ashes for book club in 2020 and it was in my top 5 of the year. Thistle’s debut novel was a contender in CanadaReads 2020 and the 2nd best-selling Canadian Book of 2020. Like a lot of the books I read that year, I don’t think I would have read this on my own. We had the opportunity to virtually meet with Jesse and it was one of the highlights of 2020 for me. He was so open and honest with us as we asked questions about the book and his life.

From The Ashes manages to be both heartbreaking and inspiring. No one should have any of the experiences Jesse outlines in this book. But in reality, some of the ordeals he went through are common for many individuals experiencing homelessness, struggling with substance abuse and battling their own inner demons. I’ve thought about this book so much since I finished it. About the ineffective policies, harmful myths and misconceptions, the moral superiority and stigma, that reinforce and act against those who want to break cycles and forge a different path.

This book showed me how easy it can be to reduce people who face some of the struggles Jesse details in his book to labels. It is necessary to understand they are complete people who are worthy of self-determination, respect and assistance on their terms without paternalism and contempt. When you find yourself ready to pass judgment, as you read this book or engage with initiatives for marginalized persons in your community, I ask that you introspect on those feelings. And then consider them from the perspectives of Jesse and others who have faced similar struggles as whole people and not labels.

This is Assisted Dying by Stefanie Green MD

Get it here: Amazon | Libro.fm

After spending 12 years in maternity and newborn care, Dr. Stefanie Green’s focus changes to providing medical assistance in dying (MAiD). This Is Assisted Dying* is a recount of Dr. Green’s first year providing MAiD in British Columbia.

Through the stories of her patients, Green outlines the eligibility for and the process of MAiD. From the title, one might assume this book is a disheartening read about death, suffering and grief. While some of those themes are present, the focal points are the hope, choice, and control MAiD can bring to people facing terminal illnesses.

The spectre of death hangs over us like an elephant in the room. Whether it be ailing loved ones or aging parents it is always challenging to face our own mortality. The stories of her patients provide an opening to broach these difficult conversations. This Is Assisted Dying is an engaging book that will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

When I’m asked for nonfiction recommendations the above are usually the first three I suggest. These books explore challenging topics that deserve to be spoken about more often and more widely. Each of these authors discusses complex themes and issues with considered nuance that leaves readers pondering and reflecting long after they’ve finished reading the book. If you’re looking for some new nonfiction titles, give these a try. If you’ve already read these and know of others I might enjoy, share the titles with me below.