If you're looking for historical nonfiction (my bread and butter), The Radium Girls by Kate Moore talks about a really important story that doesn't get told in school!
I'm so happy for you and your non-fiction journey! Imo, non-fiction is really underappreciated. Some books have literally changed my life by helping me understand myself and the world around me, near and far.
Excited for your NF era. Jesus & John Wayne is a book I still think about all the time but it's not on my NF-for-people-who-don't-read-NF lists for basically the reason you laid out. Unless you are big on reading with both your ears and eyes, which is actually my preferred way to do NF, as someone who reads a lot of it. Anyway can't wait for more updates from your NF journey!!
Thank you for posting and sharing! Reading very much became my safe space this month. A lot of the books I read were ones you recommended and they were all great!
I love that you're on a non-fiction journey!! I absolutely love that for you. ❤ For me, I love to learn something in non-fiction, but some topics are HARD. I still read them, because we need to better understand how we got where we are, yet also books like Braiding Sweetgrass that are both educational as well as a balm to my soul. I could listen to her voice for DAYS. We need knowledge, but we also need some hope, and I think she gives us both. Many non-fiction fires me up, makes me angry, and/or males me sad. Some, like Braiding Sweetgrass, give me knowledge while also lightening my heart. Politics have ALWAYS been in books. Those who don't see that are CHOOSING not to see it. When someone hates politics in books, it's often because said politics do not align with their own, and maybe that makes them uncomfortable because it's questioning or criticising their beliefs. What I think we need to remember is that being uncomfortable isn't necessarily a bad thing, that's how we learn and do better, but only IF we're willing to listen and put in the effort. Can't wait to hear all about what you decide to pick up next!!
Jaysen, thank you for showing the gaslighting some ppl were doing about books and so much other crap. I am really excited about this list and I am proud that you did it. Political stories have been part of our lives for probably as long as book binding has been, just in different ways throughout time. I mean think of what got our country to kick off after the war ended against Great Britain, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison released a collection of 85 articles and essays about the new constitution. Thomas Paine who was unhappy with the limitations that the founder did do wrote a variety of essays such as Common Sense, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason those were just the start of nonfiction or collections of essays. We see books that are fiction being published as in 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, even Alanna and Daine's series by Tamora Pierce addressed women going out of the "comfort norms". There are so many fiction and non fiction that to say that there isn't politics in books is ridiculous. I'll leave this Chinese proverb here to dwell on: He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question is a fool forever. We are all born ignorant, but to stay ignorant is a choice, without some form of education you are lost. -(Chinese Proverb)
I'm so glad you have (re)discovered a love for non-fiction!! I LOVE fiction, but I love non-fiction too and even though I know many other people feel the same, for some reason, many book spaces often feel exclusively one or the other. There are plenty of fiction-only readers out there and non-ficiton-only readers out there who have somehow drawn these deep divides in the book world. I'm glad you are one of the people who is building a bridge over that divide.
Love the non-fiction integration❤ Most highly recommend Andrea Wulf - especially 'Chasing Venus'. It tells the story of how scientists all over the world basically united to catch the venus transits from different corners of the world in the 1760s.
Jesus and John Wayne is one of my all time favorites! Loved your take! Braiding sweetgrass is a delight too! Excellent picks for getting back into non fiction!!
I love Nonfiction! Oh I have Orbital and really want to read it but haven't yet! I need to get to it. I've been doing the same thing with my reading and agree with reading diversely, in all ways. I need to read The Message now to. I have an insastiable desire for knowledge. Love what you've said about nonfiction and learning. There is so much knowledge out there waiting to be discovered! I love nature, I forgot about Underland but it's already on my want to read. I should probably skip Jesus and John Wayne... i'm trans. I'm glad to hear the hope though :) I've been meaning to read Braiding Sweetgrass for awhile... I need to get to it already. I've heard so many great things! Wonderful wrap up!
This posting was fantastic! I have now vowed to reread Wicked and then read Jesus and John Wayne. Braiding Sweetgrass is now on my holiday gift list for at least three family members. And one for me, of course. The Message is on my TBR shelf as we speak but has moved up the list, for sure. And I’m ready to go underground with Underland. I am not usually a non-fiction reader but your wrap up was so compelling that I feel I’ve been cheating myself! Thank you for an intriguing video. Can’t wait to get started! 💕 Happy December reading!
Thoroughly enjoyed hearing your thoughts about all your books and the emergence of your thirst for knowledge through nonfiction. You’ve just about talked me into reading The Message. I love nonfiction now. Just like you, discovered it a little later in life and particularly enjoyed those with a conversational narrative versus being bone dry. These days, my nonfiction leans more towards writing books, thomas Merton (monk and spiritual), author memoirs, antarctic expeditions, and wwII which is my son’s passion. Doing a deep dive in Japan next year. I read Wicked when it first came out, so when the movie came out, was confused because I remembered this dark story with horrible characters whom I didn’t like at all. Thank you for sharing and look forward to hearing about all your new discoveries.
What an excellent video!! So excited for everything you have ahead of you with nonfiction. I got really into Gregory Maguire's books when they were first coming out (long before the musical), and I think there are several others you would like. He had a bunch that were re-imagined fairy tales (before that became super popular). They were dark and twisted and awesome. I seem to remember a Snow White retelling that took place among the Medici family in Renaissance Italy. Chef's kiss! And on a funny note, years ago my sister told me she was going to take my (then young) nieces to see Wicked and I was absolutely horrified since I only knew the story from the book! I can't imagine who thought they could turn that story into a family musical about friendship!! I know the author has several others in his Oz series, but I can't remember reading any of them. Might be worth checking out!
Love that you mentioned parallells between Wicked and Jesus and John Wayne. I feel like that happens to me all the time when I read, usually, unintentionally. For example, without intending it, I read 4 books that mentioned (in varying degrees from a line or two to an entire allegory) The 1001 Arabian Nights and/or its title character, Scheherazade. And it was fascinating to see how 4 wildly different books made a theme of that and/or the commentary they had on it. And now, 1001 Arabian Nights is on my TBR which might take me 10 years to get through because I think its now the thickest book I own.
Maybe instead of rereading Wicked, read Son of Wicked which is next in the series. Love non-fiction, but I definitely alternate or read fiction and non-fiction simultaneously. Happy for you that you're finding more books to love in non-fiction.
I think the second half of wicked is the best part of the story. The fact that she tries to stand up to the establishment and it ultimately fails. Then she tries to repent and make amends for her bad actions. But ultimately that doesn’t work out either. Then she loses a sense of herself towards the end, which is rather tragic. She becomes morally ambiguous as the story goes on. By the way, wicked is my favorite book. I think the ending of the story specifically everything in the land of the west is better the second or third time you read it
Thank you for posting, I love your updates. I struggle with getting through non-fiction, but make it a goal to be 25% of my reading. I would highly recommend On Freedom by Timothy Snyder and They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib. Hanif is an instant buy author for me so I actually recommend all of his books. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei is a non fiction comic about his time in an internment camp with his family that was an eye opening read that used the medium incredibly.
I have personally not read the Wicked books but I watched "Gavin reads it all" vlog reading all four of the books and from what I remember, the other three novels only get worse and don't even really follow Glinda and Elphaba
I read Wicked, but it's just too dark for me. There are some books that it doesn't matter how good they are, they are firmly in the "not for me" category. And that's where Wicked falls. I did enjoy Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by the same author. That one (from what I remember) seemed to have more hope in it? But was definitely not a Disney-ified version!
I really enjoy non-fiction, however, often those that write for that genre have such a dry way of writing. Reading those books often feels like a chore and I find myself being very picky about which nonfiction books I read.
I was so disgusted by Wicked that I refuse to watch the movie or musical. I read the whole book because I had to know the ending. But what I walked away feeling is that author hates women. It wasn't just misogynistic it was violent towards women. I refuse to read him ever again. As a woman I was quite put off and offended by that book. I just don't want anything to do with anything connected to it. I figured those parts aren't in the musical but that is how offended I am by that book. I am interested to see your reaction to the Wizard of Oz books. They are wild.
I'm watching the Fairytail anime right now. I actually started a long time ago and then stopped for a couples year's, then got back into it and then stopped again. Lastly this year started a new series and it peaked my interest that I decided that I wanted watch the animd again. I love that anime (not the arc I'm up too). There is so many lovable characters.
I read Wicked when it first released in 1995. I have read it twice through different decades and have had to sit with it each time. Then saw the musical and now the movie each has the undertones of Maguire’s story but it feels washed out. I have enjoyed each as they are presented, but enjoy the original story and the following books.
I was going to buy darkly just yesterday but it sounded so much like ready player one that i didn't. After hearing you explain it, I'm glad i didn't. I don't think I'd like it. I had a goal to read 10 nonfiction books this year. I'm at 6. Maybe next year. The most recent one that i just finished yesterday and that i think you'd enjoy is Been There, Done That: a Rousing History of S3x. It's a quick read, the author is very good, it's full of lots of great information and good puns. I learned a lot from it. The Loss of the Burying Ground is a great YA adventure story but it is also a good commentary on how the media and propaganda influence what we believe. I'm still thinking about it 2 weeks later.
Thanks for the analysis! A bit off-topic, but I wanted to ask: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). What's the best way to send them to Binance?
I'm THRILLED that Braiding Sweetgrass made it into your Non-fic November reads!! I love this book so much and I tell everyone I know to read it. So far, no one has. BUT in other good news, Kimmerer JUST released another book about reciprociry and the natural world. It's quite short and sweet, almost a non-fiction novella if you will, or a long essay. It has a lot of similar themes as Braiding Sweetgrass but dives a little more deeply into how these ideas of gift economies fit into actual markets and financial economies. But she still delivers cute storiea too. And I'm hoping the shorter length might be more consumable for all the people that I NEED to read her books. I highly recommend you check it out too if you can. And if you want more of her lovely soothing voice, she narrates the audiobook for this one too.
Thanks! Great video❤ enjoying your advent series a lot! I’m from Ukraine and really disappointed of Orbital. Sorry, but I don’t have a privilege to look at everything from the space, because russians literally bombing my home. It’s so cruel to give it a booker🫠 And russians (2 out of 6 in the book) not 1/3 of the whole world. 130mln - ten times less than Chinese for example. And other countries underrepresented in the space (obvious historical reasons) Sorry, this year booker drives me up the wall
I don't read a huge amount of non fiction however i have realised that most of my NF reading has a feminist slant; unwell women, unlikeable female characters, the five and Anne Boleyn 500 years of lies.
So stoked for this ezeekat nonfiction era!
If you're looking for historical nonfiction (my bread and butter), The Radium Girls by Kate Moore talks about a really important story that doesn't get told in school!
Omg I actually bought this the other day!
Seconding this rec so so much
Loved this book so much ❤
I'm so happy for you and your non-fiction journey!
Imo, non-fiction is really underappreciated. Some books have literally changed my life by helping me understand myself and the world around me, near and far.
Excited for your NF era. Jesus & John Wayne is a book I still think about all the time but it's not on my NF-for-people-who-don't-read-NF lists for basically the reason you laid out. Unless you are big on reading with both your ears and eyes, which is actually my preferred way to do NF, as someone who reads a lot of it.
Anyway can't wait for more updates from your NF journey!!
It really is a book that stays with you, isn’t it?
Thank you for posting and sharing! Reading very much became my safe space this month. A lot of the books I read were ones you recommended and they were all great!
Yay! That makes me so happy!
I get so excited when I see you've uploaded. Happy festivities and stay cozy! ❤
Happy festivities to you too! 🥰
I love that you are reading and reviewing NF. I want to read more NF in 2025
I love that you're on a non-fiction journey!! I absolutely love that for you. ❤ For me, I love to learn something in non-fiction, but some topics are HARD. I still read them, because we need to better understand how we got where we are, yet also books like Braiding Sweetgrass that are both educational as well as a balm to my soul. I could listen to her voice for DAYS. We need knowledge, but we also need some hope, and I think she gives us both. Many non-fiction fires me up, makes me angry, and/or males me sad. Some, like Braiding Sweetgrass, give me knowledge while also lightening my heart.
Politics have ALWAYS been in books. Those who don't see that are CHOOSING not to see it. When someone hates politics in books, it's often because said politics do not align with their own, and maybe that makes them uncomfortable because it's questioning or criticising their beliefs. What I think we need to remember is that being uncomfortable isn't necessarily a bad thing, that's how we learn and do better, but only IF we're willing to listen and put in the effort.
Can't wait to hear all about what you decide to pick up next!!
I love that you mentioned how some nonfiction books can be hard to read, but still important! It takes bravery to read about tough topics.
Jaysen, thank you for showing the gaslighting some ppl were doing about books and so much other crap. I am really excited about this list and I am proud that you did it.
Political stories have been part of our lives for probably as long as book binding has been, just in different ways throughout time. I mean think of what got our country to kick off after the war ended against Great Britain, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison released a collection of 85 articles and essays about the new constitution. Thomas Paine who was unhappy with the limitations that the founder did do wrote a variety of essays such as Common Sense, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason those were just the start of nonfiction or collections of essays. We see books that are fiction being published as in 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, even Alanna and Daine's series by Tamora Pierce addressed women going out of the "comfort norms". There are so many fiction and non fiction that to say that there isn't politics in books is ridiculous.
I'll leave this Chinese proverb here to dwell on: He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question is a fool forever. We are all born ignorant, but to stay ignorant is a choice, without some form of education you are lost. -(Chinese Proverb)
I'm so glad you have (re)discovered a love for non-fiction!!
I LOVE fiction, but I love non-fiction too and even though I know many other people feel the same, for some reason, many book spaces often feel exclusively one or the other. There are plenty of fiction-only readers out there and non-ficiton-only readers out there who have somehow drawn these deep divides in the book world. I'm glad you are one of the people who is building a bridge over that divide.
Love the non-fiction integration❤
Most highly recommend Andrea Wulf - especially 'Chasing Venus'. It tells the story of how scientists all over the world basically united to catch the venus transits from different corners of the world in the 1760s.
Jesus and John Wayne is one of my all time favorites! Loved your take! Braiding sweetgrass is a delight too! Excellent picks for getting back into non fiction!!
I love Nonfiction! Oh I have Orbital and really want to read it but haven't yet! I need to get to it. I've been doing the same thing with my reading and agree with reading diversely, in all ways. I need to read The Message now to. I have an insastiable desire for knowledge. Love what you've said about nonfiction and learning. There is so much knowledge out there waiting to be discovered! I love nature, I forgot about Underland but it's already on my want to read. I should probably skip Jesus and John Wayne... i'm trans. I'm glad to hear the hope though :) I've been meaning to read Braiding Sweetgrass for awhile... I need to get to it already. I've heard so many great things! Wonderful wrap up!
Read Braiding Sweetgrass! It's one of my favorite books of all time! ❤
Thank you for this, you made so many recomendations for me to start 2025 with.
Yay!!
Im so glad you posted! ❤❤
Thank you so much!
This posting was fantastic! I have now vowed to reread Wicked and then read Jesus and John Wayne. Braiding Sweetgrass is now on my holiday gift list for at least three family members. And one for me, of course. The Message is on my TBR shelf as we speak but has moved up the list, for sure. And I’m ready to go underground with Underland. I am not usually a non-fiction reader but your wrap up was so compelling that I feel I’ve been cheating myself! Thank you for an intriguing video. Can’t wait to get started! 💕 Happy December reading!
I am SO glad you’re going to read all of those books! You’re going to love them!
@@Ezeekat Thanks for putting them on my radar!
I’ll watch your reading vlogs no matter what you’re reading! 😊
Thoroughly enjoyed hearing your thoughts about all your books and the emergence of your thirst for knowledge through nonfiction. You’ve just about talked me into reading The Message. I love nonfiction now. Just like you, discovered it a little later in life and particularly enjoyed those with a conversational narrative versus being bone dry. These days, my nonfiction leans more towards writing books, thomas Merton (monk and spiritual), author memoirs, antarctic expeditions, and wwII which is my son’s passion. Doing a deep dive in Japan next year. I read Wicked when it first came out, so when the movie came out, was confused because I remembered this dark story with horrible characters whom I didn’t like at all. Thank you for sharing and look forward to hearing about all your new discoveries.
I'm glad you posted! Its timely my coworker had been talking to me about the Fairytale anime and we've talked about buddy reading Wicked
Ooh, I love that you buddy read Wicked!
What an excellent video!! So excited for everything you have ahead of you with nonfiction.
I got really into Gregory Maguire's books when they were first coming out (long before the musical), and I think there are several others you would like. He had a bunch that were re-imagined fairy tales (before that became super popular). They were dark and twisted and awesome. I seem to remember a Snow White retelling that took place among the Medici family in Renaissance Italy. Chef's kiss! And on a funny note, years ago my sister told me she was going to take my (then young) nieces to see Wicked and I was absolutely horrified since I only knew the story from the book! I can't imagine who thought they could turn that story into a family musical about friendship!!
I know the author has several others in his Oz series, but I can't remember reading any of them. Might be worth checking out!
Love that you mentioned parallells between Wicked and Jesus and John Wayne. I feel like that happens to me all the time when I read, usually, unintentionally. For example, without intending it, I read 4 books that mentioned (in varying degrees from a line or two to an entire allegory) The 1001 Arabian Nights and/or its title character, Scheherazade. And it was fascinating to see how 4 wildly different books made a theme of that and/or the commentary they had on it. And now, 1001 Arabian Nights is on my TBR which might take me 10 years to get through because I think its now the thickest book I own.
I'm so excited for you to read The Wizard of Oz! Buckle up though, it's a wild ride!
Maybe instead of rereading Wicked, read Son of Wicked which is next in the series. Love non-fiction, but I definitely alternate or read fiction and non-fiction simultaneously. Happy for you that you're finding more books to love in non-fiction.
I think the second half of wicked is the best part of the story. The fact that she tries to stand up to the establishment and it ultimately fails. Then she tries to repent and make amends for her bad actions. But ultimately that doesn’t work out either. Then she loses a sense of herself towards the end, which is rather tragic. She becomes morally ambiguous as the story goes on.
By the way, wicked is my favorite book. I think the ending of the story specifically everything in the land of the west is better the second or third time you read it
Almost forgot! I highly recommend Sy Montgomery's nonfiction books. She's very cozy ^_^
Thank you for posting, I love your updates. I struggle with getting through non-fiction, but make it a goal to be 25% of my reading.
I would highly recommend On Freedom by Timothy Snyder and They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib. Hanif is an instant buy author for me so I actually recommend all of his books.
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei is a non fiction comic about his time in an internment camp with his family that was an eye opening read that used the medium incredibly.
I have personally not read the Wicked books but I watched "Gavin reads it all" vlog reading all four of the books and from what I remember, the other three novels only get worse and don't even really follow Glinda and Elphaba
I read Wicked, but it's just too dark for me. There are some books that it doesn't matter how good they are, they are firmly in the "not for me" category. And that's where Wicked falls. I did enjoy Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by the same author. That one (from what I remember) seemed to have more hope in it? But was definitely not a Disney-ified version!
I really enjoy non-fiction, however, often those that write for that genre have such a dry way of writing. Reading those books often feels like a chore and I find myself being very picky about which nonfiction books I read.
I was so disgusted by Wicked that I refuse to watch the movie or musical. I read the whole book because I had to know the ending. But what I walked away feeling is that author hates women. It wasn't just misogynistic it was violent towards women. I refuse to read him ever again. As a woman I was quite put off and offended by that book. I just don't want anything to do with anything connected to it. I figured those parts aren't in the musical but that is how offended I am by that book. I am interested to see your reaction to the Wizard of Oz books. They are wild.
I'm watching the Fairytail anime right now. I actually started a long time ago and then stopped for a couples year's, then got back into it and then stopped again. Lastly this year started a new series and it peaked my interest that I decided that I wanted watch the animd again. I love that anime (not the arc I'm up too). There is so many lovable characters.
I read Wicked when it first released in 1995. I have read it twice through different decades and have had to sit with it each time. Then saw the musical and now the movie each has the undertones of Maguire’s story but it feels washed out. I have enjoyed each as they are presented, but enjoy the original story and the following books.
I was going to buy darkly just yesterday but it sounded so much like ready player one that i didn't. After hearing you explain it, I'm glad i didn't. I don't think I'd like it.
I had a goal to read 10 nonfiction books this year. I'm at 6. Maybe next year. The most recent one that i just finished yesterday and that i think you'd enjoy is Been There, Done That: a Rousing History of S3x. It's a quick read, the author is very good, it's full of lots of great information and good puns. I learned a lot from it.
The Loss of the Burying Ground is a great YA adventure story but it is also a good commentary on how the media and propaganda influence what we believe. I'm still thinking about it 2 weeks later.
Thanks for the analysis! A bit off-topic, but I wanted to ask: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). What's the best way to send them to Binance?
I'm THRILLED that Braiding Sweetgrass made it into your Non-fic November reads!!
I love this book so much and I tell everyone I know to read it. So far, no one has. BUT in other good news, Kimmerer JUST released another book about reciprociry and the natural world. It's quite short and sweet, almost a non-fiction novella if you will, or a long essay. It has a lot of similar themes as Braiding Sweetgrass but dives a little more deeply into how these ideas of gift economies fit into actual markets and financial economies. But she still delivers cute storiea too.
And I'm hoping the shorter length might be more consumable for all the people that I NEED to read her books. I highly recommend you check it out too if you can.
And if you want more of her lovely soothing voice, she narrates the audiobook for this one too.
I am definitely adding that to my TBR!
Fairy tail my favorite manga and anime😊
Just a quick question what is your favrite book of 2024
I’m not sure yet. I’ll figure that out by the end of the month 😂
@@Ezeekat ok 👍
Thanks! Great video❤ enjoying your advent series a lot!
I’m from Ukraine and really disappointed of Orbital. Sorry, but I don’t have a privilege to look at everything from the space, because russians literally bombing my home. It’s so cruel to give it a booker🫠
And russians (2 out of 6 in the book) not 1/3 of the whole world. 130mln - ten times less than Chinese for example. And other countries underrepresented in the space (obvious historical reasons)
Sorry, this year booker drives me up the wall
I don't read a huge amount of non fiction however i have realised that most of my NF reading has a feminist slant; unwell women, unlikeable female characters, the five and Anne Boleyn 500 years of lies.
We can't deny that evangelicals do get their misogyny and the necessity of keeping women subjugated from the Bible (and the patriarchy in general).