Saturday, November 23, 2019

On the Plain of Snakes, Mobituaries, and The Only Plane in the Sky




I read six very good nonfiction books this week. I read the latest graphic novel memoir by Lucy Knisley, Kid Gloves, which tells the story of her journey through a difficult pregnancy. I rode shotgun with Paul Theroux as he visited Mexico in his latest travel book, On the Plain of Snakes. I learned ways to help create a culture of reading in Pamela Paul's How to Raise a Reader. Just for fun, I read Mo Rocca's book of obituaries of odd things and unknown people, MobituariesArtists, Writers, Thinkers, Dreamers: Portraits of 50 Famous Folks & All Their Weird Stuff by James Gulliver Hancock is my favorite sort of nonfiction, a quirky visual look at fifty famous people, a type of picture book for big kids. And, finally, I read what may be the best book of the year for me, the powerful, disturbing The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff. 



    


I'm continuing to read Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas by Stephen Harrigan. It's a big wonderful book at over 900 pages. I'm listening to an audiobook version of Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light in which author David Downie visits some of the less well-known spots in Paris. 









I've joined the Thankfully Reading Weekend hosted by Jenn of Jenn's Bookshelves. There are no rules to the weekend; we’re simply hoping to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meeting some of our reading challenges and goals for the year. We thought it’d be fun if we cheered each other on a bit. If you think you can join in, grab the button and sign up here.











Nonfiction November: Be the Expert: Books About Nature 

I have one more post to go. It is a list of all the wonderful nonfiction books I've run across during Nonfiction November. Look for it later this week here: Nonfiction I've Added to My TBR.







And speaking of nonfiction, did you see this post? It's The 50 Best Nonfiction Books of the Past 25 Years. I've read a respectable 18/50 and I'm happy to see that the list includes some of my favorites, like We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families; The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down; Random Family; Columbine; The Warmth of Other Suns; and Behind the Beautiful Forevers. I need to add some of the books from this list to my (now huge) nonfiction TBR.






I've read 181 out of 222 Cybils picture books and board books. Books are arriving daily. It still feels like I have a lot to read, with 41 more books to go.












I'm very happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. I am delighted when you link up here and let us know what you have been doing. I hope you will visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about here:

  • What was your week like?
  • Read any good books? Tell us about them.
  • What other bookish things did you do? 
  • What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.


My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

37 comments:

  1. I bookmarked that page listing the best nonfiction books since I've only read 6 of them. :/ I just put The Only Plane in the Sky on hold at the library because I keep reading great things about it.

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    1. I read a lot of nonfiction, and I always have, so I was surprised there were so many on the list that I haven't read.

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  2. I've only read one of that list, weirdly, though I note a lot of them are US-centric. I have at least heard of quite a few of them.

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    1. There are not many books on the list that are strictly nonfiction; most of the books are what I'd consider narrative nonfiction.

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  3. I'm going to join you in the readathon for next weekend so thanks for letting us know about that.

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    1. Wonderful. It will be a great way for me to wrap up Nonfiction November, I think. I will look for you, Helen.

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  4. So many great non-fiction books. You had a great month. Thankfully Reading Weekend sounds like fun. Enjoy! Have a great week!

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    1. I just need to get busy and request a couple more books for the Thankfully Reading Weekend.

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  5. What a great week! You are really doing great with nonfiction November.

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  6. I happen to be watching the Pie episode of The Great Canadian Baker right this minute, thinking I need to cook some more pie recipes..slab pies sound perfect for my family.

    Thanks for sharing your link to the Non fiction list ... I’ll be checking that out. I’ve so been enjoying #nonficnov.

    Wishing you a great reading week

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    1. I need to Great Canadian Baker. I wonder if it is available here. It sounds like a show I'd love.

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  7. I looked at The Only Plane in the Sky at the library and thought about it, but then decided that I don't think I can do the format. That's not the only thing either: the event itself, of course.

    I'll be with you for the last Nonfiction November topic and also this coming week/weekend's Thankfully Reading Weekend.

    Now I'm off to go check out that 50 best nonfiction list.

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    1. The Only Plane in the Sky is probably going to be at the top of the list of my best reads for the year. It was very intense, though.

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  8. You amaze me at all the different books you read! Have a great week!!

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    1. It's a lot easier to find time to read now that I'm retired.

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  9. I'm SO impressed at the range and sheer numbers of books you read, Deb.

    I'm interested in your views as a school librarian. After years of teaching primary age children and raising two children in a house crammed full of books, reading aloud to them into their teens - neither of whom have been remotely interested in books as adults, I've come to conclusion that readers are born. While you can certainly help to nurture an interest in books, those people who get lost in books... who would turn to a book rather than anything else - they're born that way. What do you think?

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    1. It's odd, but neither of my sons reads books as adults, but they spend lots of time reading and writing on the Internet. You may be right. My husband isn't a reader (though he claimed to be before we married!) and that could explain the genetic component for my sons.

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  10. 'The only plane in the sky' sounds interesting. I'd have to read that when I thought I was at my strongest. It's honorable though to write such a book.

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    1. I hope you can find it. I'm almost at the end. It's quite good. Not the usual Paris things, I think.

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  12. i didn't do a sunday post this week :-( i have had my eye on mobituaries since i saw the book on sunday morning.
    https://twitter.com/sherryfundin/status/1198675346385776640

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  13. How to raise a reader sounds fun!

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  14. Wow.. six books in a week? That's amazing. And that pie looks very tasty.
    Have a great week and happy reading!

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  15. The Only Plane in the Sky does sound amazing and disturbing- I can only imagine- and Paris, PAris sounds good as well. Hope you have a really good week!

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  16. Pretty pie! I’ve heard great things about The Only Plane In The Sky. A lot of people seem to be reading it for Nonfiction November. Have a good week!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  17. Oh what a wonderful week you've had with your books! I completely missed that Lucy Knisley but I need to get it. I really enjoyed Relish by her and I knew she had come out with several books since then. Have a great week!

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  18. I've read Kid Gloves and I've heard of How to Raise a Reader. The others are new to me. Good luck with finishing up your Cybils reading and the voting.

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  19. I didn't officially participate in Nonfiction November but I did read a couple of nonfiction books this month. See what I've been reading at Girl Who Reads

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