Saturday, November 16, 2019

A Big Week for Nonfiction November


Last week I felt like I didn't finish much.

I made up for it this week.


How Your Story Sets You Free by Heather Box and Julian Mocine-McQueen
The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday by Rob Walker
The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr


I'm trying to celebrate Nonfiction November by only reading nonfiction this month (well, except for picture books, of course, for the Cybils). I've also been busily writing posts for Nonfiction November this month. Here are the posts I have written so far:







    



Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas by Stephen Harrigan
On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey by Paul Theroux






I've read 152 out of 222 Cybils picture books and board books. It's that time of year that my mail carrier wants to go on vacation as I'm receiving several books in the mail every day.




I shared my thoughts about the Texas Book Festival in a post filled with photos of the authors I heard speak: The Texas Book Festival: 2019.








After going to the Syrup Festival in Henderson, Texas last weekend, I now know how to (1) grow sugar cane, (2) use a mule to extract the juice from the cane, and (3) cook the juice into syrup. We also saw old tractors, heard some wonderful gospel music, and rode on a hayride. It was a wonderful weekend.







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?

We'd love to have you to link up here and/or at the Sunday Salon page on Facebook each weekend (Saturday-Sunday-Monday) and let us know what you have been doing. I hope you will visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

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. 


38 comments:

  1. Wow, you did finish a lot last week! I used to go to a syrup festival when we lived in Auburn and it was always fun.

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    1. I'm guessing that is a different type of syrup, though. This was syrup made from sugar cane. My dad grew up in the South and his family raised sugar cane. There was a place near where he grew up, my dad told us last weekend, that made the cane into syrup. The place used the same techniques then that were demonstrated at the festival.

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  2. So what was your favorite book read this week?

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    1. Buttermilk Graffiti had everything I love in a nonfiction book, including travel, personal reflection, and food. It will definitely be on my list of best reads for the year.

      I also loved The Book of Eleven. The author, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, passed away too young, and I thought I had read everything of hers. Then a blogger mentioned this book. It was a delightful surprise and it was typical, wonderful Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

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  3. Reality this month is too depressing -- I'm reading mostly fiction! I seem to be out of step with a lot of people. I have read three novels by Margaret Atwood, which is comforting.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  4. You are so much more devoted to Nonfiction November than I am! I did better last year, but this year my reading is slower due to finding another good Netflix show. Pathetic excuse, but it's where I am right now. :-)

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    1. Once I start chasing a rabbit, I can't seem to stop until I have the rabbit and most of the other rabbits in America in hand. It's my superpower, for good or for bad.

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  5. Great finishing! Is the Paul Theroux a new one; I don't think I've seen it before. I didn't do much reading this week - I've finished "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay" which was a non-fic but nothing else, which is slightly nightmarish as I have All The Books, basically. And won two on NetGalley. Oops!

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    1. Fab - added to my wishlist! I've been reading him for so long now!

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  6. That's a lot of books you've polished off, Deb. I hope you are enjoying your Non-Fiction November reads:). The Paul Theroux book looks really intriguing. Have a great week.

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  7. This Syrup festival looks pretty interesting. I wish I could visit something similar.
    Ohh, you read so many books in a week. That is amazing!

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  8. Wow, you’re doing way better than me with Nonfiction November. I’ve only read 4 books so far. I love syrup, so a syrup festival sounds like my kind of fun. Have a great week!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. I read a couple of Nonfiction November books that were just so-so for me, which is disappointing, but I think I'm now back on track.

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  9. Wow, the syrup festival looks like fun! I don't read a lot of non-fiction so devoting a whole month to it would be quite a change. Maybe someday :)

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  10. I experienced the opposite, last week was great but this week I was too distracted. I’m hugely impressed that you’ve managed to get through so many in your Cybil list too.

    Wishing you a great reading week

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    1. I can see why you were distracted, with all the fires around you. I'm so glad they are out.

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  11. That is a ton of books Once again, I'm proud of you!

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  12. The syrup festival sounds like fun. Hope you enjoy the rest of non-fiction November. Have a great week!

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  13. What an interesting week you've had! I am slowly finding my strength, and I feel grateful. Thanks for visiting my blog, and enjoy your week of books and good things.

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  14. I'm impressed with your array of NF gems. I need to check a few out. I SUCK at NF November; too many stressors.

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  15. I'm having one of those weeks where I feel like I'm not finishing much. Glad this week picked up for you!

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  16. You certainly did finish a lot of books! I didn't know about non-fiction November, but I actually am reading some non-fiction right now (Why We Sleep), so that worked out beautifully. :D The history of Texas sounds good, hope you enjoy!

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  17. Sounds like the sugar festival was fun. Somehow I can't see myself making my own sugar though. I lack a mule. All that nonfiction looks interesting. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. I was surprised to hear that my dad didn’t make his own syrup from sugar cane. I guess you have to have a lot of equipment to do it. And a mule, of course!

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  18. You sure did have a big week. And the Syrup Festival looks fun.

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  19. The syrup festival sounds so fun and fascinating and a bit off the wall. I'm impressed by the number of books you finished this week - especially the nonfiction. I really meant to try more nonfiction this month but it hasn't really come to pass. Have a great week!

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  20. The Art of Noticing sounds like something I would enjoy. I have read 29 of my Cybils so far. I have the weekend blocked off for reading on them.

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