Nonfiction, not your thing? Don’t sweat it! You can find my article about fiction books here. Heartfelt, tense, and true, Elise’s story is about making it in a world and industry that refuses to be easy. More than anything, this is a memoir that shows anyone who reads it that they aren’t alone. We all are just doing what it takes to get by. In a beautiful memoir about fitting in, running, and reconnecting with one’s roots, Noé Álvarez gives insight into what it means to be a human on this earth. With wit, heart, and a little bit of eye-rolling, this is a story of a woman who loved fiercely and freely, inspiring her granddaughter Bess, and many others like her. A history of feminism that isn’t white-washed, and doesn’t hold back, this is about the movement often overlooked in our history. Starting with her experience as a Moroccan immigrant, and traveling through the convoluted citizenship process, Laila discusses the idea of being an American as an outsider and a citizen. A memoir for the ages, this book explores the ripple effect of citizenship, both inherited and adopted. An insightful and delightful look at the impact writing has had on humanity, and pondering about what it could mean for the future of our species. A book about being who you are no matter the odds stacked against you, and a celebration of the simple act of being who you are, All Boys Aren’t Blue is a story for Black queer young men, and a lesson on how to be their allies. A story that is both personal and universal, Phuc Tran holds no punches about the perils, pitfalls, and embarrassments of growing up. A lovely look at being queer in the midwest, and trying to make it as a human being, Irby takes us from Michigan to L.A. and back again with insightful essays that will make any midwesterner go “yep.” From transformation to evolution, DNA has shaped our world in more ways than we can even imagine, and we’ve barely scratched the surface.
