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Nonfiction books that everyone should read at least once!
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items Various nonfiction books that I recommend, including books on personal growth, LGBTQ+ issues, writing, and other interesting topics! I also have a list of fiction books I recommend on my profile, and lists for specific categories of nonfiction books that were growing too large to have them all in one list here (such as neurodivergence and mental health, and witchcraft/paganism)!
Sections
4
Personal Growth
LGBTQ+
Interesting Nonfiction
Books on Writing
Personal Growth
Various books on self-improvement and productivity.
An insightful look into how laziness is almost never the actual culprit behind people's struggles.
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price
Basically THE book on forming and keeping habits.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Ali Abdaal has a lot of great advice on productivity that's really helped me (even though I have ADHD, which is surprising!), and this book is no exception.
Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You
This book looks at how distraction impacts our productivity, and what we can do to fix that.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
Another book by Cal Newport, this one looks at how to be productive without burning out.
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
LGBTQ+
Various books about LGBTQ+ history, identity, and issues we face.
An incredibly important book on transmisogyny and how it works, written by a trans woman. Highly recommend that anyone looking to be an ally to trans women reads this.
Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano
A great book on bisexuality, written by an openly bisexual author.
Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
An informative look at asexuality and the societal norms around sex and sexuality (which hurt everyone, not just asexuals)!
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen
Interesting Nonfiction
Various nonfiction that I think everyone should read.
A fascinating look at animal communication (cetaceans in particular), how it's researched, the latest advancements in the field, and how environmental issues affect research in this area.
How to Speak Whale: The Power and Wonder of Listening to Animals by Tom Mustill
Parasites' influence on our ecosystems is often overlooked, but it's incredibly important (plus, parasites don't always function in the same way as we'd expect from studying other animals). This book is a deep dive into that, and it's well worth the ...
Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures by Carl Zimmer
This book got me interested in social justice and human rights as a teenager.
In Search of a Better World: A Human Rights Odyssey by Payam Akhavan
The memoir of a doctor who sadly passed away due to lung cancer, chronicling his experience suffering from it. May make you cry (I know it did for me). It's a good reminder of how precious and fragile life can be, and how we should strive to make the...
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi and Abraham Verghese
A neat exploration of what we can learn from religions that aren't our own.
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor
Books on Writing
Books on writing that have helped me!
Even if you're a pantser, I think everyone could benefit from knowing how to craft an outline, and this is essentially a very in-depth guide on how to do exactly that.
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K. M. Weiland
Outlines aren't the only part of planning a novel - making sure the structure of your story is solid is important too! This book will guide you through that process.
Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story by K. M. Weiland