23 Nonfiction Books to Read in 2023

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Inheritance by Dani Shapiro: amzn.to/3FFr55F
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: amzn.to/3Fn1bU0
Lit by Mary Karr: amzn.to/3hEqLHt
Dark Skies by Tiffany Francis: amzn.to/33hSuL7
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann: amzn.to/3hcCGAZ
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick: amzn.to/3UNUbF9
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott : amzn.to/3UR2rV8
The Horde by Marie Favereau: amzn.to/3UNStnd
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi: amzn.to/3uEF5Ya
Unfinished Business by Vivian Gornick: amzn.to/2NnwvdG
An Immense World by Ed Yong: amzn.to/3v13kA5
Wild by Cheryl Strayed: amzn.to/3VO9TRX
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly : amzn.to/3Boz7yg
Complications by Atul Gawande: amzn.to/394R5ow
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson: amzn.to/3pvgmle
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner: amzn.to/3heXFDd
Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl: amzn.to/3iWGBlA
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake: amzn.to/3c5LOlz
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan: amzn.to/3jg2RCF
The Gulf by Jack Emerson Davis: amzn.to/3VRDIRL
Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich: amzn.to/3uJfuxc
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: amzn.to/3Fjvvio
I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell: amzn.to/3F4q3P7
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[@illustratorsam]

I found that most people who hated Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, didn’t like that she had been a heroin addict. This book confronts it honestly, and shows how it was one of the catalyst to her journey.

[@illustratorsam]

I hope you love Garlic & Sapphire! I LOVE that book so much!

[@jadecobain]

For me I didn't like it because I thought it would be about her processing her moms death, her divorce and getting free of drugs. It felt like she complained the whole time, wanted to have sex with just about every dude she met and most of her book is about the outpost she stopped at.

[@imnoangeloreilly1475]

She is a terrible writer. No natural writing ability whatsoever! Try Mary Carr instead. She has neurons.

[@christopher9727]

... Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Seek his Holy Spirit for guidance peace and purpose today Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@Kim_Traveling_in_Books]

I loved Wild. It's the book that inspired me to stop waiting around for people to be able to travel with me, and just go on my own. Four countries and five trips abroad later, I've had some of the best experiences of my life while traveling alone.

[@LaRosaReads]

I predict that you’re going to love the book and movie, Hidden Figures! I grew up minutes from Katherine Johnson’s childhood residence. I even portrayed her in a middle school assembly back in the 90’s. We West Virginians have been celebrating her long before the book and movie were released. ❤ Malala is one of Natalie’s favorite people ever!

[@juanlara4358]

I’m glad you’re getting back to non-fiction! It’s what brought me to your channel years ago. I Am Malala has got to be one of my favorite memoirs of all time

[@erinh7450]

Born a Crime is amazing - this is one you definitely consume via audio. He narrates it himself; probably one of my favorite audios ever. Killers of the Flower Moon, An Immense World, and Caste are all also fantastic. Have you read Isabel Wilkerson's other book yet? Also outstanding. Speaking of mushrooms, the only Michael Pollan book I've read so far is How to Change Your Mind, which was really interesting even for someone like me who doesn't even take cold medicine - Botany of Desire has sat on my shelf unread for years! One of my favorite nonfiction books of all time was Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, if you want more after The Horde. I've been wanting to get to Alexievich's Chernobyl book for ages. I've read two others; my favorite of hers so far was Secondhand Time.

[@marciajohansson769]

I do agree the audibles version narrated by Trevor Noah is the way to go. He is a master storyteller and amazing with his use of language and accents. I also loved Caste.

[@catsandbats77]

I was coming here to recommend the audiobook of Born a Crime.

[@dhutton77]

Add me to the listen to it group. Definitely a favorite audiobook of all time.

[@galaxypoplop242_hol]

Is it nonfiction?

[@erinh7450]

@@galaxypoplop242_hol Yes, it's a memoir of his childhood in South Africa. The title refers to the fact that his birth was a crime, as his mother was black (Xhosa) and his father white (Swiss), and that was illegal in South Africa at the time.

[@heth300]

You have become my go-to for nonfiction books. I've read several of your recommendations and enjoyed all of them.

[@bookoffholicbookwart5945]

Olive never fails to introduce some amazing books.

[@prairierose1115]

I've read and very much enjoyed Born a Crime, Killers of the Flower Moon, Wild, and I am Malala. Haven't done any 2023 planning so thanks for this video -- I have now created my own list of books from your choices! Yeah, I feel in control! Can't recommend Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell highly enough (especially Hamnet). I don't remember if you talked about I'm Glad My Mother Died, but it is amazing. I couldn't put it down. Being older I hadn't heard of the writer but it was still gripping. Thanks for all you do. Happy Holidays and all the best for 2023.

[@dottypetrosky1184]

I'm rereading "Killers of The Flower Moon" for a book group. I found it unforgettable.

[@quinntessentialreads6496]

Fellow INTJ here who definitely understands the thrill of compiling a list and crossing things off it! My faves on your list are The Botany of Desire, Crying in H Mart, and I Am I Am I Am. I cannot wait to get to that Ed Yong book.

[@JessOwens]

I haven’t read Born A Crime either and I don’t know why. 2023 is the year!

[@anne-marie339]

Entangled Life was one of my favourite reads of this year! Absolutely brilliant. Born a Crime, I Contain Multitudes, and Being Mortal are both on my shelves to read. Ace, Fresh Banana Leaves, and Why We Sleep are other high priority ones for me next year :)

[@mysteryman595]

Being mortal is one of my favourite books, born a crime is a delight. I hope you like em

[@justines9233]

Killers of the Flower Moon was maddening. Very good but maddening! Caste is excellent; definitely thought provoking. An Immense World is on my list for this year too.

[@lindaharrison3240]

Hi Olive! Looking good. Those makeup colors make you look so springy and fresh. I've read 4 on your list and here they are: LIT (excellent), Unfinished Business (disappointment; more about her life than her books), WILD (fun especially if you hike), and finally HIDDEN FIGURES (Snoozer; I DNFed it, which I felt bad about, but the writing put me to sleep. I have 5 on my TBR and they are Killers of the Flower Moon, Reading Lolita in Tehran, An Immense World, Caste, and the Gulf. I hope our reading overlaps some on these reads. Have fun! 📚📚📚📚

[@Read2live]

I have read Nothing to Envy and Voices from Chernobyl. I highly recommend both of them. I don't want to say you'll enjoy them because "enjoy" seems the wrong word to say for such heartbreaking matters; however, I believe both books are great readings. I read Reading Lolita in Tehran years ago, but I want to reread it because I don't remember much other than I remember thinking how easy it is for us to take our freedoms for granted. Reading some of these books, I think it helps us feel more grateful that despite our own personal difficulties, we have options that people in some other countries do not. As for the Voices of the Chernobyl, some things were very familiar to me. I grew up in Athens, Greece and in 1986, I was finishing up 6th grade ready to go to middle school. Many of us still remember clearly the day we heard about the explosion and the fear that had spread all over Europe. We were told to stay inside (the adults were taking it more seriously than we did and we were upset that we were not allowed outside). I remember the fear of the adults and the talks especially every time it rained that year and the talks about fearing for the food we were eating because we didn't know yet if and how we too might have been affected by the explosion. When I told some American people here in South California where I live now for years that I'm reading this book, I was surprised that no one knew what Chernobyl was, people even older than I am. I took for granted that everyone of my age or older would have heard and know about Chernobyl because it was such an important matter in Europe at the time. These are the thoughts I wrote for the book Voices of the Chernobyl after I read it: A harrowing account of the tragedy of Chernobyl in 1986. Lies; attempts to cover up the extend of the disaster; silence or misleading information from newspapers, doctors, scientists, and the Russian government; people themselves reacting with disbelief on one hand and panic on the other. Who is to be blamed? This is a question that the victims of Chernobyl seem to have been struggling with ever since. Svetlana Alexievich gives the victims of Chernobyl a space to tell their stories for the world to know what they experienced, what they have suffered. These are interviews with people who lived it in Belarus, people who were living and/or working by the nuclear reactor; people who faced and are still facing the tragic aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear explosion. People who lost loved ones, not only during the days right after the explosion, but they also continued losing loved ones months, even decades later; people who survived death, but live with long term illnesses from exposure to radiation, or their children were born to die, or were born to live sick and disabled. Voices from Chernobyl is a painful book to read, but the knowledge imparting about what happened according to first accounts of the victims of this global tragedy is invaluable.

[@WellTraveledBooks]

What a solid list! Born a Crime and Wild are two books I loved! I have Botany of Desire on my TBR as well. I have read a few of his other books and I really enjoy his writing.

[@qubanmaggot]

Your makeup looks great! Very smooth.

[@toniblessing4624]

This is a great list. You have a lot of wonderful reading coming your way.

[@bookofdust]

I just finished I Am, I Am, I Am and it was fantastic, I was completely unprepared for who she met in the hospital as a child, one of the darkest twists I’ve ever experienced in a memoir.

[@halfmanhalfbook]

Dark Skies, Nothing to Envy and Entangled life are really good. Happy reading, Olive

[@HasabeMizurukara]

Always nice to see what non-fiction books you are reading. My non-fiction TBR has over 300 books on it.

[@kurman4749]

The thing that has impressed me about your video is not so much the selection of books, but your obvious passion for reading.

[@EntertheBook]

Great list - so many of these I want to read in 2023 as well. I haven’t read any of them. Look forward to your reviews!

[@tokyochemist]

All of Barbara Demick's nonfiction are fantastic. The one about Tibet was also quite fascinating. I really need her to write another book.

[@navisahota1031]

Great list! The Gulf is one of my most favourite nonfiction books - I still need to read his latest book. Thanks for the reminder. Happy reading 😊

[@joreads8782]

I have had Entangled Life and I Am, I Am, IAm on my list for a really long time. Looking forward to seeing what you think and the rest look great. I have debated about Voice for Chernobyl for a while too.

[@davidallhusen]

A fascinating list. Much appreciation as I too will endeavor to read several of the selections you noted.

[@LCp1RickIlls]

Thank you so much for this! You just put a whole bunch of new books on my TBR with this one👍🏻

[@ruthg7524]

Killers of the Flower Moon is also one of my "I've put it off for too long" books. And The Gulf has been added to my tbr. I read Born a Crime and Crying in H Mart for book club last year. Born a Crime is definitely best done on audio. There are a lot of non-English words in the book that I personally would have just skipped but were so beautiful to listen to when Trevor Noah read them aloud. Zauner's voice is not the most polished, but I loved hearing her pronounce the names of Korean foods properly and I think it added a layer of honesty to her story.

[@Josephgreentv]

Love the idea of planning my reading, I’ve been planning it in an excel spreadsheet but I like having a timeframe for my plan. I’m going to take that from this video. Thank you for making great content

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

What a great list, Olive. I loved Reading Lolita in Tehran. Born a Crime is great. I was not the biggest fan of Wild but it's worth a read. Thanks for putting Killers of the Flower Moon back on my radar. I need to get to that. I also have Cyring in H Mart, Caste, and Entangled Life on my radar. Sitting on my shelf FOREVER is I am Malala. I'm late to that party too. And I thought I was the only one who hadn't met Maggie O'Farrell so glad to see we are both starting with the same book by her. 😊💙

[@nwwisconsin]

Olive, I have recently found your channel and love it. The books and topics you speak about are very interesting. I have found many books that I was not familiar with. I've read Killers of the Flower Moon. It's incredible. I was not aware of the other book your husband recommended. I've added that to my TBR. Thank you and have a wonderful holiday.

[@levipierpont]

Born a Crime is a fantastic book. I’ll never forget when I met a White personal from South Africa and said sort of apologetically “I’m sure you hear this a lot, but Trevor Noah is like the first person I think of when I think of South Africa” and I mentioned this book. She said to me “Yeah, he’s not really an accurate portrayal of the country, like even the title of his book isn’t real, there’s a category specifically for biracial people.” I politely ended the conversation at the time because I didn’t want to be rude, but looking back, it’s clear she just had racist attitudes 😕 If you don’t like the picture a marginalized person paints of your country, change your country, don’t call that person a bad painter

[@bwanahaguziki307]

Readers are leaders

[@GloriaZThompson]

Great reading list! I'm with you on wanting to read more of the popular nonfiction that is out there. Wild and I am Malala are high on my priority list. Born a Crime and Caste were both so incredible! Happy reading for 2023!

[@jaycoyoyo]

Thanks for the recommendations! My library list just got a lot longer :)

[@bookish_gina]

I am so glad I stumbled upon Nonfiction November in 2022 and found Olive. I have always wanted to read nonfiction, but never knew where to start. I love this challenge, and will join you, Olive in reading these books. I don't know that I will get through all of them, but I will certainly try. Aside from Goodreads, how will you be keeping track of this list for 2023?

[@booksoverbreakfast]

Not me audibly gasping when I am Malala and Wild popped up. I loved both of them. I hope you enjoy them too. Born a Crime is on my 2023 list too.

[@meninleo]

Loved this video, I selected a few of them for my personal list

[@lisawallace1741]

Thank you for this list! I'm going to take something like 17 or 18 of your recommendations. So much appreciate that you share all this with us. I think I'll start following you on Goodreads, too.

[@zissizalana6850]

Thank you for this! I have read and taught sixth graders "I am Malala". I cannot say enough about this book and how inspirational she is. It makes the students think and come out of their tik tok worlds and have truth, justice, forgiveness, and equality thrust into their minds. It is powerful because it is true! On another note, thank you for sharing your makeup choices. Thanks to you I have discovered "Colour Pop".

[@joniheisenberg6691]

Enjoyed ‘Lit” along with Karr’s “Cherry” and “The Liar’s Club.” Highly recommend “G-MAN”, Beverly Gage’s masterful biography of J.Edgar Hoover. I have not had such an enthralling reading experience since Heather Clark’s “Red Comet.”

[@danazanna]

I completely agree with your comment about G-Man. Enthralling is an excellent description. I learned so much.

[@joniheisenberg6691]

@@danazanna Thank you for your comment. I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it!

[@TheGhostlyDragonLP]

Hi abookolive! Where did you get your bookshelf? Looks so spacious!

[@jorjastonej]

Entangled Life-I feel it gives a peek through many windows of exciting new science full of questions not yet answered. I feel as if the science of mushrooms and trees are a vast field of exploration available to our youngest generations. And Sheldrake seems to be quite the character in himself. I suggest you look up how he ate his words! 🍄🌳📚

[@Michelelynnreads]

I am, I am, I am is incredible! One of my favorites. I read it in one sitting on a plane. Great list!

[@jorjastonej]

Exciting list. I’ve either read many of them or they are on my TBR.

[@sarahpinach5619]

Loved Reading Lolita in Tehran, and Botany of Desire is definitely my favourite Michael Pollen. And I will definitely be picking up Killers of the Flower Moon and Born a Crime. Great list!

[@LauraR00]

Wow! You're in for a great reading year. I've read six of these, and they were all good. I especially enjoyed Inheritance, and I don't hear a lot of people talk about it. My first nonfiction read for 2023 will be I Contain Multitudes.

[@abookolive]

I'm definitely hoping it's going to be a great reading year! People seem quite fond of many of these books, so I think I have a good shot at it. But you're right, I haven't heard many people talk about Inheritance, which is surprising since it seems to have been quite popular. Have a GREAT time with I Contain Multitudes! What I wouldn't give to be able to read that for the first time again...

[@bertdaniel1449]

Thanks for your list. I know it’s a good list because two of the books were ones I read last year, (Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zavner). Knowing your taste a bit and how it coincides with my own, I would recommend these books particularly for you also: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Quiet by Susan Cain, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows by Ai Wei Wei, The Library Book by Susan Orlean and We Don’t Know Ourselves by Fintan O’Toole.

[@RadioGirLF]

I Am, I Am, I Am is such a great book. Her fiction isn't my cup of tea but I enjoyed her memoir immensely. It's been three years since I read it and I still vividly remember some of the scenes.

[@Evalynn]

You absolutely won't be the last person to read Hidden Figures, because I am there right along with you. I loved the movie so I bought the book, and it has been sitting on my shelf for years. So maybe I will join you! I also have Reading Lolita in Tehran and would love to read it, along with All In, Wild, and a lot of Mary Oliver I'd love to dive into/meant to dive into in 2022.

[@rebeccah.6587]

Great video. I have several of those books on my to-read list, and I've just added The Horde thanks to you. Two new nonfiction books that I am looking forward to are Africa Is Not a Country by Dipo Faloyin and Vagina Obscura by Rachel Gross. Have you read either of those?

[@pattidoyle5102]

I read Entangled Life and fell head over heels in love with the story of mushrooms. It was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. Great author!

[@mame-musing]

I’ve read several of Alexandra Alexeivich’s narrative histories, I have yet to read “Voices From Chernobyl”. I did read “Midnight in Chernobyl” by Adam Higginbotham which reports how so many people were killed/injured due to not only the meltdown but also by the endless tiers of cover ups. Alexeivich’s book, “The Last Witnesses”, is especially heartbreaking in that she interviewed people who witnessed the WW2 invasion of the Nazis when they were young children. “Nothing to Envy” is a fascinating account of the North Koreans trying to live Day to day while being brainwashed in the propaganda bubble that is their country. Thanks for your many recommendations,Olive and Happy Holidays!

[@TheTeddybear1992]

I think I'll be copying your list and adding most of them to my 2023 tbr list🥰🥰🥰🥰I find new nonfiction books from your channel alone and I love it🥰🥰🥰🥰 hidden figures is one of those I keep putting off till I read the book first🤣🤣🤣

[@TheBookBully]

Very curious how you'll feel about I Am I Am I Am. Her writing style is, IMO, incredibly overwrought. It worked for Hamnet but I found it a bit much in the memoir. I await your review!

[@emilydillon9238]

First time viewer here - If you haven't' already, I highly recommend reading the nonficiton title - Killing The Black Body

[@awebofstories]

I just received I Am, I Am, I Am in a Jolabokaflod book exchange and excited to start it!

[@tstockto]

I’ve read about half of these and liked them all. Crying in H Mart was probably my favor though. Wild was also excellent. Currently reading How Far the Light Reaches and it is so good.

[@Leebearify]

I am SO GLAD that you will specialize in non-fiction this year you always come up with good ones !! Amazing that I have read all but one of the ones that you have on this list (I am missing the one with the orange on the cover). Maybe between the 2 of us we can really make a dent on the ones that are coming out. I finally finished my 'deep dive' in Greek and Roman Mythology plus all of the ones by Natalie Haynes which are really excellent if you have not tried any. So, have you seen anything out there about Richelieu or Louis xiii or the French Revolution ? So far I am keeping up with you pretty well except for the sports stuff !!

[@bookwalk1]

Inheritance is one of my favorite books! I hope you enjoy it! Nothing to Envy sounds interesting. Killer of the Flower Moon and An Immense World are also on my list for this year. Oh, Hidden Figures will make you angry and make you want to cry! Another favorite of mine. Garlic and Sapphires sounds so funny! I have The Gulf. I have not finished it, but will try to do that soon.

[@meljstephan]

I'm reading Caste right now and I'm torn on how I feel about it. On one hand it is extremely repetitive, which adds a lot of length that I just don't think is necessary. Some of it is reading like "the apple is red, the color of the apple is red, red is a color and that is the color of the apple, the apple is red." Painfully redundant. But on the other hand, the concepts are interesting, the writing is clear and ready to understand, and I'm noting down a lot of historical events to research.

[@joyceredman2136]

Some of the books I will be reading will be A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester because the Middle Ages has always fascinated me (and apparently the actor Tom Hanks who wrote the Introduction!), The Silk Roads, A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan because this ancient trade route has always fascinated me (how did all these people journey so far from their homeland to sell their countries products bringing disease, encountering wars, etc.), Immune, A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer because I bought it in 2020 and have never read it. God willing, I shall also be reading Annie's Ghosts, A Journey into a Family Secret by Steve Luxenberg from the Washington Post. I have more also but I plan on focusing on classic books too that I have never read. Bring on 2023! Let's hope we are all successful with our reads.

[@smithyman33]

World lit by fire was a great book.

[@jonigreenwell1778]

GREAT channel. Happy I found you.

[@vcackermanwrites]

Merry Christmas!

[@stefannilsson364]

I read Entangled Life for Non-fiction November this year. Wonderful book. Haven't planned what books I will read next year. Only that I will read some of the biggest books I own and some numbers.

[@ellenicochea2255]

The Flower Moon book is being made into a movie! It is fascinating to learn about the Osage Tribe!

[@RachelB.BookReferences]

I've had several of these on my list, too! Someday, I'll get to it all. 😁

[@kristyfolsom3218]

Born A Crime is great! I just picked up Homework by Julie Andrews, a memoir of her time during Mary Poppins and Sound of Music. I love Condi: The Condoleezza Rice Story by Antonia Felix and My American Journey by the late General Colin Powell.

[@rw6333]

Reading Lolita has also been in my bookcase for awhile…. Do you know roughly what month you’ll be reviewing it? Would love to get your take on it! 📚

[@lifewithpatti9531]

Born a crime was one of my favorite books I read last year. I added about 4 books to my cart from this video. Have you ever read any of Ellen Marie Wiseman’s books? I highly recommend all of them.

[@ExploringthWorld]

I must say that after you recommended "Lost and Found" earlier this year, I picked it up and it became one of my favorites! Lit (Karr) is girthy but one of the best books I've ever read! I must say that Killers of the Flower Moon fell flat for me, but I know I am an outlier! I Am, I Am, I Am was amazing.

[@MissJulziez]

Great video, Olive! I’ve read both Wild and I Am, I Am, I Am and they’re books I recommend all the time, I loved them! I’ve also read Caste which was certainly interesting but didn’t stay with me that much. I’m also planning to read more Alexeivich next year as well as Red Famine about the forced famine in Ukraine. Not cheery but important reading

[@bybeebooks]

Do the audio version of Born A Crime. Crying in H Mart was one of my favorites for 2022. I took notes while you were speaking and in my wishlist journal I added: Inheritance, Liar Temptress..., Unfinished Business, An Immense World, Caste, and Garlic and Sapphires. ETA: Your husband picked a couple of books that are superb.

[@mariasmiles68]

I still need to read I Am Malala. I have read Born a Crime and Wild and enjoyed them both. I already like Trevor Noah but this memoir took it to next level for me. I want to read I Am I Am I Am, Know My Name and Crying in H Mart. Happy reading📚

[@Tinoshke07]

Well, some more nature books to add to my wish list 😉🙃

[@nellesify]

I love Michael Pollan's books. My favourite is The Omnivore's Dilemma. Another book I can recommend is also an older one: Waste by Stuart Tristram. It's about food waste from farmland up to the food stores. Happy holidays, Olive!

[@abookolive]

Sounds amazing! Happy holidays to you, too!

[@dtovar2]

Thank you, Olive. I highly recommend you consider reading these memoirs: Solito by Javier Zamora and A Place Called Home by David Ambroz. Wishing you a Happy New Year! 🎉

[@jadecobain]

I read Born a crime this year. While reading it I would look up his stand up clips. I think he did a great job telling the story of life in Africa and being funny. A fb book group that I belong to have some members from Africa and I guess some Africans hate him and some love him. I read Reading Loita in Tehran many years ago and thought it was fascinating. I have Lit sitting on my shelf for a few years one day I'll actually read it.

[@wendycayless]

oh wow, never heard of anyone hating Trevor Noah. The memoir was a joy for me. I taught at the high school Noah attended (I was there just over 10 years before he was) and knew the headmaster he mentions. I lived in the area Noah did in his high school years, so it was very real to me, yet illuminating also as I was a white South African and lived in another privileged world and though I knew intellectually about the horrors of apartheid, I couldn't know whjat it was like for a black or POC South African.

[@GretchenMcTavish]

What a wonderfully inspiring list. I have read many of them, have copies of others waiting to be read, and now you've provided me with more titles to consider. Svetlana Alexievich is an amazing and exceptional chronicler of human experience, particularly that of people under repressive governments, the Soviet Union and today's Belarus in particular. Considering the perilous position the people of Belarus are in today I encourage readers to discover her work.

[@quirkydee45]

Born A Crime is one of the best memoirs I've ever read (not best celebrity memoir, best memoir). It's the type of book I recommend to even non-readers. I do wonder how it works as an audiobook bc one of the cool aspects is how it weaves in the history/details of the laws in Africa at that time (in different formats than essay form...it's been a long while since I read it so I can't remember if they're mini newspaper clippings or inserted definitions or what, but I wonder how it changes the experience, having those read aloud vs as mini breaks between personal stories). His mom is a modern superhero, too.

[@margarethaines9310]

I suggest you put "Reading Lolita in Tehran" near the top of your list! This book brings the reader into a close-knit rather subversive reading group. Descriptive and informative, yet opens the reader's eyes to questions that need to be asked 🙂

[@mariasmiles68]

Such an interesting list! I'm saving this video to refer back to. I read Born a Crimein 2022, an excellent read and Wild. I found it interesting since I would never be brave enough to do that. I really need to read Reading Lolita..., I am Malala and Caste. On my TBR for 2023 is Crying in H Mart and I Am I Am I Am, I am starting the year with Hamnet and I can't wait!🙂📚

[@kseniyasbooknook4172]

What a nice selection of books! I love nonfiction too and am glad to find a booktuber who reads a lot of it! I've read Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake and I am Malala before and both were excellent!! Right now I am reading a collection of 'portraits of people' by May Sarton titled A World of Light and loving it so far.

[@arobinreads]

I'm the same. Love the planning haha, especially this time of year. Born a crime was really good, hope you enjoy I tried to read Entangled life, but I really didn't like the writing style. I'm reading (at least) 3 nonfiction books in January: We were dreamers, Deaf utopia and Why has nobody told me this before?

[@ChaoticBibliophile]

SO MANY OF THESE I AM DYING TO READ! Reading Lolita in Teheran and the Ed Yong book are right up there, though. Crying in H Mart and Entangled Life are fantastic, enjoy!

[@ashleyhobgood7454]

I had the young reader edition of I Am Malala and really enjoyed. I had read Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. I liked it but it was not a favorite. However, I enjoyed the movie a lot more than I did the book. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on both books.

[@dollycatlin5077]

I loved Wild and I love this video thank you so much

[@Shellyish]

Born a Crime and Reading Lolita in Tehran sit on my shelves unread. 🫣 Wild is one of my favorites. Caste is on my mental TBR.

[@areadersalmanacwithceleste1366]

I read both Caste and another book, The N Word by Jabari Asim. While I appreciate the Wilkerson book immensely, I thought The N Word was so rich and taught me so much about entrenched racism in American society from Jamestown today. I highly recommend it! I also plan to read entangled life this year. Another great book: Slime by Ruth Kassinger.

[@KindLovelyLife]

I'm currently listening to Crying in H Mart as an audiobook (read by the author) and loving it!

[@peterreef1162]

Lit is actually Mary Karr's third memoir, not her second. The first was The Liars Club, the second was Cherry. I have read them all and they are all good reads.

[@rananajjar]

Born A Crime is amazing!! I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Trevor Noah!

[@disciplinado2190]

Hey, I like the list you shared. I assume you are not religious, but a really good book is "Secrets of Divine Love". Enjoy!

[@laurietice2612]

In one of your videos you mentioned a book about owls that you said was one of your favorites. I've been going thru all your videos but cannot find this book mentioned. Can you please tell me the name of it and the author. Thanks! Really like your videos and all the info you give us about books, especially non fiction.

[@abookolive]

Owl by William Service!

[@wendyhoward2699]

Congratulations on your list! I wish you well on your choices Blessings.

[@jammiez2805]

Crying in H Mart is very good but it made me cry alot as i also lost my mom to cancer in 2019. Born a crime is also excellent.

[@hickerbacher]

I highly recommend the audiobook of Inheritance (read by the author).

[@annettemurielle]

A friend lent/gave (can't recall) a copy of I Am Malala so I'm adding that to my To Read list for this year. My goal is 36 books. Thank you for all the great suggestions!

[@abookolive]

Of course! Happy reading!

[@meetpatwa5989]

Thanks for Books recommendation.