My Top 5 Nonfiction Reads of 2016

[@cbooks99]

I need to get back into non-fiction works. I love learning new things, and your selections dealing with brain science seem so intriguing!

[@Yesica1993]

I am glad to have come across your channel. It's good to see people talking about nonfiction! And many of these books sound fascinating.

[@SydneyKav]

Definitely going to add more non fiction to my TBR for next year. Unmentionable and The Soul of an Octopus have just gone straight to the top of that list, thank you!

[@LifeBetweenWords1]

I was so excited to hear what your favorite non-fiction books were this year. I basically added ALL of them to my tbr.

[@HarrietRosie13]

You got me with Unmentionable, I NEED to read that book mow!

[@johannaraymond8830]

I'm a new subscriber and just want to say that I am really enjoying your videos, and that outro music makes me smile every time!

[@MinefortheReading]

I can't wait to pluck some of these reads at first opportunity. I asked for Soul of an octupus for Christmas off your lovely recommendation and am now even happier to start it soon

[@abookolive]

That makes me so happy :) I hope you really love Soul of an Octopus.

[@leemac]

I'm currently halfway through 'Moonwalking With Einstein' and loving it thanks to an earlier video of yours :) Sadly I'll never be able to enter my front door without feeling the need to step over Claudia Schiffer in her kiddie pool of cottage cheese, but it's a small (slightly awkward, not gonna lie... Especially on grocery shopping day...) price to pay for finally having a way to remember things that works! Now adding these other 4 books to my TBR ;;) Happy New Year! Looking fwd to your future vids x

[@brittan9600]

Yay I always need more nonfiction recs! Have you read No One's Business by Vadim Turcanu?? It was just released this year and is already one of my favorites. It's about a UK immigrant's journey trying to escape poverty - inspiring and motivating, but also raw and unsettling at times. Really timely with what's going on in the world right now.

[@ThePerksOfBooks]

The Soul of an Octopus was also one of my favorite reads of this year. Still thinking about it today, it's affected me a lot. Also, I just got Moonwalking with Einstein as a gift, can't wait to read it! :)

[@thuntz29]

I'm sold on The octopus memoir! Unmentionable sounds fantastic as well!!

[@radiantchristina]

i never thought i would want to pick up a book about an octopus, but now, i need that book.

[@margaretlafaive6597]

What a great list! I have added all of them to my 2017 TBR.

[@abookolive]

That's so wonderful to hear! I hope you love all of them :)

[@readingwithreeses1274]

You and I have really similar tastes in non-fic! The Soul of an Octopus and H is for Hawk were on my favorites list from last year. I also loved The Power of Habit when I read it a couple of years ago. I do most of my non-fiction on audio and have been eyeing Unmentionable. I'll have to pick the hardcover now that you mentioned it has a lot of pictures, though!

[@ornleifs]

Thanks for this - I've now got two more books on my amazon wish list.

[@erikaraeable]

Awesome list. Buying Unmentionable ASAP.

[@BeckieArt]

I totally need that Habit book *Runs off to Amazon* I love the sound of Unmentionable too. I recently got a large octopus tattoo down my ribs because I find them so interesting and beautiful. I like the sound of this book so much. Thanks so much for this!!

[@splitreads]

When will I finally get to H is for Hawk?! I need to read that book, it sounds like something I would love. Definitely put Unmentionable on my TBR... I'd never heard of it before - it looks fantastic!

[@nicolaspoblete2087]

Great list, I adored H is for Hawk, it is indeed a very literary book, reagardless of the "genre". Have you read Daniel Schacter? (since you're interested in the study of the brain, that would be an interesting scientist to check out).

[@abookolive]

I have not read anything of his - I need to check that out.

[@NicolesBookNook94]

Unmentionable sounds great!

[@LynxieDove]

Unmentionable sounds like a book that I will want to recommend to a few of my steampunk groups...to interject some realism to the topic of living in Victorian times.

[@Ladyjaxs]

I am reading unmentionable now, I am really loving it. Have you read "How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman" ? Its not as funny as unmentionables is - but I think its really good.

[@juliae.8237]

Olive, the book Soul of an Octopus, do you think it would make a good read aloud for a group? I have kids aged 8-15 and am always looking for a good natural history/biology book to read aloud to them. Is there any subplots of graphic sex or drug use? Or if not a read aloud could I give it to my teen with confidence? I was just wondering and it is okay if you aren't sure since most people don't read books with this in mind. Thanks. Julia_Elizabeth

[@readingwithreeses1274]

Hi! I know you are asking Olive and not me, but I read The Soul of an Octopus last year and I don't remember anything graphic in the sex or drug use department, though it does talk about how octopuses reproduce (though if I remember correctly it's the female lays her eggs and then waits for them to be fertilized). Olive has read it more recently, however, so she might be able to confirm that better for you. It also has some moving passages about death after an octopus passes away, if that is a consideration for your younger students.

[@danielnelles]

hi, do you know of any books about the Moscow theater hostage crisis? thanks