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Favourite Non-Fiction Reads of 2022.

 I am a fiction girl, through and through. Always have been and it's safe to say I always will be. 

I do however try to read a little more non-fiction every year. Just to try something a little different and venture out of my comfort zone. 

This year I did very good on said resolution to read more non-fiction here and there, I read more non-fiction than I normally do and I have really enjoyed mixing it up. 




So here's my FAVOURITE NON-FICTION READS OF 2022: 

Here we go in no particular order: 

1. Sapiens, A Graphic History Vol. I by Yuval Noah Harari: I read this back in January and this is the book that everyone has read but I never got around to reading the..non-graphic version, so I figured I'd pick up the graphic novel version and I am glad I did and I loved this book and this style of story telling so much. Can't wait to read Vol. II at some point and if you haven't read this condensed lesson in human history and our beginnings, you absolutely must pick it up. 


2. Cat People Edited by Devapriya Roy: If you love Cats this is a delightful little book of essays and anecdotes you have to pick it up. The stories here are so full of love and life and the struggles of raising our canine loves and the sweet joys of being a cat human. Wonderful and fun. 


3. Cultish- The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell: A perfect look at how cults use words and language to pull in people and make them feel like they are a part of something larger than themselves and others the rest of the world. I found this book very enlightening and gave me so much to think about and mull over. So good. 

4. A Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton: I love memoirs. Adore them, I sometimes feel a little nosy  for liking memoirs as much as I like them, but there is something incredible about stepping into someone's life and seeing their world up close and personal. I especially love reading about home situations and family lives so dramatically different from mine. Different from what is considered normal. I did a full review for this book, you can READ IT HERE. 

5.  I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy: This book! Oh Man! It made me so grateful for my mother and the life outside the spotlight and fame that I had. So honest, unflinching and often difficult to read but if you've ever wondered how child stars live and the perils of fame at a young age and especially if toxic mother and daughter relationships are something you are curious about, this is the book for you. 

6. The Mothers of Manipur by Teresa Rahman: The twelve incredible women, the mothers who shocked the nation with their powerful protest against the rape and murder of a young Manipuri woman, here we meet these twelve ordinary women and learn about their lives and what made them take to streets and protest in the nude. I had this book on my shelves for a while now and I am glad I finally picked it up this year. An important book that more people need to read. 

7. Azadi- Freedom, Fascism and Fiction by Arundhati Roy: A collection of essays of Roy that I immensely enjoyed, I haven't read much of Roy's non-fiction, this collection has made me want to reach for her non-fiction. These essays dealt with everything from Kashmir to the rise of fanaticism and the cost of being honest and speaking your mind. Really good. 

8. Janani, Mothers, Daughters and Motherhood by Rinki Bhattacharya: I loved this book so much, women from all walks of life- writers, activists, actors and academics talk of motherhood and being daughters and mothers. Interesting and moving and even heartbreaking. A great pick if you are mother and for every daughter. 

9. The Book of Indian Ghosts by Riksunder Banerjee: I love all things ghosts and this was such a definite collection of all things Indian Ghosts and Ghouls. So nicely put together and includes so many different kinds of ghosts and spirits. A perfect read for people like me who love all things bhoot and I also loved that this was a mix of fiction and non-fiction. It covered ghosts from all over the country and if want to learn about Indian ghosts this is the book for you. 

10. In The Language of Remembering by Aanchal Malhotra: I saved the best for last. 

This right here is the BEST DAMN THING I'VE READ ALL YEAR. 

I won't say much, except..Please pick it up right now. 

You need to read it. It's so so so good. 

A full review can be found here. 


~~~ 


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