Which Nonfictions Books Should You Read? (Beginner-Friendly)

Hello, everyone! It is no secret that I love reading nonfiction books. So, I thought that it would be a great idea to compile a list of the ones that I believe are the best to get started. To make it easier for you, I will give you my recommendations on different topics. Of course, I'm more interested in specific niches than others, so I will try to also include more nonfiction books in these categories. 

Let's get started!

Art - The Guerilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art 

If you are interested in art (and feminism), The Guerilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art is a great book to pick up. It's an extremely short book, just 96 pages, and illustrated. However, its contents will surprise you as it takes the history of western art and highlights the women artists that shaped it, and were forgotten. If you are already familiar with art history, then you have probably heard of these artists, but if not, you will learn so much from this book. Plus, it is a gentle way into feminism in art. 

Further Reading:

• Old Mistresses: Women, Art and Ideology, by Rozsika Parker, Griselda Pollock
• Art is a Tyrant: The Unconventional Life of Rosa Bonheur, by Catherine Hewitt

Science - The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)

Probably my most read genre of nonfiction is science, and cosmology in particular. In this topic, there are some well-known books that you could choose from, like A Brief History of Time. However, my pick and one of my favourite books of all time is The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking). This book deals with all the possible endings of the universe, yes the universe will eventually die. At the same time though, it also explains how the universe came to be, and all these powers that affect it. Katie Mack does an amazing job at explaining these concepts, and I found her writing witty and funny. Even though the subject might sound a bit intimidating at first, give this book a try if you are interested in learning more about space.

Further Reading:

• A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking
• Death by Black Hole, by Neil deGrasse Tyson
• Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, by Carlo Rovelli
• A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson

Biography & Memoir - The KLF: Chaos, Magic, and the Band Who Burned a Million Pounds

I have grouped these two together because I rarely read these genres of nonfiction. My pick comes from the biography genre, so my further reading recommendation will be my favourite memoir. 

I really have a hard time putting this book into one category - it is a biography of a band, so it also fits into art and music. But it is also about philosophy. The KLF: Chaos, Magic, and the Band Who Burned a Million Pounds, by John Higgs is one of the most stimulating reads, and I can't recommend it enough. It is a unique experience that will grab your attention from page 1. Even if you've never hearf of The KLF before, you can enjoy their story and marvel at the many different facets that the author explores. For me, this book read better than fiction.

Further Reading:

• Bluets, by Maggie Nelson
• Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
• Maus, Art Spiegelman

Health - The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina—Separating the Myth from the Medicine

This isn't one of my most-read nonfiction book genres, but it's definitely one that has started to intrigue me a lot. For this reason, I can't recommend the books that you've probably seen going around (yet). But I can confidently say that The Vagina Bible, by Dr Jen Gunter is an important read. I loved the fact that this book was inclusive, and it addressed everything that you would want to know about the vagina and the vulva. It's not a book that you will read for its literary merit, but to me, it's a required reading. I will definitely by reading the author's other books on period and menopause. Also, if you have any recommendation on this topic, please let me know in the comments. 

Neuroscience - Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain

I'm sure that the word "neuroscience" probably sounds intimidating for someone that hasn't delved into the world of nonfiction books before. However, there are many books in the topic that are actually quite readable, and very very interesting. My pick is Musicophilia, by Oliver Sacks, a neuroscientist that you've might have heard before. This book is a collection of cases that the author had encountered over the years. The thing that connects these cases is the fact that they have to do with music in one way or another. This book revealed to me the wonders of the human mind, and the different expressions that it finds to cope in various situations. 

Further Reading:

• The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, by Oliver Sacks
• The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida

Letters - Letter to His Father

You might argue that this category should be a sub-genre of biography/memoir, and I would agree for the most part. However, there is something distinct, so I wanted to dedicate its own section. When it comes to letters, the choice is easy - it's Franz Kafka. The Letter to His Father is such a powerful and heartbreaking read. Through this, we get to understand the writer's relationship with his father and how it shaped both his life and art. 

Further Reading:

• Letters to Milena, by Franz Kafka
• Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Letters to a German Friend, by Albert Camus 

Nature - The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate

Yes, a book about trees is actually very interesting. In The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben, you will learn so much that you will never look at trees the same way. Nature is a category I haven't yet delved deep into, even though I'm very interested in it. Books like Braiding Sweetgrass, and Gathering Moss, and The Soul of an Octopus all sound really exciting to me. Please, give me your recommendations on nature and climate crisis books. 

Self-Help - Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

I believe that self-help books are the most hit or miss category for most people. For me, they tend not to work, and I keep on trying them. My recent review of Welcome to the Creative Club is just another case of a failed attempt. Out of the ones I've read so far, Burnout, by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski was the most interesting to me. The thing about this book is that it also has a feminist angle that aligns with my beliefs. This is book is all about embracing the mad woman in you, learning to listening to your body, and completing the biological stress cycle.

What nonfiction books have you read and enjoy? 

See more of my lists here!