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12 Best Nonfiction Books of 2021 (so far!)

A List

By Annie KapurPublished 3 years ago 9 min read
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12 Best Nonfiction Books of 2021 (so far!)
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash

I love reading nonfiction from time to time. Some of the best nonfiction books I have ever read have been about events that, at the time I read them, were current and thought provoking. Books such as The Brothers by Masha Gessen and the famed Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell have become some of my favourites over the course of the past ten years with one being about the events of the current time I was reading it (The Boston Marathon Bombings) and the other being about times gone by (George Orwell's time before he became a heavy hitter) - both were incredibly interesting to read. When it comes to nonfiction, I do not just read things that are considered biographical, I also like to read historical books about very particular things like the reigns of certain monarchs in Britain or the Russian Revolution, or the Holocaust or even the way in which New York City changed throughout the 20th century.

What I want to share with you now are 12 books that I have read over the course of this year that have really had an impact on me when it comes to nonfiction: maybe they've taught me something, or maybe they have changed my opinion of something or someone in some way - or perhaps, I just really enjoyed reading them and seeing someone's story come to life.

12 Best Nonfiction Books of 2021 (so far!)

Selected Essays by George Orwell

George Orwell has always been a fascinating character to me as it seems like his works (especially "1984") are re-entering prominence. But, it was the book of his "Selected Essays" that grabbed my attention this time. Especially one of his essays entitled "Shooting the Elephant" which I thought initially was a metaphor for something until I realised he was actually talking about shooting an elephant. All about his travels, his life, his journalism and his character, Orwell's essays are a great way to learn about him - no other biography could come close.

Read my review here.

Bob Dylan in London: Troubadour Tales by Jackie Lees and KG Miles

Bob Dylan's time in London could not have been better written. A fun and informative book about everything a fan needs to know when looking for Dylan hideouts in London, this book goes through the story of "Madhouse on Castle Street" to the story about Bob Dylan returning in 1965, to Bob Dylan performing at what would be called the famous "Royal Albert Hall" concerts and beyond. Documented alongside some lovely artwork of Dylan in various places in London (one of my favourites is the one from "Subterranean Homesick Blues" which was too, filmed in London) we get Dylan's London life from start to finish - hopefully though, it is not over.

The next edition to this book will be about New York and I personally cannot wait, there will be so much to explore!

Bogart by A.M Sperber and Eric Lax

I got really upset when reading about Humphrey Bogart's childhood. He wasn't allowed to call his mother by a maternal title, instead having to call her by her first name - that could traumatise a child. Then, as he grew up, Bogart felt a sense of dislocation until his big break as a movie star. It is a harrowing story of a man who may have been born into some comfort, but who possibly had it mentally harder than anyone else. He had a strict and harsh upbringing but was ultimately let down by life and I cannot relate to that more.

Check out what I wrote about it here

The Sleeping Beauties by Suzanne O’Sullivan

An amazing book about strange illness that nobody can diagnose including but not limited to kids who sleep in comatose-like states for years and years for no reason, without illness beforehand or after. These, as the writer puts, could have been caused by traumatic experiences, migration difficulties and assimilation problems. But, there is a high chance that a lot of these illnesses are psychological and yet, they are terrifying and without cure. After reading this book, I investigated the darker side of psychological difficulties, stuff we have never even heard of because so few people have been documented as to have them - things that ultimately kill people without even trying. It is terrifying stuff.

The Red Prince: John of Gaunt by Helen Carr

I have always been interested in the politics of Medieval Britain, especially during the court of Richard II. John of Gaunt plays a key role until his death in the court of Richard II and Gaunt's death ultimately sends a tidal wave against Richard. But before that, Gaunt secures his lineage on the throne, tries his best for his country but ultimately, still seems to let it down. Can England ever be satisfied? Gaunt's raising of his son, the next monarch after Richard II - Henry IV, becomes one of the answers to this question.

Check out my review here.

The Artful Dickens by John Mullan

I adored this book so very much. Every essay on Dickens is compiled full of evidence from his books. Each chapter is a different symbol, theme, contextual factor, idea, character trope etc. that we see in his novels and the main features are books such as: "Oliver Twist", "A Christmas Carol", "Great Expectations", "Bleak House", "Little Dorrit" and "David Copperfield". Every chapter of this book is so thoroughly researched that I have to say, I went back and annotated my copy in case I wanted to write a Dickens essay in the future.

Check out what I had to say about it here.

Three Martini Afternoons at the Ritz by Gail Crowther

A book about the parralels between the lives of Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, this is one hell of a biography. It goes through each of their similarities and unfortunately, one of the things they have in common is they both killed themselves. However, the classes that they were at, the people they met in the same circles and their unhappy marriages plagued by cynicism are all contributing factors. The fact that after a while they were on opposite sides of the world and through this, we get a cultural shift in their lives that makes it strange to compare them any longer. I loved this book because from high society USA to high class London, the two women seem to be on similar paths when it comes to their lives and writing.

Check out my review here.

Beautiful Things by Hunter Biden

I cried whilst reading this book. Joe Biden's son, Hunter, writes of his struggle with drugs and alcohol in a way that really gives you an intense look into the details. He explains how his brother passed away and how he was right there when he died. The connection between the two brothers was something intense and co-dependent. One needed the other and so, when Hunter's brother - Beau - died, it almost seemed impossible to continue for Hunter. The passage where his brother passes away though, that will always haunt me. It is such an impassioned passage and I cannot describe what may have been going through Hunter's head at the very moment when he realises his brother is really gone.

Check out the review I wrote for it here.

Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves

I was actually quite surprised at this book because I'm not going to lie - I don't particularly enjoy reading Robert Graves' historical novels. They are dense and too wordy, packed full of uselessness. Anyways, this autobiography shows us that if anything, he wasn't that intense of a guy. I remember reading this part where he is going skiing and he is just having the time of his life with his friends, joking around and being silly etc. It is not something you would expect from a man who was so uptight. But, the real message of being completely and utterly anti-war, is loud and clear. It's like reading an early 60s Bob Dylan song.

The Story of Alice by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

This book was absolutely amazing. All about the history behind the character "Alice" from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" we see everything from the real girl she was based on and the man who wrote her into one of the most beloved stories of the modern age. Yes, I know some people think that Lewis Carroll was a bit of a shady man, but in reality we cannot say what he did or did not do. So let us all just appreciate the fact that we have got a wonderful book which has spun off novels such as "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman and "Alice" by Christina Henry. Robert Douglas-Fairhurst does a hell of a lot of research to help us put together the world of Alice before it was even built, and I hope we all appreciate that.

Check out the review I wrote here.

Who the Hell’s In It? By Peter Bogdanovich

I don't think I could tell you how much I enjoyed this book even if I tried. A collection of meetings with some of Hollywood's most iconic Golden Age stars, this book is made out of memories from Marilyn Monroe, to Cary Grant and even to the late, great River Phoenix. Everyone has a story to tell and honestly, when I read this book I realised that all of these people may have been stars, but they were in fact real people as well. I think that is something that is missing from stars today - they don't seem like real people anymore and everyone is just a copy of a copy. Back then, though, boy did they have some real character! My personal favourite chapter was probably on Cary Grant - just because that man was not only a legend, but he was such a lovely human being and nobody has ever said a bad word about him.

You can read my book review here.

Machiavelli: His Life and Times by Alexander Lee

This one has to be one of my favourite nonfiction books of the year because of the fact that whilst I was at school and university, I really got into a lot of Machiavelli's philosophies and I ended up writing essays on them and stuff. I have never read a biography about Machiavelli that was as immersive as this one. It not only goes through his life and the Italy around him, but it also explains where he may have gotten his ideas and what might have influenced him to think the way he did. Through the rise and fall of the Borgias, through to the rise of the Medici, Machiavelli was pretty much living through some very key moments in Renaissance history and the best part is that Alexander Lee does not leave that out when discussing Macahiavelli's own goals.

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About the Creator

Annie Kapur

190K+ Reads on Vocal.

English Lecturer

🎓Literature & Writing (B.A)

🎓Film & Writing (M.A)

🎓Secondary English Education (PgDipEd)

📍Birmingham, UK

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