My Book Club’s Favorite Nonfiction Picks
My in-person book club is made up of an eclectic group of women who come from all walks of life. From an interior designer to a pediatric emergency room nurse, we have a little bit of everything. But as a whole, we all tend to love nonfiction in one way or another. So today, I’m sharing some of the most popular nonfiction books my book club has adored.
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Tara Westover grew up as the daughter of Morman survivalists living in Idaho. While her parents claimed to be homeschooling her, she received little to no formal education. But her thirst for knowledge led her to read everything she could get her hands on, and with a little help, she landed herself a spot at a university. Her journey took her to Harvard, Cambridge, and beyond.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
When doctors discovered that Henrietta Lacks’ cells restored themselves like nothing they’d ever seen, they stole her cells without ever telling her. They used her cells for important breakthroughs in medicine, like the polio vaccine and cancer research. But they had no intention of ever compensating Lacks or her family.
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century, edited by Alice Wong
In this collection of essays edited by Alice Wong, disabled writers share their varied experiences with disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, and Deafness. From a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, the contributors present a diverse perspective of disability that honors and celebrates disabled lives.
The Way Through the Woods: On Mushrooms and Mourning by Long Litt Woon
We have A LOT of mushroom lovers in our book club, so this book about a woman’s experience of dealing with grief by turning to mushroom foraging was a huge hit. When Long Litt Woon’s husband died, she didn’t know how she was going to live without him. But somehow, she falls into mushroom foraging, discovering a whole new way to enjoy her home by exploring its forests. Long begins to study for the exam that will solidify her as an official mushroom forager. It’s such a beautiful book about mourning and healing told through nature writing.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
With burnout on the rise, Wintering is more relevant than ever. In May’s modern classic, Wintering, she delves into the importance of wintering, the practice of resting and retreating in order to recharge. She emphasizes that we can’t all be working and producing 24/7 for years on end. We all need rest, and that’s just part of the seasons of our lives.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.