Non-Fiction for the Non-Fiction Hater

Do people ever assume that just because you like to read and you read often then you must like all different kinds of books? This seems to happen to me a lot especially with non-fiction. I have never liked non-fiction which has caused me plenty of trouble with teachers who expect me to be just as eager to read a brief guide to American History as I am to read Ender's Game. While I do avoid non-fiction like the plague there have been times when I am forced to waltz into my school library's shabby, outdated non-fiction section and try not to grimace too much as I muscle my way though a book that takes me four times as long to read as a fiction novel. In these torturous moments I have stumbled upon some truly fantastic writing that even I am able to love. So if you are trying to survive the dreaded non-fiction unit in your English class here are my favorite non-fiction novels that will hopefully get the wheels in your brain moving.

1. Hilarious Memoir that Feels like YA

I am a YA addict. I know the first step to overcoming it is admitting it so hopefully that will help me make some progress. But what do we do when we only want to read YA but we have to read some non-fiction? We pick up Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, because the book takes place when the author is in 8th grade so the book feels like a YA coming of age novel. Jammed packed with comedy and wonderful little tidbits of advice this book is perfect for when you want to look impressive but you really just want to pick up a humorous YA coming of age story. 

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will find themselves laughing so hard they need to run to the bathroom in the witty and honest memoir by Maya Van Wagenen that is Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek. Maya is an eighth grade outcast at her extremely poor middle school in southern Texas. With only one friend her family moving at the end of the year would go seemingly unnoticed until Maya finds Betty Cornell's guide to popularity from the 1950's. Written in diary format as Maya shares her attempt at popularity and her commentary as she tries everything from dieting to girdles readers are pulled through a whirlwind year of using age old tricks to break down modern stereotypes. As a self proclaimed nerd, this book really resonated with me in a lot of ways. The breaking down of social stereotypes in this book was wonderful and something I can relate too as someone who is very nerdy yet still has the confidence to walk up to a complete stranger and introduce myself to them. The humor in this book was fantastic and very honest and one of the main reasons I loved it so much. The fact that this novel took place when the author was in 8th grade made this book feel less like a memoir and more like a young adult novel and I think this really contributed to my ability to enjoy this book. Overall I would highly recommend this book for middle school and high school age readers because the struggles the author faces will resonate with them.
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2. Comedic Take on a Terrible Life

I hate sad memoirs. I don't like feeling sad and reading about something bad happening to a fictional character is bad enough but trying to survive reading about a tragedy that actually happened to someone just makes me want to sit and cry. Angela's Ashes is a sad memoir without actually making anyone feel sad because Frank McCourt turns his horrendous life into a never ending comedy routine. Perfect for anyone who wants to expand their reading and still laugh their pants off. Be prepared with an open afternoon because once you start reading you wont be able to stop!  

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt can only be described as the epitome of a memoir. With comedy at its best Frank McCourt turns misery into true hilarity as he chronicles his life growing up dirt poor in Ireland. Even after the many tragedies that strike his family Frank McCourt still keeps a positive outlook on life and manages to find the story in everything whether its his miserable times in the Catholic Church or the angel on the seventh step who gives his mother babies. Overall I loved everything about this book. The writing was so raw and honest yet still brimming with comedy which made for a very interesting reading experience. There were so many points in this book where I wanted to cry out of sympathy for young Frank and only a minute later I would be laughing out loud at the joke that he had made out of his life. One thing that I found very interesting about this book was how even though we as readers can see how horrible Frank's family is to him the whole story is filled with forgiveness and we never hear of grudges held against anyone who was a part of his terrible life in Ireland. Frank McCourt's writing style is unlike anything I have ever read. He is ultra descriptive while still managing to be subtle and humorous and all of his writing has meaning. Even though his life deserves a major pity party Frank McCourt sure isn't throwing one for himself. His writing is not "Woe is me" as so many other memoirs are, in fact Frank McCourt actually appears to be great full for some aspect of his life. As someone who finds most memoirs to be fake and unenjoyable I was amazed by this book and I would highly recommend it as a must read in your lifetime kind of book. Angela's Ashes is very adult so I would only recommend for mature readers.

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3. True Non-Fiction That Includes Math That Won't Make You Want to Throw Yourself Off a Cliff

Sometimes reading memoirs only gets you so far. Sadly not everyone considers memoirs "true" non-fiction and will claim that you are not expanding your reading by hoarding them in your bookshelf. This is where Overdressed comes in. Wile it is mainly about fashion which is something I love dearly it is also about business and the economy whuch are things I don't love quite so much.
Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline
My rating: ❤❤❤❤

Have you ever wondered how it is that your clothing can be so inexpensive? Have you ever put in any thought to the social and environmental effects of your clothing? Do you want answers for why your shirt fell apart the first time you washed it? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you should definitely read Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline. Overdressed focuses on the effects that the fast fashion industry has had on the environment, the economy, foreign workers, the US, the slow fashion industry, and most importantly our clothing. I loved how varied this book was in both topics and evidence using interviews, personal opinions, and statistics to convey a message. Cline made this a great read with her comedic and descriptive writing style creating a very intriguing feeling throughout the book. Lovers of fashion, business, human rights, and the environment will feel right at home with Overdressed and would be very pleased with the issues it addresses. So whether you are fashion guru or just want to expand your knowledge I would highly recommend Overdressed to anyone in need of a good non-fiction read.

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