Part one of this series was about fiction books to read in the fall. During the school year, most students — including myself — are not inclined to read books that are educational or about real life, and therefore favor fiction. Books are often used as an escape, so the less that a story resembles the reality of college and work life, the better.
However, nonfiction can be just as therapeutic. Nonfiction books help us learn more about the world around us in a more tangible way, and they fulfill our need to pursue knowledge about topics that interest us the most. And as the saying goes, sometimes reality can be stranger than fiction.
Without further ado, here are a list of nonfiction books that I would recommend for autumn.
For an immersive experience into the lives of ordinary women in America:
Three Women by Liza Taddeo
For a hard read about mother’s harrowing experience working as a maid:
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will To Survive by Stephanie Land
Here is a personal psychoanalysis about schizophrenia for the psych nerds:
The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays by Esme Wejun Wang
For learning about true murder crimes and how to avoid getting murdered:
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Here is a how-to about being successful in the real world:
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in A Specialized World by David Epstein
Here’s a dose of existential dread about the future the human species on Earth:
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells
What to know about the unknown (aka strangers):
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell
If you want to expose male chauvinism:
The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West
Here are anecdotes about immigrant experiences in the U.S:
The Good Immigrant USA by Nikesh Shukla
Become a better consumer today by reading:
Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have by Tatiana Schlossberg
A true story about a fake socialite who scammed everyone:
My Friend: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel DeLoache Williams
Decoding the internet for the millenials and Gen Z:
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch
A dark read for the curious mind:
Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer by Barbara Ehrenreich
It can be incredibly difficult to make time to read — especially during midterm season — when we’re overwhelmed with projects and exams from which there seems to be no reprieve from. And the little time we have to ourselves we’ll turn to the Netflix and Hulu gods or meet up with friends. Books are an easy form of escapism from the anxiety-ridden lives we have, but they are incredibly time consuming. But there is something profoundly meaningful about picking up a book and skimming over words on paper that no movie or podcast — albeit having their own respective value — can completely capture.