Top Ten Nonfiction Books Read in 2024

Welcome to this week's list of books by category I read in 2024. Today I am looking at my top ten nonfiction books for 2024. I am a nonfiction reader, and I was fortunate to read some good nonfiction books last year. Here is the list below in no particular order and with links to the reviews, if available at this time, so you can check them out. The list does not feature any cartomancy or esoterica books. I did read some great ones, but I am writing a separate list for those books, so stay tuned.

Emily C. Hughes, Horror for Weenies. 

 A good book to help you learn more about the horror genre so you can hang out with your friends who enjoy horror. 

Ken Light, Delta Time: Mississippi Photographs

 A solid collection of black and white photographs focusing on the Mississippi Delta region exploring poverty, racism, rural living, religion, and resilience. 

Timothy Eastman, All the Past We Leave Behind. 

This is a beautiful and at times moving photography book documenting the lives of workampers. If you liked books like Nomadland, you might like this one too. 

Mike Caulfield and Samuel S. Wineburg, Verified: How to think straight, get duped less, and make better decisions about what to believe online.

As I wrote, in my review, "In these Hard Times where the internet and social media are full of scams, click bait, rage bait, and all sorts of assorted bullshit, this book gives you the tools to separate the crap from the few good things that remain. This guide can help you navigate the enshittified internet." 

Brian Keene, End of the Road. 

This is a book I saw mentioned on social media, Bluesky most likely, and I knew I had to read it right away. I am glad I did. If you are already a fan of Keene's fiction, you will likely enjoy this memoir and reflection on writing and publishing and more.

Austin Frerick, Barons.

Right after I read this book, I knew this account of 7 robber baron dynasties and the empires they created was going to be on this list. Robber barons love to portray themselves as self-made men, and they are mostly men, but read this book to learn what the truth is. 

Lenny Duncan, Psalms of My People. 

From my review: This book "offers an interesting and different way to look at the Black American experience of struggle and liberation through hip hop. I do recommend this one for all libraries."

 

 Colin Kaepernick, Robin D.G. Kelley, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, eds. Our History Has Always Been Contraband: in Defense of Black Studies. 

From my review: "This is book is essential reading not just for Black History Month but at any time. Black history is everyone's history, and this book makes it accessible for anyone to read it and start learning." 

Mitzi Szereto, Women Who Murder. 

From my review: "Very often in crime, folks tend to dismiss women or don't think the 'gentler sex' is not capable of deeds like extreme violence and murder. The editor shows in 14 tales that when it comes to crime females are not the 'gentler sex. '" 

Margaret Kaplan, Words to Win By

 From my review: "The book looks at campaign materials as a way to learn about American politics and society." This is one I recommend for all libraries.

If you read this far, thank you for stopping by. Coming up, I will be posting my top list of graphic novels, comics, and manga for 2024, and after that my list of cartomancy and esoterica books read for 2024. Meanwhile, have you read any good nonfiction? Feel free to share in the comments if you wish. 

Happy reading.

 

Book Review: All the past we leave behind

Timothy Eastman, All the past we leave behind. Heidelberg, Germany: Kehrer, 2022.  ISBN: 9783969000922.

Genre: photography

Subgenre: Americana, travel, nomads

Format: coffee table hardback

Source: Hutchins Library, Berea College. I ordered it for our collection.

This is a beautiful and at times moving photography book documenting the lives of workampers. A workamper is defined as: 

"A person, typically living in an RV or van, who works usually seasonal or temporary jobs around the United States." 

 

The author states this book is inspired by Jessica Bruder's book Nomadland. I've had Bruder's book on my TBR list for a while, so when this new book came along I was intrigued. From that inspiration, the author went forth interviewing and photographing a diverse sampling of American workampers. Most of them are White people; very few are people of color. 

Contrary to common belief, bad economic conditions did not force many of them to become workampers. Some chose the lifestyle as a form of retirement. Others chose it for the freedom to travel and see different places, and others chose it as a way to minimize and simplify life. Their reasons to do this are diverse. "Most insisted that workamping was a life they had chosen out of opportunity rather than necessity." 

Strength of the book is in the large color photos. The author photographs people as well as their dwellings and places they travel. These can be very touching images at times. The images are also very humane, catching different moments in the subjects' lives. 

As for the text, the author pretty much let's the people speak for themselves. Though some common elements emerge, their stories are also very individual. Through their stories they welcome us into their homes and give us a small glimpse into their lives. 

For me, this book was powerful and moving. Once you start reading and looking over the photos, it draws you in. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy photography and Americana books. Recommended for all libraries. It may seem a simple book, but it is a powerful book. For me, one of the best reads this year. 

5 out of 5 stars.