This year I want to challenge myself somewhat to read outside my usual boundaries, to tackle some topics that are uncomfortable for me and to encounter diverse characters and cultures. So without any particular rules in mind, I selected various books from my TBR that I’d like to make a priority in 2016. I made this list some time ago and have actually already read two of the books on it, both of which I loved — so the effort so far is definitely worth it.
Have you read any of these? What did you think?
NONFICTION
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson – Read, January 2016
Being Mortal by Utul Gawande – Read, February 2016
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
Excellent Daughters by Katherine Zoepf
FICTION
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovich
Kindred by Octavia Butler
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
Even though Between the World and Me was a tough read it was a good read. I also enjoyed Station Eleven. I want to check out some of the other Non Fiction you listed. Enjoy them!
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Thanks, Grace, I am really excited about this list.
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Station Eleven was fantastic – a really interesting list! 🙂
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I can see that Station Eleven has been a great read for many. I must get to it soon!
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I can vouch for both Station Eleven and The Sixth Extinction – both so good!
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I am looking forward to both very much.
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I love Station Eleven and Kindred! I’ve read some of the earlier Aaronovich books, and they are fun.
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I wanted something fun in the mix, so that’s good to hear.
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I haven’t read any of these to help you, but good luck with reading outside your usual boundaries.
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Thanks Jessica! With the ones I’ve read so far it’s been a smashing success.
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The Sixth Extinction is excellent, and Lagoon is a fun read. I am about 20% into Excellent Daughters and find it quite interesting. At this point in the book, Syria is quite different from what it has been over the past 3 years, so I am curious to find out if and how the author addresses the current situation in that area of the world.
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I really want to learn more about that too. I feel so ignorant in this area.
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The Sixth Extinction for me too! I read an essay in the Best American Science & Nature Writing a while ago that eventually became, or maybe originated as, a chapter in The Sixth Extinction, and it was FAScinating, and I’ve been meaning to read the book proper ever since. Just haven’t gotten to it yet.
From your list, I’ve read Lagoon and Between the World and Me and Station Eleven, and really liked all of them!
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Your recommendation is always a big plus for me. 🙂
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I haven’t read any of these, but it seems like a pretty diverse list of books. Good luck! And happy reading. 🙂
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Thanks, Lark!
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I think I love Dickens in spite of (or maybe because of) his outrageous plots and crazy coincidences!
I don’t know any book lover who isn’t a sucker for a book list! Thanks for sharing this!
I have only read Kindred and Station Eleven. Kindred was excellent I thought and it gives the reader a lot of food for thought. I wasn’t a huge fan of Station Eleven, but I did enjoy it.
Between The World and Me is on my mental TBR. I just have to make time for it. I don’t gravitate towards Non-Fiction but am almost always happy when I finally do make the time to read it.
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Oops, sorry the first sentence in my comment is from something else! Sorry.
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I’ve been reading so much more nonfiction since I started blogging (and especially, reading other blogs). It’s a wonderful world out there.
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I also want to read station eleven!
I hope to get to read all these books you’ve listed this year.
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Great, I’d love to know what you think of them too.
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I really enjoyed Between the World and Me, The Sixth Extinction, and Being Mortal and both your other nonfiction picks are on my to-read list too 🙂 I also was impressed with how well Station Eleven lived up to the hype.
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Being Mortal and Sixth Extinction were Nonfiction Book Club picks that I couldn’t manage at the time, but I still really wanted to read. Good to hear that about Station Eleven — I’m often disappointed by heavily hyped books.
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I just recently finished Kindred. It was a very good, and at time intense, read. I think you will enjoy it!
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It does sound intense, but I’ve heard only good things about it. And Octavia Butler seems like a writer I have got to encounter very soon. Thanks for the recommendation.
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