Are you looking for a new book to curl up with over the winter? In 2019, there have been some excellent non-fiction additions to inspire and entertain you. We’ve got seven books you may want to think about adding to your bookshelf (or Christmas list) this year.
1. Lunch with the FT: A Second Helping, Lionel Barber
The famous ‘lunch with the FT’ column has featured a wide range of interesting people over the last 25 years, from intellectuals to film icons. This book brings together some of the most fascinating interviews from the last five years. If you’re a regular reader of the FT or simply want to learn more about those mentioned in the pages, this is a great book for you. From Edward Snowden to Donald Trump to Zoella, you’ll find plenty of interviews to capture your attention from the list no matter what you’re looking for.
2. The Uninhabitable Earth, David Wallace-Wells
Covering one of the most widely covered issues today, climate change, The Uninhabitable Earth certainly isn’t a light-hearted read. David Wallace-Wells explores the worst-case scenario bringing together different strands of scientific research. It’s a warning and call to action, but still a fascinating read. It gives a stark assessment of who will benefit from climate change and just how close a changing world could be, potentially affecting the lives of children and grandchildren.
3. Gotta Get Theroux This: My Life and Strange Times in Television, Louis Theroux
Are you a fan of Louis Theroux’s documentaries? If the answer is ‘yes’ this book should definitely be on your list. Known for expertly coxing interviewees to open up about themselves, this time Louis reveals what makes him tick. This book takes readers on a journey through some of his career highlights that immersed viewers in worlds as far-flung as the racist US militias and violent gangs of Johannesburg. It also explores Louis being blindsided by the revelations that came out about Jimmy Savile.
4. Trick Mirror, Jia Tolentino
Trick Mirror is a collection of essays that explores the disorientation of modern life. It’s witty and perceptive as it discusses the current socio-political debate. Among the topics looked at are the internet, feminism and politics, assessing what it means to come of age when the landscape has changed rapidly. It maps out the millennial mindset and demonstrates just how different that can be between generations.
5. Written in History, Simon Sebag Montefiore
If you’re a fan of uncovering history, this is the book for you. It brings together great letters of world history, creative culture and personal life from ancient times to the twenty-first century. With an introduction offering context for each letter, they offer an insight into the writer. With writers varying from Ramses the Great and Emmeline Pankhurst to Stalin and Michelangelo, as well as unknown people in extraordinary circumstances, you can expect inspiring, brutal and heartbreaking stories.
6. She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
The MeToo movement dominated headlines two years ago and still continues to feature today. It all started with the breaking of Harvey Weinstein’s case following decades of sexual assault allegations. She Said goes back to the beginning of the investigation and offers you an insight behind the new stories. It’s written by the two journalists that meticulously worked through the evidence and connections to break the story that has had startling repercussions. If you’ve ever been interested in investigative journalism, this offers a chance to get behind the column inches.
7. Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas, Adam Kay
Mixing gallows humour and heartbreaking stories with ease, medic Adam Kay shares his experience of working in the NHS. On Christmas day, over 1.4 million NHS staff will be heading to work and after delving into his diaries the author shares his anecdotes from working on the frontline at the most wonderful time of the year. There are stories that will make you laugh and others that are truly touching. If you’ve yet to read This is Going to Hurt, the first book by Adam Kay, we’d recommend adding that to your reading list too.