Non-fiction is often characterised by historical biographies and academic criticism. Then one discovers Didion and their world is turned inside out. Here are some non-fiction recommendations that shape my love for the genre.
Essays
Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion
Joan Didion’s last published book before her death, Let Me Tell You What I Mean, is a curation of 12 essays and serves as a window to Didion’s remarkable mind. From musings about her writing processes to insightful commentaries on California during the Cold War, this book is a great introduction to not only the world of Didion, but of non-fiction. My personal favourites, “Why I Write” and “On Being Unchosen by the College of One’s Choice” remind me that it’s okay to not have it all figured out.
Further in Essays:
- The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
- Little Weirds by Jenny Slate
- These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
Memoirs
Just Kids by Patti Smith
What begins as a love story, ends as a eulogy for the artist of her life, Robert Mapplethorpe. In her memoir Just Kids, Patti Smith chronicles her creative journey and rise to fame during the 1970s. Extensive knowledge of the 70s and rock music is not necessary, as Smith’s sincerity, and unwavering appreciation for life and art draws you right into the centre of the story. Non-fiction books can feel rather boring due to their academic tone while celebrity memoirs often fall short of literary merit. However, Smith’s prose is food to the soul.
Further in Memoirs:
- Know My Name by Chanel Miller
- In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
Epistolaries
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
Letters to a Young Poet is a collection of ten letters written by Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke to Franz Kappus, a nineteen-year-old fellow poet seeking advice. Filled with timeless words of wisdom, this pocket sized book is the only guide to life you’ll ever need. Rilke examines the power of literature and the arts while expressing his desires to read and writer for an eternity. He also stresses the importance of truth, and committing to one’s self with honesty. Each time I revisit this book, it transforms my like in a new way. It’s only a matter of time before you turn the pages and feel yourself shifting irrevocably.
Further in Epistolaries:
- Open Me Carefully by Emily Dickinson’s
- Getting Lost by Annie Ernaux
- Letters to Milena by Franz Kafka
Criticisms
Against Interpretation and Other Essays by Susan Sontag
In this series of criticisms, Susan Sontag presents numerous arguments against the interpretation of art, claiming that art loses its value once its reduced to its meaning. Sontag wields her words like a polished sword and one cannot help but be swayed by her sentences. Although I find myself disagreeing with serval of her points, Sontag challenges my stances on art and analysis. She provides readers with fresh perspectives and inspires them to contemplate their relaitonhps with the arts for the better.
Further in Criticsm:
- A Swim in a Pond by George Saunders
- Monsters by Claire Dederer
- Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison
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