Monday 8 November 2021

Nonfiction November 2021 Week 2 Book Pairing #NonficNov

Week 2 (November 8-12): Book Pairing
with Katie at Doing Dewey


As I've announced in October (see here), it's Non-Fiction November again and this year, it is hosted by Christopher from Plucked from the Stacks.

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This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title. It can be an "If you loved this book, read this!" or just two titles that you think would go well together. Maybe it’s a historical novel and you’d like to get the real history by reading a nonfiction version of the story.

Last year I paired up books about the Tulip Fever or Tulipomania in the Netherlands of the 17th century. 

This year, I would like to concentrate on one of the best books I read last year about a subject very close to my heart: Afghanistan:

 

Elliot, Jason "An Unexpected Light. Travels in Afghanistan" - 1999

I have read a few other non-fiction books about this area, especially:
Lamb, Christina "The Sewing Circles of Herat" - 2002

But also some other great ones:
Emcke, Carolin "Echoes of Violence: Letters from a War Reporter" (GE: Von den Kriegen. Briefe an Freund) - 2004
Shakib, Siba "Afghanistan, Where God Only Comes to Weep" (GE: Nach Afghanistan kommt Gott nur noch zum Weinen) - 2002

If you are interested in reading non-fiction publications about this country, its long history and the last decades of one conflict after another which all resulted in a huge war, I can recommend any of them.

And if you would like to read some good fictional accounts about it, there are also some great ones that describe the people and their lives in this fascinating part of our world.

Hosseini, Khaled "And the Mountains Echoed" - 2013
- "A Thousand Splendid Suns" - 2007
- "The Kite Runner" - 2003
Shakib, Siba "Samira and Samir" (GE: Samira und Samir) - 2004 

I have read some other novels and non-fiction books about Afghanistan but these are the best ones I have read. 

For more information on Nonfiction November check here.

24 comments:

  1. Unexpected Light was very well written, I thought. I also loved A Thousand Splendid Suns and Kite Runner.

    Great idea for pairings.

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    1. Thanks for that back-up, Deb. I'm glad you agree with me. My favourite of Khaled Hosseini was "And the Mountains Echoed", I thought he got better with every single book. I hope he'll write more.

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  2. I have only read The Kite Runner. Interesting that Shakib wrote both a nonfiction and a novel. I'm curious about his nonfiction, the title is definitely powerful

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    1. I'm glad you're interested Emma. Siba Shakib is a German-Iranian author and filmmaker who grew up in Tehran. She has written two more books which I really should read soon.

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    2. Thanks, I didn't realize she was also a filmmaker!

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    3. Well, we can't know everything. LOL

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  3. I’ve read a few fiction and non fiction titles set in Afghanistan but none of these. Thanks for sharing your recommendations

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    1. Thanks, Shelley. Then you should be interested in any of these books. I'd start with one of the two first ones.

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  4. Hossieni has been a great favourite of my book group - great pairings.

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    1. Thanks, Kate. Yes, we read two Hosseini books in the club and everyone loved them. Glad you did, as well.

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  5. I loved 1000 Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner. I haven't read And the Mountains Echoed yet - I actually forgot about it! Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. Thanks, Erin. I hope you'll love it as much as I did. It's my favourite.

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  6. Interesting subject. I have read The Kite Runner, excellent. I am also reading a more modern nonfiction: Jihad, The Secret War in Afghanistan by Tom Carew.

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    1. That also sounds very good, Lisbeth, thanks for mentioning it. I will have to explore, it would go well on my list.

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  7. Great topic for pairings this year Marianne. I've read the Hossieni, but haven't explored any non-fiction, so thanks for the recommendations.

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    1. You're welcome, Brona. I guess you will be just as intrigued as I am with the whole topic.

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  8. Brilliant way to focus the topic! Have you read Sparks Like Stars yet? (fiction)

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    1. No, I haven't, Carol, thanks for the recommendation. Always nice to be able to add more books to my list.

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  9. I've loved all of Khaled Hosseini's novels, so need to check out your nonfiction selections. Thanks!

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    1. Thanks, Joanne. I'm sure there is something there that you would enjoy.

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  10. I really struggled with The Kite Runner - and this was back when it came out and I was still reading fiction.

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    1. It's not my favourite of his books, Sarah. And I had read quite a few other books about Afghanistan before. If you ever wanted to read another one of his books, I'd recommend his third one, And the Mountains Echoed. However, I am sure you would love the non-fiction boks.

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  11. Each and every one of these looks like something I'd enjoy, but The Sewing Circles of Herat is definitely going on my shelf.

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    1. Thanks, Christopher, it's a great book about Afghanistan, Christina Lamb is a very good reporter.

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