Non-Fiction Month Week 2: N-F – F Pairings

It is Week 2 of Nonfiction November and is hosted by Katie at Doing Dewey.

This week we are to pair a fiction and nonfiction book:

“It can be a “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.”

I have chosen 3 fiction books I have read and have paired them with a non-fiction book that focuses on similar issues.

1. Fiction: The Maid by Nita Prose and Non-fiction: Life on the Autism Spectrum by Karen McKibbin

Fiction: The Maid by Nita Prose

This was a fascinating read. So enjoyed it.

“Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed.”

Life on the Autism Spectrum by Karen McKibbin

Haven’t read this but I am eager to, especially as I have taught girls who I was sure were on the spectrum.

“Why is Autism Spectrum Disorder so misunderstood in girls and women and why do so many go under the radar without the support that they need? This practical guide explains the unique issues that affect females with autism and provides tools and strategies that girls, women and their families can use in day-to-day life.”

2. Fiction The Princess Bride by William Goldman and As You Wish by Cary Elwes

I so enjoyed these two books. Although I had seen the movie at least a dozen times, I hadn’t read the novel until last year.

Fiction: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

I loved the movie so I’m not sure why it took me so long to read the book. Such humour.

“As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad’s recitation, and only the “good parts” reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He’s reconstructed the “Good Parts Version” to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.”

Non-Fiction : As You Wish by Cary Elwes

Loved the movie, loved the novel and definitely loved this memoir that took us behind the scenes of the movie.

“From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.”

3. Fiction: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd Non-Fiction: The Map Thief by Michael Blanding

Fiction: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

I so enjoyed this magical realism novel.

“Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating.”

Non-Fiction: The Map Thief by Michael Blanding

I’ve always had a fascination with maps and after reading The Cartographers, this looks like a real-life mystery to be savoured.

“The Map Thief interweaves Smiley’s escapades with the stories of the explorers and mapmakers he knew better than anyone. Tracking a series of thefts as brazen as the art heists in Provenance and a subculture as obsessive as the oenophiles in The Billionaire’s Vinegar, Blanding has pieced together an unforgettable story of high-stakes crime. “