Here we are already coming up on week four of Nonfiction November. It’s gone by really fast. This week, the prompt is as follows:
Week 4 (11/18-11/22) Mind Openers: One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is the way it can open your eyes to the world around you–no plane ticket required. What nonfiction book or books have impacted the way you see the world in a powerful way? Is there one book that made you rethink everything? Is there a book where, if everyone read it, you think the world would be a better place? (Rebekah)
I don’t think any of my nonfiction choices this year impacted me as strongly as expressed in the prompt. Rather, some reaffirmed my interest in topics that I have neglected. I like reading books that tell me something I didn’t know about, and this year, the only one that fits in that category is David Grann’s The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder. It is about an ill-conceived venture of 1740 to capture rich Spanish ships in the Pacific Ocean. It was part of the War of Jenkin’s Ear, a conflict I also know nothing about (something to look up!). The expedition left too late for good conditions and had misestimated when the best weather for rounding Cape Horn would be. The Wager was the smallest ship in the fleet. It underwent some problems before getting to the Horn, and when it did, it was shipwrecked. What was most interesting was what happened among the crew once it was wrecked.
Another book that restressed some reading I had already done was The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America by Thomas King, which I have not yet reviewed. It merely reconfirmed and built upon my reading from way back, when I read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. Our history with dealing with native peoples is shameful, and our double-dealing hasn’t stopped. I need to get more informed on this issue and see what is going on today.
As I mentioned before, I really didn’t read much nonfiction this year despite my resolve to read more. It just didn’t happen that way, but I’ll try harder next year.
What? Me Read? 
The Wager sounds interesting. I know nothing about that war or expedition either.
I think it was a minor one.
It is a shame how we’ve dealt with native peoples. Ugh. Thanks for sharing about The Inconvenient Indian!
You’re welcome!
I literally just finished Dee Brown’s book and, I could not agree more, our treatment of the Indigenous People is shameful.
Yes.
The Wager is on my wishlist, probably as a result of your review. I’d like to read some of Thomas King’s books too, but they’re not very easily available over here.
I had a little trouble finding one of those.
I think that is the pleasure of reading nonfiction. Every book you read gives you something back. You learn something new, you discover other worlds and other peoples, other customs, glorious, or not so glorious days of the past. It is a fantastic venture.
I don’t know if I’d say that about every book.
I’ve added The Inconvenient Indian to my list.
I hope you are able to read more nonfiction next year.
Oh, that’s great! I hope so, too.