Seven Great Nonfiction Books for Writers that Aren't About Writing

[anicalewis]

Writing fiction - even writing fantasy - doesn't mean you make everything up. Does your book have human characters? Does it have animals, plants, stars, diseases, art, wars, pretty much anything that exists in the real world? Then your book will be stronger if you know something about how those things really work. Research: luckily, it's more fun

Comments

[toastedcheese]

My favorite medieval research titles:
-everything by Frances and Joseph Gies
-The Medieval Book of Seasons
-Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England
-Daily Life in the Middle Ages by Paul Newman
-A Day in a Medieval City by Chiara Frugoni
-Lost Country Life by Dorothy Hartley (eccentric folk history with some myths and misinformation, but lots of great information about agricultural life)
-Vikings: Life and Legend (this book is SO PRETTY)

Graham really enjoyed English Bread and Yeast Cookery by Elizabeth David, and I asked him lots of questions about it. She wrote many more classic food histories.

I need to get in the habit of reading more primary sources, but as a general reader without access to an academic library, it is hard to find sources that really give a sense of daily life.

[toastedcheese]

I'm trying to think what I've used for later periods....
-Eric Sloane is a great source for American architecture, farming, and industry
-I really liked the Everyday Life in America series, published in the 80s & 90s
-I know I need to get my hands on everything that Ruth Goodman wrote, I watched a few episodes of her Edwardian Farm documentary series and while the show is cheesy, she is awesome

[toastedcheese]

Oh oh, one more - Bill Bryson's At Home was actually pretty fabulous.

This is all making me seem more serious about book research than I actually am.