Criticism: Non-Fiction by Contemporaries

When I wrote my earlier Goodreads roundups of books by people I know in some fashion, the categories of Poetry and Fiction had ten and nine entries respectively. The current list of Non-Fiction works is much shorter (in part because I decided not to include multiple titles by the same author). Yet the current length also accurately reflects that I read less works of non-fiction than fiction. And so, I'm hereby making a new year's resolution to spend more time in the library aisles devoted to biography, history, and philosophy. Whether those books will be written by people I know, the months ahead will tell.

1. Claire Bellerjeau's and Tiffany Yecke Brooks' Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth: "... a deeply researched look at the culture surrounding the Culper Spy ring and Liss, a black woman who may have been a participant."

2. Elizabeth L. Cline's The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good: "...she's no doubt fired up some fresh fashion activists with her enthusiastic, enabling guide."

3. Lois Gordon's  Nancy Cunard: Heiress, Muse, Political Idealist: "Gordon's comprehensive biography makes you appreciate this remarkable woman as a cultural icon."

4. Sarah Lohman's  Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine: "If you've got a foodie friend, there's not a better Christmas/holiday/birthday/oh-here-I-just-like-you gift out there."

5. Jeffrey's Sweet's What Playwrights Talk About When They Talk About Writing: "Sweet's enthusiasm for the form and his subjects' works will keep you consistently engaged."