Looking for something educational but...you know....not boredom inducing? Check out these non-fiction recommendations which are so compelling you would think they were fictionalised.
This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay
If you don't already know who Adam Kay is, you will soon! Adam is a doctor-turned-comedian (the OG multi-hyphenate career man) who penned This Is Going To Hurt as a series of diary entries he kept while working as a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology for the NHS in the early 2000's. Kay refers to this book as his "love letter to the NHS", despite having left the medical profession, he has a huge respect for front line workers and the system in the UK. Full of heart-warming and sob-inducing moments, This is Going To Hurt is definitely stranger than fiction at times (the kinder egg, IYKYK) but ultimately paints a beautiful picture of the hard work done by NHS staff day in day out.
This Is Going To Hurt has been recently adapted for screen by the BBC into a mini series of the same name starring Ben Whishaw (Paddington!!).
2. Educated by Tara Westover
Educated tells the true story of Tara Westover whose family grew up preparing for the End of Days. According to the government she didn't exist - no birth certificate, no school records and no medical records. Her family, run by her radical father, were part of a community of Mormon Survivalists in Idaho. As she got older she knew she had to leave her family home and community in search of the world beyond what was described to her by her father.
Tara's stories of farm accidents, the refusal to believe in the power of simple medicine like aspirin and the radical and violent outbursts from her father and brother seem too unreal to be true. Yet, Tara provides an accurate and unflinching look at strict Mormon practices and the transformative power of education in this memoir.
3. Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates
Perhaps not a title to read on the bus, lest someone would get the wrong idea of the book's contents, Men Who Hate Women dives deep into the communities of men who think of women as lesser than their own both online and offline. Laura Bates is an acclaimed feminist writer and journalist and takes it upon herself to lift the lid on these communities putting herself at the risk of facing up against people who fundamentally disagree with her ideologies.
Laura explores the murkiest depths of the internet and observes these groups in action, from incels and pick-up artists to Men's Rights Activists and "Men Going Their Own Way"and observes who their ideas have trickled into public consciousness. Not for the faint of heart dear reader, you may want to believe some of Bates' reporting is fictionalised!
That is all for today - go forth and get Educated!
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