The Most Read Books on Goodreads in May

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

I'm more in to nonfiction myself and have been trying to read more fiction. I don't know why we don't see more nonfiction readers lately as much as the genre is booming.

Two of these are on my shelf, I am just finishing up The Priory of the Orange Tree (phew) long but wonderful!

Jackie wrote: "Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, scienc..."

To everyone who agrees NF is great reading, tell us what you've read.

Here are some I've read this year and enjoyed:

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham - highly recommend
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
Rush by Stephen Fried (biography of Benjamin Rush)
The Mirage Factory by Gary Krist
Spying on Whales by Nick Pyenson
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard

Wes wrote: "I'm with you. It does seem that so many people read only fiction. Personally, I try to read about 50/50 fiction vs. non-fiction. There is so much interesting to be read about the world out there, n..."
Same here.

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

Exactly my thoughts!

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

I'm also surprised by this. I enjoy both fiction and non-fiction equally!

Jackie wrote: "Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, scienc..."

I am currently reading Killers of the Flower Moon. I highly recommend She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer. Great read!

I just finished "Climate: A New Story" by Charles Eisenstein--very good and thought-provoking. I've just started "Washington Black" Esi Edugyan. The prose is excellent and the story is already captivating. I'm addicted to police procedural mystery/crime novels. I've read nearly all of John Sanford--like watching a great action movie--and will start on "Neon Prey" soon. But I also like many of the less gritty writers, e.g., Donna Leon, Andrea Camilleri, Michael Dibdin, etc. And I like several of the Scandinavians: Henning Mankell, Anne Holt, Ake Edwardson, Karin Fossum, Adler Jussi-Olson, Arnaldur Indridison, etc.

I am reading The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Jasmine wrote: "I love non-fiction books! I'm not sure what kind of non-fiction books you enjoy, but I highly recommend "The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization" by Vince Beiser. "

Now that sounds interesting, I never thought of sand as so life-changing. Thank you for the suggestion!

I hope you enjoy it! I can't look at a concrete building the same way...

Jackie wrote: "To everyone who agrees NF is great reading, tell us what you've read."

I love non-fiction!

I highly recommend The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization by Vince Beiser. Others I really enjoyed:

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
Another Day in the Death of America: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives by Gary Younge
The Gift of Fear: And Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson

Just to name a few...

I made a mistake in my earlier post. The Danish mystery/crime writer is Jussi Adler-Olson.

Katsuro wrote: "Kristen wrote: "I'm surprised there's no YA on the list. Sometimes I feel like that's all people read."

It used to feel that way, yeah, but as I read your comment I realized that there hasn't been..."

This is encouraging news, thanks for sharing.

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

You're definitely in the minority.

Paul wrote: "The only one of these on my TBR is Circe, I can't say any of the others float my boat.


I'm currently reading [book:Mongol Empire: The Conquests of Genghis Khan and the Making of Modern China|1876..."

Is it interesting, Paul? I love history books, but many of them are tedious...

Have not read any of them, and at a quick glance, unlikely to either.
I am currently reading 2 books, “Wigtown ploughman” by John McNeillie, and “Beechcombings” by Richard Mabey, but if truth be known, i’m itching to get back to my re-readings, “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest” by Ken Keysey being next in line!

wow! and i haven't read a single one of them! but i've got Silent Patient and Becoming on my TBR

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

I wouldn't mind seeing psychology or sociology either or memoirs.

Daisy Jones as an audio book is my favorite book for this year so far.

Sonny wrote: "Victoria wrote: "Katsuro wrote: "90% women writers? Not to be whiny, but that seems like a bit of a gender imbalance."

For what I have read, at least in the US, women read more than men ( they als..."

Some of us muppets read on our phones :D

Normal people by Sally Rooney, picked up the book some time last year. And just started reading it now... I’m also in the last few pages of Sula by Toni Morrison totally loving the book...

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

I completely agree, I cannot bear to read fiction - I find real life more interesting. Its sad that most of these posts are 100% fiction.

Normal People is perfection <3
I am so glad it is at the top of this list.

I'm listening to the audio for one of my favorite books, "Fried Green Tomatoes" by Fannie Flagg. I read the book 7 years ago at nearly the same time of year. I always think of FGT in the months leading up to summer. And soon, for the umpteenth time, I'll re-watch the movie.

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

I agree. It's rare for Goodreads to feature non-fiction books that aren't memoirs, and I find it hard to believe non-fic readers are that much of a minority.

OTOH, I am also starting to think people can't tell the difference between the two any more. I keep hearing/reading people referring to non-fic as "this novel" and historical fic as if it were factual.

Jackie wrote: "To everyone who agrees NF is great reading, tell us what you've read.."

I won't say I "enjoyed" all of these because some of the subject matter is a little dark (can you "enjoy" a book on TB or addiction?). I did, however, find them all fascinating and worthwhile:
The Best of Enemies by Osha Gray Davidson.
Dopesick by Beth Macy (Really, any book by Beth Macy.)
Flavor: The Science of our Most Neglected Sense by Ben Holmes
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
Landmarks by Robert MacFarlane
Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-ending Search for a Cure by Jim Murphy
She Has her Mother's Laugh: What Heredity Is, Is Not, and May Become by Carl Zimmer
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Johnson

Faizan wrote: "Wow, I have not read a single one... What a great year"

hahahahaha

I read 4 books from the list
2, 5 & 7 were five stars
3 was a two stars

I've read 7 books so far this month. My favourites so far have been "Maybe you should talk to someone" by Lori Gottlieb (non-fiction), and two ya fantasies that are neither dystopian or about terminally ill characters.

Katsuro wrote: "90% women writers? Not to be whiny, but that seems like a bit of a gender imbalance."

Whiny is exactly what you're being though. Goodreads are just stating what people reading at the moment, do you expect them to skew the stats?

These all look so boring except Circe, and the Taylor Jenkins Reid books (which I love).. Im glad I read YA

So many great books on this list that I have read! Next up for me is Lost Roses and Wicked Saints. Both should be awesome!

This is a really good selection of books. I can highly rate 'The seven husbands of Everyln Hugo'. I really want to read Daisy Jones but just havnt gotten my hands on it yet. 'Circe' is really good too. 😊❤

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

I can't agree more. I read 120+ nonfic books a year and still my pile is growing. I infect everyone around me with a passion for this type of lit. Too bad they don't list non-fiction titles here. Who needs fantasy when reality is sometimes stranger than fiction ))

Aenea wrote: "I'm baffled there are no non-fiction books (except you count the memoirs).
The world is full of interesting facts and wonder. I always enjoyed books about history, psychology, science or sociology..."

Agreed

Katsuro wrote: "90% women writers? Not to be whiny, but that seems like a bit of a gender imbalance."

This is hilarious.

I have 9 of these books on my TBR list and 1 I have actually read (The Great Alone). I am currently reading "The Woman in the Window" by A.J. Finn.

Wes wrote: "Of these 20 titles, I have read 2; "Educated" and "The Great Alone". I truly enjoyed both of them. There are 2 others on my TBR; "Where the Crawdads Sing" and "The Silent Patient". I'm hoping they ..."

I read The Great Alone and loved it. Educated sounds a lot like The Great Alone.

May is not over yet, so why publish the list now?

Eule wrote: "I think it may be tied to how quickly you can finish a book. Like, I am reading Homo Deus at the moment but can only stomach up to a hundred pages a day before I need something else.
"

Yes, I think that is it when it comes to non-fiction. I have a few I've been working on for a few months as well. Non-fiction isn't something people generally speed through, so for the most part the genre won't make these top read lists.

Candy wrote: "I'm listening to the audio for one of my favorite books, "Fried Green Tomatoes" by Fannie Flagg. I read the book 7 years ago at nearly the same time of year. I always think of FGT in the months lea..."

I loved the movie. Great story

Maribeth wrote: "Wes wrote: "Of these 20 titles, I have read 2; "Educated" and "The Great Alone". I truly enjoyed both of them. There are 2 others on my TBR; "Where the Crawdads Sing" and "The Silent Patient". I'm ..."

its just to get responses and keep tabs on the people that use this site

Christian wrote: "Katsuro wrote: "90% women writers? Not to be whiny, but that seems like a bit of a gender imbalance."

So what do you propose GoodReads do? Lie about which books are the most common reads for this ..."

Christian you took the words right out of my mouth.

I have a few of these on my wishlist, but the only one I've read is Stillhouse Lake - recommended book.

I was a voracious fiction reader in my 20s until an older friend said, "Wait until you discover non-fiction. It's even better."
That sentence changed my life.
I read about 50/50% these days, because I love mysteries that are also historical fiction, in addition to my wide range of non-fiction.
"How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read has recently changed my mind again. A thought-provoking book for people who love to read.
How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World is non fiction that reads like a novel, and remains a favorite a year later.

Katsuro wrote: "Addyangel wrote: "Katsuro wrote: "Kristen wrote: "I'm surprised there's no YA on the list. Sometimes I feel like that's all people read."

It used to feel that way, yeah, but as I read your comment..."

I find myself constantly adding YA to my list. I just don't read as fast as other people and I'm okay with that.

I'm currently reading: Brene Brown's Rising Strong, and The Gifts of Imperfection. I'm also reading via audio The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. Finally, I just started rereading The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness because I'm trying to remember the book now that I am watching the tv shows.

I’m reading Sapiens and White Fragility.

I'm currently reading THE GODS HELP THOSE (2018) by Albert A. Bell, Jr.. This is the seventh novel about Pliny the Younger in ancient Rome solving crimes.

Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly is what I am reading now. It took me a while to get into it but now I can't put it down. I recently read Susan Meissner's book "The Last Year of the War". My reading it was enhanced when my brother-in-law told me about many local German and Japanese families that he knew, being taken in the 1940's to camps during the World War II era. Seems all books I'm reading are big books with major stories. We must never forget the history so it won't be repeated. Many other great books are on my reading list.