Most Novellas in November participants focus on fiction, which is understandable and totally fine; I also like to incorporate works of short nonfiction during the month, which is a great opportunity to combine challenges with Nonfiction November.
Building on this list I wrote in 2021 (all the recommendations stand, but I’d update it by adding Weatherglass Books to the list of UK publishers), here are some nonfiction series that publish brief, intriguing works:
404 Ink’s Inklings series bears the tagline “big ideas to carry in your pocket.”
I have reviewed Happy Death Club.
Biteback Publishing’s Provocations series “is a groundbreaking new series of short polemics composed by some of the most intriguing voices in contemporary culture.”
- I have reviewed Last Rights. I spied a pair of books by John Sutherland on youth and ageing at my library.
Bloomsbury’s Object Lessons series “is a series of concise, collectable, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.”
- I have reviewed Doctor, Dust, Grave, Pregnancy Test, and Recipe.
Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 is “a series of short books about popular music.”
- I have reviewed Jesus Freak.
Bristol University Press’s What Is It For series is edited by George Miller, creator of the OUP Very Short Introductions (see below). Miller believes “short, affordable books can, and should, be intelligent and thought-provoking”; he hopes these will “be an agent for positive change,” addressing “tough questions about purpose and fitness for purpose: what has to change for the future to be better?”
A number of Fitzcarraldo Editions’ Essays are significantly under 200 pages.
I have reviewed Intervals, A Very Easy Death, Happening, I Remain in Darkness, A Woman’s Story, and Alphabetical Diaries (plus others that are longer).
[Edited:] Thanks so much to Liz for letting me know about Jacaranda Books’ A Quick Ting On series, “the first ever non-fiction book series dedicated to Black British culture,” with books on plantains, Grime music, Black hair, and more.
[Edited:] There are three books so far in the Leaping Hare Press Find Your Path self-help series. I have just downloaded Find Your Path through Imposter Syndrome from Edelweiss.
Little Toller Books publishes mostly short nature and travel monographs and reprints.
- I have reviewed Deer Island, Aurochs and Auks, Orison for a Curlew, Herbaceous, The Ash Tree, and Snow.
From the Little Toller website
[Edited:] Thanks so much to Annabel for making me aware of Melville House’s The FUTURES series, which gives “imaginative future visions on a wide range of subjects, written by experts, academics, journalists and leading pop-culture figures.”
MIT Press’s Essential Knowledge series “offers accessible, concise, beautifully produced books on topics of current interest.” I spotted the Plastics book at my library.
Oxford University Press’s Very Short Introductions now cover a whopping 867 subjects!
- I had a couple of them assigned in my college days, including Judaism.
Penguin’s 100-book Great Ideas series reprints essays that introduce readers to “history’s most important and game-changing theories, philosophies and discoveries in accessible, concise editions.”
A number of Profile’s health-themed Wellcome Collection Books are well under 200 pages.
- I have reviewed Recovery, Free for All, Chasing the Sun, An Extra Pair of Hands, and After the Storm (plus others that are longer).
Saraband’s In the Moment series contains “portable, accessible books … exploring the role of both mind and body in movement, purpose, and reflection, finding ways of being fully present in our activities and environment.”
- I’m interested in Writing Landscape by Linda Cracknell and On Community by Casey Plett.
Most of the original School of Life books are around 150 pages long. Their newer Essential Ideas series of three titles also promises “pocket books.”
- I have reviewed How to Develop Emotional Health, How to Age, How to Be Alone, and How to Think about Exercise.
Why not see if your local library has any selections from one or more of these series? #LoveYourLibrary
If you’re a reluctant nonfiction reader, choosing a short book could be a great way to engage with a topic that interests you – without a major time commitment. #NonfictionNovember
Keep in touch via X (@bookishbeck / @cathy746books) and Instagram (@bookishbeck / @cathy_746books). Add any related posts to the link-up. Don’t forget the hashtag #NovNov24.
Any suitable short nonfiction on your shelves?
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
I’m out of touch with non-fiction, these days. This is a very handy list for me. Thanks, Rebecca!
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You’re welcome! I hope to get stuck in to a few of the Object Lessons books next month: Barcode from the library, and then Island, Oil, and X-Ray are three more options I downloaded from Edelweiss.
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A great list. I would add Jacaranda Books’ AQTO (A Quick Ting On) series – on things like plantain, Afrobeats, grime, etc. Very engaging and great covers https://jacarandabooks.co.uk/search?q=AQTO
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Oh, great! Thanks for letting me know about it. What a cute name, too.
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What a good resource—thank you for compiling!
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My pleasure! A good way for people to dabble in new topics, especially if they’re new to nonfiction or reluctant to pick it up.
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I’ve read 100% non fiction so far this year (although I am looking forward to the new Susanna Clarke and Murakami).
I’ve been making feeble attempts to cull my crazy TBR mountain but I’ve just added a load more after reading your excellent post!
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You and Paul are the NF addicts in my life! I’m looking forward to Clarke’s story as well (on order from the library). Glad I could put some more books on your radar.
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I don’t know how many other Canadians/Ameicans will be looking to add to their stacks for this…but there are some awesome little series:
-from Coach House books in Canada, Exploded View on a fascinating variety of topics (usually about 100 pages);
-from ECW Press in Canada, Pop Classics (usually about 125 pages), and
-from igpublishing in the US, Bookmarked series (also about 125 pages).
I’d happily read my way through all of these.
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Great to hear about those, thank you! It’s very clever to introduce topics through short and accessible books.
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Some interesting options. I would definitely recommend Writing Landscape!
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I’ve read one of Linda Cracknell’s novels and I remember the Scottish setting being one of its strong points.
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I’d like to read more Object Lessons after enjoying Glitter.
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I don’t know that one — sounds fun and random.
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A fabulous list. I have a short nf recently published book by Will Eaves lined up already. It reminds me I have a couple of the Object Lessons books in my big pile of novellas and a book by H E Bates from Little Toller, plus a set of astronomy books from the Greenwich Observatory somewhere too.
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Ooh, tempting! I also have an Eaves novella on the shelf.
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Great reading plans, enjoy!
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I hope others will find the list useful. As for myself, I’ll probably read one or more Bloomsbury Object Lessons books during the month.
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[…] up something from the Bloomsbury Object Lessons series (or any of these other series of nonfiction books) is a splendid way to combine two challenges. Humphrey was introduced to gin at […]
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