Week Eight - Assignments

1-2. I read the narrative nonfiction articles and listened to the SLRC podcast on doing readers' advisory with narrative nonfiction.

3. I chose four of the narrative nonfiction subjects listed: Science, Sports, Food, and Faith. I found Science narratives in the 500s and 600s; Sports in the 700s and Bios; Food in the 600s; and Faith in the 200s and Bios.

For Science, I would choose The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean;
For Sports, Throwback by Jason Kendall;
For Food, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain; and
For Faith, When We Were on Fire, by Addie Zierman.

4. I decided to select Throwback by Jason Kendall to readers who enjoy mysteries that focus on a particular subject. What baseball fan hasn't wondered what really goes on behind the plate among the catcher, batter, and umpire? In Throwback, Jason Kendall, who spent more than a decade in the major leagues, discusses the signs he shared with hundreds of pitchers; the talks at the mound when things got serious; the trash talking between catcher and batter, and the relationship a catcher must maintain with the umpire who stands behind, making decisions on balls and strikes. Readers who watched baseball during the steroid era will recognize a number of the names that Kendall drops, though the easy, comfortable writing style without a lot of complicated jargon makes for a quick but informative read.
I also chose When We Were on Fire by Addie Zierman to recommend to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction that is very character-driven. This book also would appeal to older teens and younger adults who enjoy coming-of-age stories. The religious aspects of the book could appeal to someone who has had trials with coming to terms with their faith, though perhaps not for the very devout. A palpable sense of place in the Upper Midwest is also drawn, along with strong female friendships and two romances - one that turns sour and the other remains uplifting. This book has a strong potential audience among memoir readers as well.