With another month checked off the calendar, Bookstr is here to examine the most fascinating nonfiction releases coming in April. The nonfiction genre is always an excellent way to gain new information about the world and the coming month is fruitful with facts every reader should learn.
Our recommendations include a few stories about working immigrants attempting to find their identity within American society, a story of Native American culture erased via attempted assimilation, a memoir from the mother of one of the most popular pop stars in the world, and last but not least, a fun look into a winding world of art in possibly the world’s most popular art museum. So, if you need more nonfiction recommendations to add to your TBR, read on!
Trigger warning: There are mentions of racism and discrimination in this article. We advise you to proceed through this content with caution.
Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America by Michael Luo
Michael Luo — a writer for the New Yorker — chronicles the heartbreaking story of the exclusion and discrimination of Chinese immigrants within American society, beginning with the community’s arrival during the mid-1800s. Seeking better opportunities, a wave of immigrants from China crossed the Pacific Ocean in search of what they called Gum Shan — translated to Gold Mountain. Although their arrival was first welcomed, they were soon faced with discrimination and racism. In response to a crumbling economy, white working men blamed the new arrivals and helped influence US policy that actively excluded Chinese immigrants from the workforce and society.
Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools by Mary Annette Pember
Between the mid-1800s through the late 1930s, boarding schools across the United States brought in Native American children in an attempt to assimilate them into “American” society. Instead of offering useful education, children were torn away from their families, and their Native cultures were erased through institutionalized conformity. Retelling her mother’s and others’ experiences, Native American journalist Mary Pember shares a look back at these troubling times.
The written work is an inside look at how these organizations attempted to make Native languages extinct while forcing these children into harsh conditions and compulsory labor. Pember reveals how these schools were sponsored by the US government but run by Christian organizations with little regulation. Pember attempts to make sure this shameful history will not be forgotten, as some of these crucial Native cultures did.
Matriarch: A Memoir by Tina Knowles
Don’t miss this empowering memoir about the testament of Black motherhood — from the mother of Queen B herself, Tina Knowles. She is known for raising one of the most popular pop stars in history, Beyonce, while being a bonus mother to fellow Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland. Knowles’ story traces her roots to when she was a little girl growing up in 1950s Galveston, Texas. Follow along as she details the hardships and highlights of living in America from the perspective of different generations.
Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson
This nonfiction graphic novel illustrates Wisconsin’s ginseng farming industry, including related topics of the class divide, childhood labor, family, and the globalized world. Following in the footsteps of Craig Thompson’s 2003 introductory memoir Blankets, the author includes the story that was left out of his first installment. Against the backdrop of the 300-year-old history of the global ginseng trade, Thompson gives his perspective of one summer working on a farm with his family. Transitionally between Marathon, Wisconsin, to Northeast China, Ginseng Roots reveals the search for inclusion sought by immigrant families.
Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum by Elaine Sciolino
As one of the most famous art museums in the world, The Louvre of Paris, France, can be an intimidating maze brimming with art from centuries of talented artists. In her work, Sciolino combines investigative journalism, travelogue, history, and memoir and uncovers the different sections of the museum, from the galleries to the gardens. She gives readers insight into her favorite artwork, both the popular and the unknown. Sciolino also includes valuable information on the people who help run the museum, including the curators, the framers, and the building restorers.
Until next month, happy reading and we hope you enjoy these new nonfiction reads!
If you missed the nonfiction recommendations for March, don’t fret. Click here for the previous article.
To explore our nonfiction Bookshop bookshelf, click here.
