6: The Future of Dinosaurs by David Hone
This book is all about the latest dinosaur discoveries – new things we know – but especially focuses on what we don’t know and what we can learn from that. The chapters are short, and the entire book is an easy read, with very concise yet complex explanations of how and why we know certain things about dinosaurs.
The book sheds light on the complicated analyses palaeontologists work on, including how they come to conclusions, as well as the factual evidence on dinosaur life and behaviour. It is not a book for experts but instead gives every reader an exciting overview of palaeontology and dinosaur discoveries.
5: All Men Must Die: Power and Passion in Game of Thrones by Carrolyne Larrington
All Men Must Die is a wonderful non-fiction book discussing all things Game of Thrones, from seasons one to eight and the five novels. The themes Larrington focuses on are political, diving deep into the decisions and motivations of the story’s characters and drawing connections to our own world and present times.
Historical and philosophical topics within Game of Thrones are analysed and interpreted as well, along with why and how the final seasons did not live up to the expectations of fans or the standard of the early seasons. This is an excellent read for fans of Game of Thrones who still can’t get enough of the world of Westeros.
4: The Sacred Band by James Romm
Ancient times were very gay, especially ancient Greece. The Sacred Band tells the story of the infamous city of Thebes, where a league of soldiers (the Sacred Band), made up of gay couples, fought for the freedom of their city-state against Spartan invasion and other enemies.
The people of Thebes believed that couples in love would fight with more willpower, more purpose, and more fire in their hearts when they saw their lover in danger – and they were proven right. The Sacred Band defeated the Spartans and other enemies in many battles.
In this non-fiction book, the reader can find out everything about their long-forgotten and very often overlooked story. Historians are now reevaluating and reshaping the image of ancient Greece and Thebes, focusing on how much more open and queerer many ancient civilisations were than we originally thought.
3: Queer as Folklore by Sacha Coward
This is perhaps one of the most amazing non-fiction books you will read. The book explores queer and LGBTQ+ representation in folklore, fairy tales, mythology, and pop culture. It focuses on many different aspects of the rainbow and uncovers queer creators and characters throughout time who have been vital in shaping and evolving the stories of humankind.
Chapter by chapter, from vampires to mermaids to aliens, the reader learns to see the world through a critical lens – one that is so much more colourful than you could have ever imagined.
2: Matriarch by Tina Knowles
Tina Knowles, the mother of Beyoncé and Solange, narrates a stunning, heartfelt, reflective, and deeply personal story of her life, showing the hardships faced not only by herself but also by the people closest to her. One of them is the now-infamous Uncle Johnny.
She talks unapologetically about racism in the USA and many other issues that are deeply wrong with the country and how it could improve. At the same time, it is a story about growth – about rising above, learning, and becoming a different woman.
It is a story of becoming a mother and a matriarch, of how she learns to become a teacher and help uplift her own voice and the voices of others. It is also a story about joy, finding happiness, and learning that everyone deserves happiness.
Tina Knowles is a designer, a matriarch, a mother, and now an author. Her book is a stunning reflection of her life and the lives she has shaped around her.
1: Ocean by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield
This is a collaborative novel by the famous Sir David Attenborough and Colin Butfield. Ocean is a testament to Attenborough’s life of exploring and experiencing the destruction and restoration of the oceans, but it also explains how the ocean works, how humans impact it, why humans need it, and how there is hope for the future of this blue planet.
In this non-fiction work, the reader can dive into the diversity of marine life and discover different habitats, from coral reefs to kelp forests to the open-ocean deserts and the deep sea. Some chapters also focus on the native peoples of several islands and coastal regions around the globe who have been protecting and living with the ocean for hundreds of years, almost in symbiosis. They are a working example of how things can and should be done.
Page by page, the reader will come to understand that nature and the ocean don’t need humans to survive – evolution will find a way. It is humans who need a living ocean and a breathing planet in order to survive; otherwise, they will go extinct, and eventually nature will recover, but without humans.
Fabian's Writing 