Nonfiction November - week 2

The second week of nonfiction reading is hosted by Sarah's Book Shelves. This is a week of pairing nonfiction books with fiction. From Sarah: "It can be a "If you loved this book, read this!" or just two titles that you think would go well together. Maybe it's a historical novel and you'd like to get the real history by reading a nonfiction version of the story."

Pairing nonfiction and fiction - theme Russia

I am still reading the very big and thick book about Stalin: Stalin, The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore. Excellent, scary and terrifying reading of the situation behind the scenes. Still 150 pages to go.

While visiting the library the other day, I saw the book Stalin's Children. Three Generations of Love and War by Owen Matthews. Matthews tries to find out what happened to his family. His mother is Russian. Her father was picked up one day in 1937, never to be seen again. Her mother was sent to one of Stalin's camps, and miraculously survived. Decades later Owen Matthews lives in Moscow as a reporter, and starts investigating the story of his family.

I recently finished the excellent novel A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (review will follow). This is a fictional story which takes place from 1922 until present time, and thus touching the same era as Stalin's reign.

These are the paring I have done as regards my main book about Stalin. I am a fan of historical fiction and often, when I have read about a specific person or event, I am eager to read a nonfiction book about what really took place.

Combine reading

Under my label, Connected Reading, (which I think I will rename 'Pairing') I try to connect one finished book with a new one (have to updated!) It is interesting to connect your reading, in whatever way you can.

I always tend to read more than one book at the time. Therefore, I am reading another nonfiction book for this November challenge; The Ascent of Money by Niall Fergusson. Very interesting account on how economic thinking, money, banks, inflation, and all the other things connected to economy, started.