The Curious Reader's Field Guide to Nonfiction

by Anne Janzer

Attention nonfiction book lovers, this guide is for you!

If your nightstand is stacked with histories or essays, how-to guides or science books, The Curious Reader’s Field Guide to Nonfiction is going to be your new favorite companion.

Just like a field guide helps you identify plants or birds, this book helps you navigate the rich world of nonfiction. You’ll uncover how your favorite authors break down complex topics, keep you hooked, and forge those deep, personal connections that make their work unforgettable.

More than just a guide—a reading companion

This isn’t just a book you flip through—it’s an interactive companion for every step of your reading journey.

Field Notes: Spot writing techniques “in the wild” as you read and jot down your thoughts.Field Observations: Keep track of your own preferences and favorite books, whether they explain, resonate, or tell great stories.Book Club Reflections: Use the discussion questions to spark lively conversations and impress your fellow book clubbers.Transform your reading experience

With this guide by your side, you’

Get to know your reading tastes: Figure out what really clicks for you in nonfiction and why.Pick books like a pro: Choose books you know you’ll enjoy and feel confident recommending them to others.Impress your book club: Share questions that’ll spark great discussions.

Get your copy today

Dive back into your nonfiction reading with renewed wonder and a sharper eye. The Curious Reader’s Field Guide to Nonfiction is your key to unlocking deeper insights and greater enjoyment in every book you read.

2025 PenCraft Seasonal Book Award Winter Competition
Digital Books Today, 2nd place award in the Literary category

Part of The Nonfiction Explorer's Series

Genres: Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2024

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short, informative book. It gave me new ways to think about the nonfiction (and fiction) I read. I particularly appreciated thoughts about when and why to quit a book, and I loved the concept of a Celestial Librarian. And I'll be referring to some of the Book Club questions during future discussions.

[Heartfelt Editing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely brilliant book on the topic of nonfiction reading and writing. It discusses the purpose or nonfiction, what causes a reader to be interested, different writing methods and their effect on the reader, and the importance of tone and structure. Anyone who has an interest in reading nonfiction, building a reference library, or writing any type of book, should give this one a go.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little book. It’s practical, sensible and inspiring. It’s changed the way I think about non-fiction. I feel like I am closer to knowing what I like and how to find it.

[Jessica Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a voracious reader, life long learner, and lover of nonfiction books, I was eager to read this title. Truly a guide, or workbook, to help one better understand their nonfiction reading habits. Each section begins with a reading, followed by fillable exercises, and it wraps with a section of book club discussion prompts. Very helpful and a good resource to have.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I really needed. What an engaging, interactive, non-intimidating way to enhance your and your book club’s reading experience. I got so much more out of it than I expected. I’d highly recommend to any reader. Especially as a co-companion for readers who want to figure out the types of books they might enjoy and tend to gravitate toward, those wanting a deeper engagement with the books they read, for added personal interest, and for leaders to gauge preferences amongst a group to increase participation, connection, and depth.

Would be great to introduce in starting of a book club, to enhance conversation and member’s personal experiences with a book in a way that involves everyone, and reinvigorate interest for book clubs and revive a waning book club interest, since it contains exercises for self-assessment and connection to other members. Notably it includes book club specific prompts. Would also be great for librarians in regard to book appraisals, categorization, and to learn additional intricacies when trying to connect reader preferences to a book in a multi-dimensional way, that is beyond general subject matter interest.

I would like to thank Cuesta Park Consulting | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program. Update: I would also like to thank the author for gifting me a final copy of the spiral-bound edition of the book.

The Story
I really enjoyed the approach to becoming more observant with what I am reading in ways I haven’t always consistently embraced before, especially with non-fiction reading, also in my review and personal writing skillset.

Understanding your own curiosity.

Categorizing your tastes.

There is a lot contained in this book.

It spans a generous domain of interest appealing to the reading experience, from exploring and refining your personal tastes, to surveying books, studying works that connect you to the author, what is resonating, understanding context and your personal attention, sorting out complexities, story telling structures, enhancing your understanding of writer’s tone and voice, your own emotional engagement, the unexpected beauty, and shifting perspective.

The Writing
The narrative portion is easy to follow and solid in credibly as it is also presented alongside a field guide and interactive field notes, and I was pleased with the way that it is organized.

Lots of great questions to ask yourself with accompanying bullet lists, which can also serve as a checklist to maximize your personal growth in how you might be able to categorize thoughts around technique and certain subject matter, understand flow, comparisons, expanding perspective, and various ways to engage and commit reading impact and specific passages to memory.

There is an additional supplemental journal component that can be downloaded, which was lovely to try.

Overall, this was a great exercise for me and I took a lot of notes that I am looking forward to transferring into my own physical copy. Update: I am thoroughly enjoying my copy of the spiral-bound edition of the book.

I’ll be rereading and referencing this one quite a bit.

I will also utilize the writing components for my own personal writing endeavor.

I will look forward to more from this author, particularly if there is a similar guide in the future for fiction as well.

Blog post

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could The Curious Reader's Field Guide to Nonfiction by Anne Janzer have been written with me in mind? Sure feels that way. This interactive companion guide is pure gold, every word has its impactful place. Not only did it entertain, satiate (and pique) my curiosity and educate but gave words to my reading experiences such as narrative transportation. I began highlighting revelations which soon filled the pages. Thankfully, this guide is a true field guide with thoughtful questions and space for tracking answers.

Reasons we read Nonfiction are varied. The author asks us to consider whether our attention is earned or required, why it is important to learn more about our reading from the writer and ourselves, discusses biliterate brains, guilt-free abandonment, introductions and chapter endings. But there is so much more such as the value of resonating content, the importance of reward and satisfying curiosity, the joy of discovery, trusting the writer, humour, writing style, and being moved by beautiful prose.

As the author explains, when writing connects and clicks, the next step is often further research into the writer and other works, sharing with others we know would appreciate it and subscribing to newsletters to learn more, which is precisely what I did moments ago.

Oh, how I loved this book! As a note taker, I will happily return to it again and again to observe any reading revelations in my reading life and to learn more about my preferred Nonfiction sub-genres.

My sincere thank you to Cuesta Park Consulting and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this astounding book chock full of lightbulb moments.

[Vicuña · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is both informed and surprisingly interesting. I read a lot of non fiction across a wide range of subjects. I feel a bit like a magpie gathering ‘stuff’ and non fiction titles over many decades have encouraged me to take up new interests and learn more about subjects I enjoy. This book is a methodical examination about non fiction; what attracts a potential reader, how to engage with the reader and how to flit from subject to subject. It’s a little treasure trove and certainly of interest to authors in helping them understand what makes a great non fiction title. Truly fantastic from start to finish and much to think about. I really enjoyed this.

[Bibliohiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. The book has some good points and questions that make you think. It asks why you read what you read and what stuck with you among other questions. I usually have several books going at once, so this was a great book to make me pause and think about what I’m reading and why.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only recently been getting back to non-fiction books and this guide is what Anne Janzer might call a book from a celestial librarian! It was such a great book to read at this time in my life, thought provoking and engaging. I appreciated the exercises in every section as well as the questions for a book club. For those who enjoyed “Curious” by Ian Leslie - I would recommend this book!