I LOVE doing “If You Like This, Try This” lists – we have a whole section for them at the bookstore and it’s such fun. One thing we haven’t done, however, is pair fiction and nonfiction so I’m excited to do so now! I may also throw in some binge watching/book pairings here as I did for the store a few months ago.
Week 2: (November 9-13) – Book Pairing (Julie @ Julz Reads): This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title. 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.
Medium Raw & Bone in the Throat
Anthony Bourdain, because of course. I figure any list I do isn’t complete with Anthony Bourdain on it. Medium Raw is my favorite of his nonfiction, Bone in the Throat, my favorite of his mystery books (published BEFORE Kitchen Confidential!)
Great British Baking Show & Little Beach Street Bakery
I’ve been watching SOOOO much GBBO/S lately and I have always been a huge fan of Jenny Colgan. You can take the actual show, or one of the countless cookbooks or even the history of the show here!
Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret & Royal Runaway
What better than paring a dishy biography of the Queen’s iconic little sister with a fun book about another Princess who manages to get herself into a spot of trouble?
Last Pirate of New York & Gangs of New York
For this one I went with book and movie, though there is also a nonfiction book called Gangs of New York from the 1920s that was a slight inspiration for the movie. Last Pirate of New York was my book club’s latest read.
Mozart & The Kingdom of Back
There is a wonderful new Mozart biography coming out in December (fair warning, it comes in at over 700 pages), and I’ve always been fascinated by the man who’s music I’ve played on the viola for much of my life. Most people, however, don’t know about his sister, Nannerl, who is the star of Marie Lu’s historical fantasy, The Kingdom of Back.
The Women with Silver Wings & Code Name Verity
I am absolutely obsessed the female aviators, particularly those who flew during WWII. I passed said love onto my sister, and she even wrote her masters disseration about the American women who flew in the Women’s Auxiliary in the UK.
The Boys of Winter & Check, Please!
The real life college hockey heroes of the 1980 Winter Olympics meet Bitty and his friends at Samwell University! Fun fact, I’ve written a terrible novel myself about hockey players at a fiction Sam Adams University – Check, Please! is much better than mine!
Packing for Mars & The Martian
Packing for Mars is a delight of a Mary Roach book, and another Nonfiction Book Club Book. I personally find space, and space travel, absolutely terrifying, and The Martian certainly didn’t help with that! Movie, or book, for The Martian, both freaked me out.
Empire of Blue Water & Cinnamon and Gunpowder
Captain Morgan and Captain Hannah would make for an excellent adventure if paired together! I love all things pirates, and these two books are no exception!
As You Wish & The Princess Bride
Cary Elwes’ memoir of the making of one of my favorite movies is one of my all time favorite audiobooks, as the rest of the cast contributes not only to the book, but the audiobook as well! On the fiction side, I prefer the movie to the book, but either will do!
D-Day Girls & The Nightingale
D-Day Girls is the true story of the British-French women of the resistance, and the younger sister in The Nightingale is one of my favorite fictional spies of all time!
Kick Kennedy & The Kennedy Debutante
Despite the posturing of the Kardasians, I maintain the Kennedys are still America’s royal family. Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy is my favorite of the OG nine Kennedy siblings and her spunk and pizzazz is captured perfectly in The Kennedy Debutante.
Diary of a Bookseller & The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry & Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore
I would be a TERRIBLE bookseller if I didn’t include all of these books here! I’ve been wanting to go to Wigtown to go to Shaun’s bookstore in Scotland since I got back from Scotland the last time, and I don’t know a single bookseller who doesn’t love AJ and Mr. Penumbra!
Celebration of Books 
SO many fantastic pairings here! I love that you mixed up the media too. There was a recommendation for another Kick Kennedy bio last year, just called Kick, I think. I know nothing about her and I’d love to read one. What a fun list, thanks for sharing these!!
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Oh my gosh, so many good pairings! I’ve read half of several and want to get to their mates, while your WWII and pirate pairings are ones where I’d still like to get to both books in the pair. Really unique topics too!
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Awe, thanks so much! Glad you like them!
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