I like nonfiction books that read more like stories. The Notorious RBG, Born a Crime, and Just Mercy. Any suggestions for similar books?
I need book suggestions, but I’m not sure how to describe what I’m looking for. I’ve recently come to realize that I like nonfiction books that read more like stories. Examples of books I’ve read that I feel are like this are The Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. The content of these examples are vastly different, but they’re easy to read, enticing nonfiction. Any suggestions?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was like that for me. And while I haven’t read it yet, so many people have recommended The Devil in the White City to me for the same reason.
I was going to suggest this one too!
D in the W C is a great book. So is The Boys in the Boat.
2nd on both of those
The Glass castle
Second this!
Yes, most definitely this!
Among the reeds http://www.tammybottner.com/
The Boys in the Boat is excellent!
YES.
I think the genre is “narrative non-fiction”
Came to comment this ?
Yes!! Also known as “creative nonfiction” sometimes ? I love this genre!
yes, that is what it is called
Thanks for giving me a name for it!
Sarah Vowell and Mary Roach
Jenny Lawson
Just started Furiously Happy and love it!
Anything by Mary Roach would probably work for this. Stiff is great.
so is gulp!
Yes!
Anything by Erik Larson: Devil in the White City, In the Garden of the Beasts, Dead Wake, Isaac’s Storm; also One Summer: America in 1927 by Bill Bryson.
I love Bill Bryson’s Short History of Nearly Everything.
Devil in the White City was fascinating!
Exactly what I was going to say – anything by Larson.
The other Wes Moore and the short and tragic life of Robert peace are two I would recommend
Alan Alda is a very good storyteller….he has a few biographies
The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey, by Tinker Buck
I love memoirs! I’m currently reading this one. Well very written, short and very quick. It is about domestic violence and hints on Child sexual abuse though—topics that may be extremely triggering or difficult for some.
John Baxter’s books about Paris and France, books by Rebecca Solnit, John McPhee’s essays and Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
Any of the books by Jon Krakauer
Anything by Jon Krakauer. I especially liked Into Thin Air but Under the Banner of Heaven and Into the Wild were also good. I also second Boys in the Boat. Loved it.
Anything by Rick Bragg
I recently read Columbine by Dave Cullen. It was really interesting. I also like Hillbilly Elergy by J.D Vance.
I really enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy.
Narrative nonfiction-Ann Fadiman-The Spirit Catches You and You Falk Down; Just Like Us-Helen Thorpe; The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Rebecca Skloot
I agree. That’s the only way I can get into nonfiction. I’m currently reading The Currency of Love by Jill Dodd.
Anything by Eric Larson especially The Devil and the White City
I agree with others: The Devil in the White City.
Isabel Allende is a wonderful writer and many of her books are woven around her family history in Chile. She writes fiction, too, but much of it stems from real events. She’s been one of my favorite authors for over 20 years.
If you listened to Serial, there’s a book out that covers more of the details, Adnan’s Story.
The recent books by Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Mindy Kaling were great.
Erik Larson. He writes fantastic narrative non-fiction.
I’m currently reading Shattered Silence: The untold story of a serial killers daughter by Melissa g. Moore. Good and guys the bill, though out does hit a few ugly parts (animal killings by her father) but they are quickly described w/o excruciating detail. I can’t read that stuff at all and I’ve survived it. It’s easy enough and short enough to easily skip right over w/o missing a beat. Im halfway through and its a good read so far. More about what she had to deal with and her relationship w him as father than details about his activities.
Command and Control is chilling and very readable account of our nuclear arsenal and the Damascus accident.
Boys in the Boat
“Before We Were Yours”
The Worst Hard Time, and The Big Burn by Timothy Egan
My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
Great book!
A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
Jon Krakauer writes good non-fiction as well as Sebastian Junger.
An older book – Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. Second the suggestions of John Krakauer and Eric Larson.
Michael Lewis: The Big Short, Moneyball, etc
I was listening to The Undoing Project and ran out of overdrive time. Waiting for my turn again because it’s so interesting.
Also Flash Boys
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest…
by Dava Sobel
Boys in the boat
Boys in the boat, Killers of the Flower moon, A year in Provence and subsequent books by Peter Mayle, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Midnight in b the Garden of Good and Evil.
Glass Castle
https://www.amazon.com/Other-Wes-Moore-Name-Fates/dp/0385528205
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell is fantastic.
Jeanette Walls
Devil in White City, Emperor of All Maladies, The Ghost of the Innocent Man, Warmth of Other Suns…
Emperor of All Maladies is excellent.
My favorite non fiction is I am Malala.
My Beloved World-Sonia Sotomayor
Quick read. Like chatting with a friend.
The Argumentative Indian – Amartya Sen.
Works by Sudha Murthy, P L Deshpande. These are some of the Indian Authors that are amazing.
Devil in the White City reads like a novel but is nonfiction. I couldn’t put it down.
I tried to read that book a couple of times and just could not. I gave up on it.
Dead wake
Midnight in the garden of good and evil John Berendt
I like David McCqullough books – Wright Brothers is amazing. Many others are really good. I’ve read some and audibled others. Love both.
The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson. A must read for everyone.
I wonder if you would like Mary Roach books. Check her out!
Bio, ‘I’m not dead yet’. Loved it. Always wonder about the guy?
Warriors Don’t Cry. (I think by Melba Beale?)
Sherman Alexie’s latest about his mother. You Don’t Have to Tell Me You Love Me.
I worked with Sherman back in the 90s before his rise to fame. He’s a great guy- intelligent, insightful, sarcastic, funny. And he told lots of stories about living on the rez. It was such fun to watch his writing career progress beginning with his first book of poetry, then an NEA grant and a NYT book review. After that, his name was everywhere. I’m so happy for him!
My favorite book this year!
I love The Notorious RBG. Another good book is How I Killed Pluto And Why It Had It Coming.
Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Starvation Heights – crime story
Tisha – a young teacher goes to the Alaskan wilderness to work
Wave by Susan Casey
Anything by Eric Larson.
Alan Cummings memoir.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Wild -From Lost to Found in the PCT. I love listening to David Sedaris read his books.
@Cecilia, also said this but I’m not seeing it get as much love as some of the others: The Immortal Life if Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is written this way.
Another I really enjoyed was Cary Elwes memoir on his time filming the Princess Bride – As You Wish. If you can with that one I’d suggest the audiobook because other cast members narrate parts where they talk about THEIR experience on the set.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an excellent book. I also learned so much from Killers of the Osage Moon.
@Karen Love TILOHL. On the list for Killers of the Osage Moon at the library…
An oldie but goodie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. And absolutely agree with @Hailey, The IMmortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was fantastic (surprisingly, the HBO film was an excellent adaptation).
Yes, all the Mary Roach! Also highly recommend My Beautiful World by Sonia Sotomayor.
Gaining Ground by Forrest Pritchard (story of a farmer that was much more engaging than expected)
In Cold Blood. Truman Capote.
Hunger by Roxane Gay
North of Normal – Cia Sunrise Person
Eric Larson’s books are great! I really liked devil in the white city.
Bill Bryson
Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon.
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, Fatal Vision by Joe McGinniss,
And the band played on… Sad but incredible.
I haven’t read this book but your comment “ sad but incredible” describes so many of my favorite historical fiction. When friends ask for my recommendations, this will be perfect. Sometimes I think they must think I’m weird when I love a book like Sarah’s Key?
I read this book many years ago. I agree Paige, sad but incredible!
I loved that book. Mesmerizing. Read like a mystery
Bill Bryson. I loved The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid and In a Sunburned Country.
Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions! I will look into all of these!
Behind the Beautiful Forever, Hot Zone (about Ebola virus – scary), Geisha by Liza Dalby (she trained to be one – fascinating)
A pearl in the storm, Boys in the boat,
Murders of the flower moon, all wonderful.
The Ghost Map!!!!! Endurance!!! Also, A Beautiful Mind and Into Thin Air.
When Breath Becomes Air
Stiff by Mary Roach.
Devil in the White City
Killers of The Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and The Birth of the FBI
Radium Girls by Kate Moore! So good
Devil in the White City
Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses both by the same author. They are memoirs. Both are great!
I saw her speak once. She is an entertaining, inspiring, and all around wonderful person!
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfection-julie-metz/1100561181
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-mothers-reckoning-sue-klebold/1122342065
Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre or River Town by Peter Hessler
You would probably enjoy science writer John McPhee.
The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer
Going Down River road by major mwangi… Read its review and you will like it.
Walking with the wind by John Lewis…it’s about the civil rights movement. Team of Rivals about Abe Lincoln written by Margaret Godwin…
Sonia Sotomayer…my Beloved World
F You Very Much: Understanding the culture of rudeness-and what we can do about it by Danny Wallace