Last year I wrote a post about having different criteria for fiction versus nonfiction books. The comment section became laden with fantastic narrative non-fiction recommendations and I also received many via twitter. I thought it would be a shame to keep my new found knowledge secret, so here are the books that people were most passionate about:
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
One of the first true crime books to introduce both the killers and their victims, this is commonly thought to the best piece of narrative nonfiction ever written.
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The story of a serial killer who targeted visitors to the 1893 Chicago World Fair; this book also contains details of the politics, architecture and science of the period.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
During WWII an American bomber crashes into the Pacific Ocean and a young lieutenant manages to scramble onto a life-raft. This book tells his amazing story of survival as he battles against starvation, sharks and the enemy.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Chronicles the decade-long migration of black Americans who fled the south in order to find better lives in the north and west of America.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
A collection of short stories that showcase a variety of different neurological conditions.
Little Princes by Conor Grennan
The story of the author’s year in Nepal and his efforts to reunite children sold into slavery with their parents.
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
The stories of six people living in North Korea which reveal the culture and lifestyle of those living within this secretive country.
The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
The history of cancer, from the Greek slave who cut of her own breast, through to modern radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
Mountain People by Colin Turnbull
The description of how one African tribe survived a famine by selfishly abandoning all family ties.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
This book is part travelogue, part true crime and its vivid descriptions have apparently increased tourism to Savannah.