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.

What do you think of this list?

Have I missed out any masterpieces of narrative non-fiction?

 

Glasshopper by Isabel Ashdown

Five words from the blurb: family, turbulent, childhood, secrets, alcoholic

Glasshopper contains a dual narrative covering the childhood of a boy called Jake, growing up in 1980s Portsmouth, and that of his mother coming-of-age in the 1960s.

Jake’s childhood is a troubled one. His father has moved out and his mother is an alcoholic. The reasons for his mother’s alcoholism are slowly revealed over the course of the novel; as are Jake’s strength and resilience.

This is the perfect book for anyone wanting to reminisce about life in England. The tiny details about Texan bars and sherbet Flying Saucers had me smiling in recognition. The story itself was very ordinary, but Jake’s charm was hard to resist.

Unfortunately the 1960s section didn’t come alive in the same way. I’m not sure if this was because I wasn’t alive and so didn’t pick up on the little details or because they weren’t there in the first place.

The writing was reminiscent of Maggie O’Farrell, so anyone who loves her books is sure to enjoy this one.

Recommended to anyone who remembers 1980s England.

.

Central Reservation by Will le Flemming

Five words from the blurb: rural, England, twin, ghost, grief

Central Reservation is set in rural England during the foot and mouth outbreak of 2001. The central character is Holly, a teenage girl, who is followed everywhere by the ghost of her twin sister. The ghost is an unnerving presence, rather than the scary, malevolent kind that you normally find in novels and it can be seen as a metaphor for the grief that she carries around with her.

The book started off really well, with an intriguing first line:

On a grey Thursday morning Holly lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, and wished her sister would die. Five hours later her wish came true.

The first few chapters were equally gripping, with a particularly vivid description of a bus crash.

Unfortunately the middle section was a bit ordinary. Events was realistically described, but the quiet study of a family’s grief did nothing but leave me feeling faintly depressed. I know a lot of people love this type of story, but I suspect that because I am lucky enough not to have lost a close member of my family it didn’t resonate with me as much.

Luckily everything picked up towards the end and the foot and mouth aspect of the book was very well done. I remember travelling home during the outbreak and seeing (and especially smelling) the pyres of dead cattle everywhere. I hadn’t come across a book that covers the subject before, but I’m sure everyone will be moved by some of the scenes in this book.

The specific Englishness of this story means that it is unlikely to have universal appeal, but if you’re looking for an emotional read this is a good choice.

Recommended to those familiar with rural England.

.

Whilst compiling a list of my favourite 2011 books  I noticed a strange thing. Many of the books I remembered vividly were ones I hadn’t enjoyed, whilst I often forgot about the seamlessly good ones. Re-reading my reviews produced some interesting findings. I seem to remember the books with an excessive number of coincidences, or characters that behave in unrealistic manner, far more than those with accurately observed ones.

I also noticed that I was more likely to recommend these books to others. I’d always warn them about the unrealistic aspects of the book, but state that it was worth reading anyway.

Meanwhile the beautifully written books quickly faded from my mind; the plots so ordinary that there was nothing to jog the memory afterwards. My reviews reminded me about the clarity of the writing and the perfect plotting, but although I enjoyed every minute of the reading experience, these books do not seem to live on after the final page has been turned and so I have not gone on to recommend them.

Longevity is often thought of as a sign of quality, so does this mean that the annoying books are the best?

Should a beautiful, but quickly forgotten book, be marked down for its inability to stand out from the crowd?

Regular readers of my blog will know that I’m not a big fan of gentle books. I know a lot of you love them, so here are three for those who enjoy quieter books:

All Is Song by Samantha Harvey

Five words from the blurb: brother, alone, rootless, unite, questioning

I loved The Wilderness so was excited about Samantha Harvey’s new book. Unfortunately, although it could be argued that her writing quality has improved since her debut novel, she has done so at the expense of a compelling plot.

All Is Song follows two brothers who reunite after the death of their father. Very little happens. This book is a simple study of the relationship between two siblings and the way this affects the emotions of everyone around them.

If you enjoy character studies then I’m sure you’ll find a lot to intrigue you, but I’m afraid I found it all a bit dull and gave up after 90 pages.

Don’t be put off by me though – I’m sure this will end up on the Orange/Booker shortlist later this year.

 2012 TV Book Club Selection

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Five words from the blurb: New York, coming-of-age, woman, society, change

The blurb of this book held no interest for me, but I was persuaded to read it by its inclusion on so may ‘best of 2011’ lists. I’m afraid that on this occasion my instincts were right – I do not enjoy charming coming-of-age stories set in New York high society.

From the very beginning I was aware of the very high writing quality in this book. New York came alive and the characters were very well developed. Unfortunately I seem to have a thing against rich characters and their relationship issues. Very little actually happens in this book and everything that does could be described as “charming”…… Arrghhh! *Runs away*

If you enjoy well written books about finding love in Jazz clubs and cocktail bars then this is for you, but I couldn’t finish it.

 

The Lady’s Slipper by Deborah Swift

Five words from the blurb: 1660, steals, orchid, exile, memories

I was drawn to this book because of its Lake District setting, but although I enjoyed reading some historical fiction set outside one of the big cities it didn’t contain enough specific local detail for me to be able to recommend it to fans of books set in Cumbria.

The Lady’s Slipper is set in the middle of the seventeenth century and focuses on a woman who discovers a rare orchid on her neighbour’s land. She steals the flower and attempts to propagate it, but the land owner is determined to get his flower back, leading to a battle of power.

The period atmosphere in this book is fantastic and it has clearly been very well researched, but I found the plot too slow and gentle for my liking. This book has over 400 pages, but the pace made it seem even longer. I know a lot of people love simply being immersed in another time period, but I prefer a bit more action.

Recommended to fans of gentle historical fiction.