Oftentimes, when people think of nonfiction books the books, they are thinking about is an actor who tries their hand at writing a memoir; a textbook for a class of some kind; or a lengthy worded peer-reviewed journal full of scientific jargon. However, the nonfiction genre is so much more than that. It uses the same writing techniques as fiction and fantasy, just tweaked a little to tell true experiences.
This list, in no particular order, aims to contain something for everyone. Whether that is based in digestible scientific discoveries, history, narrative nonfiction, poetry, or true crime.
1. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot.
Rebecca Skloot is a journalist who unravels the story of Henrietta Lacks, and tries her best to explain to the family what happened to her.
Henrietta was a southern woman who still worked on the same tobacco farm her slave ancestors worked. Despite being the source of the HeLa cells – which helped develop the polio vaccine, understanding cervical cancer, atom bomb effects, gene mapping etc., – Henrietta is still virtually unknown.
These important cells were taken from Henrietta without her permission, and despite helping society for over 70 years since her death, Henrietta is buried in an unmarked grave, and her family never saw a cent of compensation. Her family still cannot afford health insurance.
The book discusses the dark history of the experimentation on African Americans, and in turn, bioethics. Skloot does a good job explaining this in a digestible way so the average person can understand the science being discussed.
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” was published in 2011, and was deemed an Editor’s Best Pick, and a New York Times bestseller. (The picture of the book is courtesy of Keeping Up With The Penguins.
2. “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Kimmerer uses her understanding of plants, and her own experiences as a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, and embraces the idea that nature is our best teacher. The writing braids reflection, wisdom, and science together to show how much the world has changed over the years, and how some of these changes are a threat to nature and its teachings.
“Braiding Sweetgrass” was published in 2015. The book is a New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller. It was also named a “Best Essay Collection of the Decade” by Literary Hub.
3. “Evolution Gone Wrong: The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work (Or Don’t)” by Alex Bezzerides.
The book follows the evolution of humans, how we came to be in relation to our other mammalian relatives, and how our bodies do not like our modern lives. “Evolution Gone Wrong” has three parts, each following a different part of the body. For example, part one, titled “It’s All in Your Head” covers topics like our eyes and our throats. Or how part two examines why we have back pain and how our knees are so fragile.
The book even discusses where menstruation comes from, since many mammalian species don’t have the cycle humans do. In addition, it even goes on to explain how in the world our bodies evolved to give birth the way we do.
4. “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur.
“Milk and Honey” is a collection of poems broken up into four parts that tell Kaur’s life story and deals with the complex feelings and moments we face in our everyday lives. Yet, there is a bitter-sweetness to every battle.
“Milk and Honey” was published in 2015 and is a #1 New York Times bestseller.
5. “Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity” by Dr. Devon Price, P.h.D.
“Unmasking Autism” is a mix between Dr. Price’s personal experience as an autistic trans man, but he also blends others’ personal profiles, social science, and history.
The thing is, autism is a spectrum, and no two autistic individuals are completely alike. Many people, specifically women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color, are often overlooked in early childhood for certain ASD (autism spectrum disorder) symptoms.
To add to that, those that were overlooked in childhood eventually try to get diagnosed in adulthood. However, when it comes to ASD testing, many tests are for children. This makes it harder for adults to get diagnosed, especially when they are asked “Could you play with these toy trains for me?” “Unmasking Autism” is a personal and scientific history blended story that is easily digestible. The book was published in 2022 and has a 4.4 on Goodreads
6. “Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and its Legacy” by Albert Marrin.
Marrin tells the story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and how it suddenly burst into flames on March 25th, 1911. Nearly 150 people (most of which were women as they were the main demographic of employees) died that day, due to the unsafe, crowded building.
Marrin explores the nuanced reasons as to why this accident happened, and how it showcases the attitudes of the time.
“Flesh & Blood So Cheap” was published in 2015 and is considered a “Teacher’s Pick” on Amazon and has a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
7. “The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World” by Steve Brussatte.
Steve Brusatte, one of the leading paleontologists in the field, goes through the start of the dinosaur dynasty, and what ended them. If you think you know everything about dinosaurs, this book is perfect for you as it unveils the new movements in the field.
The book follows every period, how it starts, what ends it, and how the planet changes in between the eras. “The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs” is perfect for old and new dinosaur nerds. It tells the history of dinosaurs in such a clear and concise way.
“The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs” was published in 2018 and has many awards. It was deemed the Best Book of the Year by The Smithsonian, Science Friday, The Times (London) and more. It is also a New York Times bestseller.
8. “On The Farm: Robert William Pickton and the Tragic Story of Vancouver’s Missing Women” by Stevie Cameron.
Robert ‘Willlie’ Pickton was one of Canada’s most prolific serial killers, suspected of assaulting and killing nearly fifty women (though only charged with killing 27) between 1978 to 2001. To dispose of the bodies, he would give them to his pigs, and whatever was left would be taken to a meat processing plant.
Cameron explains the intricacies of the time, and how Pickton was able to get away with it for so long. His main targets were indigenous women, sex workers, and drug addicts. People, who at the time, no one seemed to care about.
As a veteran journalist, Cameron not only goes in depth about the case itself, but the women involved. And though she doesn’t shy away from the details, Cameron takes great care when recounting this story.
“On The Farm” was published in 2011 and became an instant national bestseller.
9. “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race” by Margot Lee Shetterly.
Back in the ‘50s NASA was divided up, just like the rest of the country, into groups for white people, and into groups for people of color. Shetterly tells the story of first-hand accounts of black women computers during the space race.
“Computers” back then were people who did the math needed to calculate launch and landing of the rocket, as well as other things.
Shetterly brings these first-hand accounts to life in this book.
“Hidden Figures” was published in 2016, is a #1 New York Times bestseller, and is now a major motion picture.
10. “Humankind: A Hopeful History” by Rutger Bregman.
“Humankind” has a chapter for nearly every psychological experiment, or odd event, that shaped how we view things like the Bystander Effect and so on. However, as a journalist, Bregman researches what really happened during these events, and maybe how everything we think we know is false.
Humans aren’t naturally bad like the Stanford Prison Experiment suggests, we aren’t itching to betray everything we’ve ever known simply because of the need for power. Instead, we seek community and companionship at nearly every opportunity.
“Humankind” was published in 2020 and was an instant New York Times bestseller.