Suggest me a fiction book that I’d enjoy as someone who really only reads nonfiction (history, politics, psychology). I used to love dystopian novels but they feel too dark nowadays. TIA!
Edit: I did just read “City of Girls” by Elizabeth Gilbert which is a historical fiction and I did really love that so any similar books would be great!
by Just-really-tired-5
19 Comments
Silo trilogy. End of the world but interesting.
Pillars of the Earth – Ken Follett
Great writing, historically accurate and completely enthralling.
The Martian, by Andy Weir. It’s hard sci fi (science fiction based on reality where all the science is explained).
For stand alone books I’d try:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Neverwhere by Neil Gaimon
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card (there are other books in the series but none as good and can be read as a stand alone)
For a series I’d try:
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Wellness by Nathan Hill !!
the book thief
You might enjoy some good historical fiction? Perhaps the Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes, which follow one family from right before the US revolution to the Industrial Revolution.
Trust by Hernan Diaz !! Historical fiction with some .. ominous.. undertones ! Great read and winner of Pulitzer Prize!
None of this is true by Lisa Jewell may scratch your psychology itch. It’s fiction but it’s all about getting into the mind of a person.
Not entirely sure what you might enjoy but I used to be the same way. The books that changed the game for me were, “Assistant to the Villain” by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. The sass and slight morbid nature tickled my brain and kept me coming back for more.
But more dystopian yet still fun energy was The Scholomance Series by Naomi Novik
HOWEVER, cozy fantasy has also been super reliable. Anything by Kelly Barnhill SLAPS! Her book, “When Women Were Dragons” has a historical edge that was super fun 🤩
I also highly recommend Becky Chambers “A Psalm for the Wildbuilt” a utopian future with monks and robots and lots of philosophical energy.
Hope this helps!
What is the what
Eggers
If you like non fiction then I would suggest trying some historical fiction. It’s kind of the bridge between fiction and non fiction.
I’m currently reading Martyr! and I’m loving it.
Daisy Jones & The Six…..I primarily read non-fiction, bios/autobios/memoirs, etc. and I LOVED this book.
Kavalier and Clay or Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon are great fun historical fiction and alt history respectively
Quite a few fiction war books which are heavily autobiographical. The things they carried. The naked and the dead. All quiet on the western front. HMS ullyses. The cruel sea. The caine mutiny.
City of Thieves by David Benioff
The Bernie Gunther thrillers (“Berlin noir”) by Philip Kerr
People are recommending historical fiction given your taste, and I think that makes sense. In particular, I’d recommend The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. The short pitch is that it’s a murder mystery set in a 14th century Italian abbey, but it also goes in depth into the political tension between the Church and State, theology, and philosophy
**The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows** – A charming historical fiction set in post-WWII Britain, exploring love, resilience, and community through letters.
I also run a weekly newsletter where I share book recommendations like this if you are interested. No Spams! [https://hi.switchy.io/QGsy](https://hi.switchy.io/QGsy)