I’ve noticed that several of my favorite nonfiction books are those written by journalists — particularly investigative journalists who began reporting on a certain subject and found there was so much there that they ended up writing a whole book about it. Something about the writing style of long-form investigative journalism is just so gripping, especially when they dive deeply into a niche subject matter and/or tell an interesting story of the journalist’s investigation.
Some examples of ones I’ve really enjoyed:
– Moon Shot by Jay Barbtree and Howard Benedict (written along with astronauts Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton)
– Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston
– Deep Throat by Bob Woodward
– The Snowden Files by Luke Harding
One qualification — I really don’t like books about celebrities or sports.
TIA!
by legallynotblonde23
9 Comments
A couple classics: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Book and Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc.
But it sounds like it’s time for you sit down with a book by Patrick Radden Keefe. Say Nothing, Snakehead, Empire of Pain—you can’t go wrong with any of those.
I really enjoy Naomi Klein’s books. Most recently I’ve read “This Changes Everything”, it is excellent. Next on my list is “The Shock Doctrine”.
Max Hastings is a journalist and writes mostly military history. Incredible writer, his books feel like a long-form magazine article with individual stories woven in.
Money Men by Dan McCrum – excellent about a dodgy bank, and the journalist’s quest to report on fraud
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou is the book form of his investigation that exposed the scam of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. It is fascinating and reads like thriller but really happened.
Dreamland by Sam Quinones and The Chaos Machine by Max Fisher – both of these sound like exactly what you’re looking for!
Carol D. Leonnig wrote an excellent book about the history of the Secret Service (Zero Fail)
Anna Fifield – I found her book about Kim Jong Un (The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un) extremely informative (and absolutely bonkers in places)
I know you said you don’t like books about celebrities but Ronan Farrow’s book about his investigation into Harvey Weinstein, Catch and Kill, is excellent investigative journalism.
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer as well as Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow.
Medical journalist Gary Taubes’ **The Case Against Sugar**.
An unapologetically biased investigation into the history, uses, and adverse effect sugar has on the human body. Woven through the book is Big Sugar’s manipulation of research and regulation.