basically the title – i'm looking for some recs for heavily researched deep-dive nonfiction/semi non fiction regarding this time period, but would love to find one that reads as a narrative rather than a textbook. one i read recently the indifferent stars above by daniel james brown, which follows the experience of a specific young woman who was part of the donner party in 1846. she's a real person and much of the text is based on her accounts of events through letters etc. i also loved under the banner of heaven, pairing two true stories that relate to one another.
i am looking specifically for books about this time period – basically reconstruction through the end of WW1. gilded age, ellis island, popular culture, diaries, etc. i'm pretty open, and the more dense the better lol.
by charcuter1e