Hey fellow readers,
I’m a huge fan of narrative non-fiction. Sometimes I think reality is stranger than fiction, and reading about real people and events that are every bit as fascinating, bizarre, tragic, or unbelievable as any novel is one of my favorite things ever
Here are my top 10 favorites:
• The Hot Zone by Richard Preston – A terrifying look at Ebola outbreaks that reads more like a horror novel than a science book. It’s probably the most scared I’ve ever been while reading a book.
• A Delusion of Satan by Frances Hill – How the people of Salem became convinced that witches were living among them. A fascinating but also deeply sad and disturbing read.
• Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth – The bizarre chain of events that led to the murder of Gianni Versace. It reads like a thriller, and I couldn’t put it down.
• The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule – Imagine discovering that your friend and coworker is Ted Bundy.
• The Radium Girls by Kate Moore – Young factory workers were told a glowing substance was harmless. Spoiler: It wasn’t.
• The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir – Six women married the same king. Only one of them died a natural death.
• The Five by Hallie Rubenhold – The lives of Jack the Ripper’s victims, and how history got their stories wrong. One of the most beautiful books I’ve read, and it completely changed the way I see that event.
• The Holocaust by Laurence Rees – Not just what happened, but how millions of ordinary people became part of it. One of the saddest books I’ve ever read, and a powerful look at how human beings can be dehumanized.
• Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham – A reactor explodes in the middle of the night, and almost nobody understands what has just happened.
• Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb – A Chicago lawyer convinces wealthy investors to pour fortunes for 20 years into land and oil ventures that don’t actually exist.
I’d love to hear your recommendations as well. What are some of your favorite narrative non-fiction books?
by albyune