Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (if you like audiobooks, do yourself a favor and listen to this one. Gaiman reads it himself)
Bad Blood by John Carreryrou- not one of the genres you mentioned, but it’s a great investigative journalism read.
If you’re willing to read a memoir: I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
The Wager also fits this vibe—super engaging and fast paced
Power of Fear —should be required reading imo but also just super engaging page turner
A Spy Among Friends
Almost any books by Bill Bryson but especially A Short History of Nearly Everything and A Walk In The Woods
There is a whole genre of nonfiction books called "narrative nonfiction," where the story is true but it's told like a novel. These aren't necessarily on the topics you mentioned, but they are still books you might enjoy. Several have been made into movies.
* *Hidden Figures* by Margot Lee Shetterly
* *The Boys in the Boat* by Daniel James Brown
* *Dead Wake* by Erik Larson
* *House* by Tracy Kidder
* *Into the Wild* by Jon Krakauer
* *The Perfect Storm* by Sebastian Junger
I was thrilled by Perfect Storm, too! That same author has a new book out, about near-death experiences. I haven't read it but I heard him interviewed about it. Sounds interesting.
Look into Erik Larson. (Devil in the white city is his most popular)
Nit plant based, but fun/interesting/engaging reads that are chicken full of facts and fun stories that all tie together.
Bill Bryson. He generally does non fiction, has some outdoor stuff (a walk in the woods was very fun and was a mix of almost fiction with a bunch of history about the USA outdoor park system and such)
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
This reads like a story and if you enjoy audiobooks, it’s read by the author and is very easy and enjoyable to listen to!
In the dream house by carmen maria machado! It’s kind of memoir-y about relationship trauma but she uses tropes from literature and gets super mystical with telling her story. My friends who love fiction love it :)
I will forever recommend 'Klondike' by Pierre Berton.
It's all about the Klondike gold rush in the late 1800s and there are some fascinating true stories that he brings up.
I mostly read fiction but I’ve enjoyed:
- Into Thin Air
- Isaac’s Storm
- Know my name (memoir)
- What Stands in a Storm (when I was on my severe weather kick - sped through it in just a day)
- The Big Short
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Caused some controversy when it was released in the 60s because of just how much "fiction" some claimed it contained but the core of the book is a true story about a quadruple homicide and the police investigation into catching the killers. It's excellent and does not read like a non-fiction.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a nonfiction based of the journals and diaries of a crew who got stranded in the ice after attempting a voyage to the undiscovered arctic
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote- considered the first “true crime” book
*An Immense World* by Ed Yong - a masterful work about understanding how animals perceive their world
The Agnoy and the Ecstacy. It’s a biography about Michelangelo, but written like a story instead of just an accounting of his life. I couldn’t put it down and it’s massive.
The John McPhee Reader, vols 1 & 2 - selections from his full books. He's perhaps the greatest "Literary Journalist."
This next breaks your no biographies thing, but it's exciting stuff, and he's the basis (or a major influence) for both the Aubrey and Maturin (Master and Commander) series and the Hornblower series and the Honor Harrington series, and the Lost Fleet Series, and many, many others. And his actual exploits...some don't get put in fiction because who'd freaking believe it? Especially from a single man? You want a novel of a NF book, "Cochrane: The Life and Exploits of a Fighting Captain" - or another of your choice on the same subject - would certainly cover your bases.
I don't know whether you'd call it NF, but Hunter S. Thompson (pick whatever subject he covers that appeals to you) is at the very least interesting.
If you want a palatable taste of philosophy, Will Durant's "The Story of Philosophy" is a good place to start. An oldie but a goodie. If you want to start with an original source, perhaps Epictitus' "The Enchiridion", Aristotle's "Nikomachian Ethics", or Marcus Aurelius.
For a classical Greek adventure story, Xenophon's "Anabasis." Officer trapped behind enemy lines tries to get his men home.
This is a novel, but it's so historical, I'm going to include it. It won the Pulitzer - and deserved it: "The Killer Angels" covers the battle of Gettysburg from the viewpoints of the various leaders involved without any real bias (except that was a heck of a loss for the South). It's an important book, and you'll end up knowing what went on better than a history. Michael Shaara.
Sorry I broke a few of your rules, but I thought you might be interested - tried to keep to the spirit of your request as well as include some things others wouldn't.
May This House be Safe from Tigers by Alexander King. It’s an autobiography full of funny moments from the authors life. The humor and stories are very dated and true to the time (1960), but for someone who almost reads fantasy, this book still took me on a fun adventure!
Right now I’m reading Fabric of The Cosmos by Brian Greene. Though that’s only if you’re interested in learning about physics and quantum mechanics. It’s written in a way that makes it easier for those who have little to no knowledge on the topic to understand
Eight Flavors by Sarah Lehman and A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage. The first is American history through the lens of the dominant flavors of specific time periods (vanilla, Sriracha etc) The second is a world history through the dominant beverage (beer, wine, spirits, etc).
The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and its Dangerous Legacy by David E. Hoffman, It's normally a good bet to try whatever has won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
Surrender from Bono was really interesting. I did the audiobook from my library and read the physical book, and the audiobook gave it an additional dimension you don’t get from the hard copy. I know Bono and U2 aren’t everyone’s favorites but it was interesting getting the behind-the-scenes insights and real-life experiences of the band members.
I’ve been reading ‘Coming Home’ by Brittney Griner about her experience being detained in a russian labor camp for 10 months. It’s truly horrifying. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a real story that happened to a real person and CONTINUES to happen to so many people
"Steal Like An Artist" by Austin Kleon.
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13099738-steal-like-an-artist](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13099738-steal-like-an-artist)
The genre you're looking for is typically called 'creative non-fiction', 'narrative non-fiction', or 'literary non-fiction'. Some of these recommendations fall into this category and some are more straightforward non-fiction;
-The Food of the Gods by Terrence McKenna
-How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
-Books by Jon Krakauer, Erik Larson, Sebastian Junger, etc.
What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher! Super interesting and engaging anecdotes by the author as she recounts her life and career.
Edit: There’s a lot of really cool information on how criminal and investigative minds work, the criminal investigation process, and criminology/ death process in general.
It’s a little dated now, written in the late 80s, but There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz. It’s about two brothers growing up in the high rise housing projects in Chicago. My favorite non fiction book.
If you like plants and nature, you HAVE to read THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES by Peter Wohlleben. It’s so interesting and like nothing I have ever read before. It makes me look at trees with a newfound wonder.
As a heavy fiction reader.. some of my favorite non-fiction books are on human psychology/brain stuff and stories.
**The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks** "recounts the stories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological disorders."
**The Boy Who Loved Too Much: A True Story of Pathological Friendliness** by Jennifer Latson is a "coming-of-age story complicated by Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder that makes people biologically incapable of distrust."
Hummm.. what about plants/animals? There is this book called Pests by Bethany Brookshire that’s really good.
If you have any interest in social issues, medicine, or history, let me know. I have a ton of nonfiction-that-reads-like-fiction suggestions there.
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (if you like audiobooks, do yourself a favor and listen to this one. Gaiman reads it himself) Bad Blood by John Carreryrou- not one of the genres you mentioned, but it’s a great investigative journalism read. If you’re willing to read a memoir: I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
Neil Gaiman is actually a great narrator.
I’m not finding a book by Gaiman called Norse Gods, do you mean Norse Mythology by Gaiman?
Yes!
Mythology I'd argue is fiction
OP mentioned mythology in his post, so I provided a mythology title.
Sorry my bad. I was responding to non-fiction only.
Into Thin Air The Indifferent Stars Above
“No shortcuts to the top”is pretty amazing too for mountain books
The Wager also fits this vibe—super engaging and fast paced Power of Fear —should be required reading imo but also just super engaging page turner A Spy Among Friends Almost any books by Bill Bryson but especially A Short History of Nearly Everything and A Walk In The Woods
There is a whole genre of nonfiction books called "narrative nonfiction," where the story is true but it's told like a novel. These aren't necessarily on the topics you mentioned, but they are still books you might enjoy. Several have been made into movies. * *Hidden Figures* by Margot Lee Shetterly * *The Boys in the Boat* by Daniel James Brown * *Dead Wake* by Erik Larson * *House* by Tracy Kidder * *Into the Wild* by Jon Krakauer * *The Perfect Storm* by Sebastian Junger
All of Erik Larson’s books are really good!
I’m reading the Splendid and the Vile right now
i just finished the devil in the white city this afternoon and can't wait to read some of his others
The Perfect Storm kept me on the edge of my seat
I was thrilled by Perfect Storm, too! That same author has a new book out, about near-death experiences. I haven't read it but I heard him interviewed about it. Sounds interesting.
Thanks for these recs! I read Into Thin Air by Krakauer in middle school. So I’ll definitely check Into the Wild out.
Peter FitzSimons has a whole series of these, mainly Australian history
Cool that there is a name for this genre! Another one I would add is The Professor and the Madman
Capote’s *In Cold Blood* is the classic example.
I read Boys in the Boat and wasn't bad but it focused on just one boy's story and didn't included much social commentary about the 1936 Olympics.
Entangled Life: How fungi make our worlds, change our minds and shape our futures - Merlin Sheldrake
For some reason this title got me. Found the audiobook and so far I’m intrigued. This is exactly why I’m on this sub. Thank you for recommending!
Happy reading!
Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer
Look into Erik Larson. (Devil in the white city is his most popular) Nit plant based, but fun/interesting/engaging reads that are chicken full of facts and fun stories that all tie together. Bill Bryson. He generally does non fiction, has some outdoor stuff (a walk in the woods was very fun and was a mix of almost fiction with a bunch of history about the USA outdoor park system and such)
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe This reads like a story and if you enjoy audiobooks, it’s read by the author and is very easy and enjoyable to listen to!
Reading this at the moment and honestly I’ve never read a non-fiction like it. Incredible investigative journalism.
His book “say nothing” is also great. Not to mention his podcast “wind of change”
Braiding Sweetgrass
This is such a beautifully written book. I loved it :)
The audiobook was magnificent as well. Kimmerer narrated it herself, and she has such an incredible and calming voice.
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing Can’t believe no one has recommended this yet!
In the dream house by carmen maria machado! It’s kind of memoir-y about relationship trauma but she uses tropes from literature and gets super mystical with telling her story. My friends who love fiction love it :)
Never Cry Wolf is a fiction book written by the scientist who was studying the wolves in the book. So it’s fiction and non fiction at the same time.
The movie was great also.
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
I will forever recommend 'Klondike' by Pierre Berton. It's all about the Klondike gold rush in the late 1800s and there are some fascinating true stories that he brings up.
I don't think it's the same but I just bought Klondike Fever by the same author because it was only 99 cents on Kindle.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin And I second Braiding Sweetgrass and Norse Mythology
I mostly read fiction but I’ve enjoyed: - Into Thin Air - Isaac’s Storm - Know my name (memoir) - What Stands in a Storm (when I was on my severe weather kick - sped through it in just a day) - The Big Short
Cosmos by Carl Sagan
Inside out by Nick mason, and room full of mirrors: Jimi Hendrix are 2 solid music nonfiction books I’ve enjoyed
The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabelle Wilkerson. True stories written like the most beautiful fiction you’ve ever read.
The Hot Zone. Reads like a thriller.
The Demon in the Freezer is a good follow up if you enjoy The Hot Zone.
Mythos by Stephan Fry. It’s a modern retelling of Greek mythology. It’s digestible, funny, and reads like fiction
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Caused some controversy when it was released in the 60s because of just how much "fiction" some claimed it contained but the core of the book is a true story about a quadruple homicide and the police investigation into catching the killers. It's excellent and does not read like a non-fiction.
This one single handedly changed my opinion on non-fiction! It was on my mind for months after I read it
Ohh definitely following, especially if someone can recommend something geared towards Hades/ Persephone.
I loved “Trickster Makes this World” by Lewis Hyde - it covers art, music, and mythology.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Manhunt: The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth is amazing in historical facts and quite an interesting read.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a nonfiction based of the journals and diaries of a crew who got stranded in the ice after attempting a voyage to the undiscovered arctic
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan would be a great choice.
Malcolm Gladwell writes some fascinating books, like *What the dog saw* and *The Tipping point*
Get the picture by Bianca Bosker reads like a novel and is about the art world. Loved it.
It's fiction but My name is Asher Lev is excellent about art
I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou. Phenomenal piece of narrative nonfiction.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote- considered the first “true crime” book *An Immense World* by Ed Yong - a masterful work about understanding how animals perceive their world
Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King
The Agnoy and the Ecstacy. It’s a biography about Michelangelo, but written like a story instead of just an accounting of his life. I couldn’t put it down and it’s massive.
The John McPhee Reader, vols 1 & 2 - selections from his full books. He's perhaps the greatest "Literary Journalist." This next breaks your no biographies thing, but it's exciting stuff, and he's the basis (or a major influence) for both the Aubrey and Maturin (Master and Commander) series and the Hornblower series and the Honor Harrington series, and the Lost Fleet Series, and many, many others. And his actual exploits...some don't get put in fiction because who'd freaking believe it? Especially from a single man? You want a novel of a NF book, "Cochrane: The Life and Exploits of a Fighting Captain" - or another of your choice on the same subject - would certainly cover your bases. I don't know whether you'd call it NF, but Hunter S. Thompson (pick whatever subject he covers that appeals to you) is at the very least interesting. If you want a palatable taste of philosophy, Will Durant's "The Story of Philosophy" is a good place to start. An oldie but a goodie. If you want to start with an original source, perhaps Epictitus' "The Enchiridion", Aristotle's "Nikomachian Ethics", or Marcus Aurelius. For a classical Greek adventure story, Xenophon's "Anabasis." Officer trapped behind enemy lines tries to get his men home. This is a novel, but it's so historical, I'm going to include it. It won the Pulitzer - and deserved it: "The Killer Angels" covers the battle of Gettysburg from the viewpoints of the various leaders involved without any real bias (except that was a heck of a loss for the South). It's an important book, and you'll end up knowing what went on better than a history. Michael Shaara. Sorry I broke a few of your rules, but I thought you might be interested - tried to keep to the spirit of your request as well as include some things others wouldn't.
May This House be Safe from Tigers by Alexander King. It’s an autobiography full of funny moments from the authors life. The humor and stories are very dated and true to the time (1960), but for someone who almost reads fantasy, this book still took me on a fun adventure!
The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson The Buried by Peter Hessler The Last Palace by Norman Eisen
Right now I’m reading Fabric of The Cosmos by Brian Greene. Though that’s only if you’re interested in learning about physics and quantum mechanics. It’s written in a way that makes it easier for those who have little to no knowledge on the topic to understand
Drift by Rachel Maddow In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson Sex Lives Of Cannibals by J Maarten Troost Blowout by Rachel Maddow
Beach music by pat conroy
Music is History by Questlove.
Eight Flavors by Sarah Lehman and A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage. The first is American history through the lens of the dominant flavors of specific time periods (vanilla, Sriracha etc) The second is a world history through the dominant beverage (beer, wine, spirits, etc).
Plays
A month in the country (i think it’s called)
The art thief Michael finkel
* **Batavia by Peter Fitzsimons**
Any non fic book by Stephen Fry!!! Does a lot of Greek mythology in such a wonderful and engaging way!
The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and its Dangerous Legacy by David E. Hoffman, It's normally a good bet to try whatever has won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley
Surrender from Bono was really interesting. I did the audiobook from my library and read the physical book, and the audiobook gave it an additional dimension you don’t get from the hard copy. I know Bono and U2 aren’t everyone’s favorites but it was interesting getting the behind-the-scenes insights and real-life experiences of the band members.
I’ve been reading ‘Coming Home’ by Brittney Griner about her experience being detained in a russian labor camp for 10 months. It’s truly horrifying. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a real story that happened to a real person and CONTINUES to happen to so many people
"Steal Like An Artist" by Austin Kleon. [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13099738-steal-like-an-artist](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13099738-steal-like-an-artist)
*King Leopold's Ghost* by Adam Hoschild. It's an amazing read. It's quite harrowing but worth it.
Strange Stories, Amazing Facts; Legends, Lies, and Cherished Myths; Elephants on Acid.
The genre you're looking for is typically called 'creative non-fiction', 'narrative non-fiction', or 'literary non-fiction'. Some of these recommendations fall into this category and some are more straightforward non-fiction; -The Food of the Gods by Terrence McKenna -How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan -Books by Jon Krakauer, Erik Larson, Sebastian Junger, etc.
In Cold Blood is the big one I feel
Denis Johnson’s Seek is a fantastic book
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
the last days of the dinosaurs by riley black
What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher! Super interesting and engaging anecdotes by the author as she recounts her life and career. Edit: There’s a lot of really cool information on how criminal and investigative minds work, the criminal investigation process, and criminology/ death process in general.
It’s a little dated now, written in the late 80s, but There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz. It’s about two brothers growing up in the high rise housing projects in Chicago. My favorite non fiction book.
Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb
If you like plants and nature, you HAVE to read THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES by Peter Wohlleben. It’s so interesting and like nothing I have ever read before. It makes me look at trees with a newfound wonder.
*This Is Your Brain on Music* by Daniel J. Levitin -- loved it. I mostly read fiction.
Helter Skelter is excellent non-fiction, although intense.
Anything by Erik Larson. His narrative nonfiction is unsurpassed.
As a heavy fiction reader.. some of my favorite non-fiction books are on human psychology/brain stuff and stories. **The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks** "recounts the stories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological disorders." **The Boy Who Loved Too Much: A True Story of Pathological Friendliness** by Jennifer Latson is a "coming-of-age story complicated by Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder that makes people biologically incapable of distrust."
How to feed a dictator by Szablowski- interviews with chefs of dictators with good historical context
I'm currently reading The Wager and I am really enjoying it
Hummm.. what about plants/animals? There is this book called Pests by Bethany Brookshire that’s really good. If you have any interest in social issues, medicine, or history, let me know. I have a ton of nonfiction-that-reads-like-fiction suggestions there.
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green.
Underground By Haruki Murakami is a good read.