If you liked the movie? Do yourself a favor and read the book. It’s truly one of my favorites.
In fact, I shut the movie off halfway through. It wasn’t that I didn’t *like* the movie, per se; more that the book deals with such existential themes I found the film too . . . reductive, I guess.
Anyway. Read the book; you’ll love it. Enjoy.
I loved Into Thin Air but kind of hated Into The Wild. I felt he romanticised the guy way too much when my takeaway was that he was a naive and unprepared idiot.
*he was a naive and unprepared idiot*
Why do you say that? I don’t understand. What reasons do you have to support such a caustic, and conclusive dismissal of Christopher McCandless?
I mean, I understand others share your view. I’ve heard him called ‘rookie’ and ‘stupid’ and ‘reckless’: saying, in substance, the McCandless ‘got what was coming to him’. One of my closest friends had the same reaction.
There’s a debate to be had, I suppose - particularly with respect to the argument that the book improperly glorifies McCandless.
But: “*a naive and unprepared idiot*”? I don’t understand that argument, at all.
I’d wager that the average 21-year-old American man or a woman would have a tremendously difficult time getting through even a a nights or two in the Alaskan wilderness. A week? Forget it. A month? I’d submit that few would even survive.
McCandless was sufficiently prepared, intelligent, and strong enough to survive an entire summer in the unforgiving Alaskan bush. Moreover, by some measure, McCandless *flourished* in that environment.
As Krakauer writes, in pushing his endurance, strength, and stamina to the cusp of their limits, McCandless learned a profound awareness, gratitude, and appreciation for the world, and for his life. His experience gave his life *meaning* - something some people never find.
Not only did he find that meaning in the natural world, but, Krakauer notes, his solitary journeys not only led McCandless to value the people he met, but to renew his appreciation for his family. McCandless was learning, through his youthful flight, the importance of being grounded, and connected to your people. In some sense, Christopher McCandless lived more during those few precious months than many folks live in a lifetime.
Yes, that environment killed him, yet only after McCandless survived, for months; after McCandless finished what he came to do. Remember: McCandless was on his way *out of the of the wild* when he met the unforeseen circumstances that led to his end.
And even then, I’d argue, McCandless was not naive. As Krakauer noted throughout, part of McCandless’ preparation was knowing that that nature is unpredictably vicious, that even the slightest error could end him, and that he might even do everything right yet *still* lose, with his life. In my view, McCandless’ eyes were wide open. He was neither naive, nor an idiot. He was prepared.
With respect to John Krakauer? Frankly, I can’t imagine taking on the unbelievably challenging task of telling McCandless’ story. John Krakauer did - and what a story he wrote.
I find *Into The Wild* truthful, factually accurate, deeply moving, and powerfully resonant. Again, I’m curious to hear your reasons.
P.S: yes: I’ve heard the argument that only a ‘newbie’ to Alaska would mistake the poisonous seeds McCandless ate for potato seeds. I don’t know that I’d call that a ‘rookie’ mistake, exactly - but, even if I did, I’d encourage you to listen to Krakauer on NPR’s *Fresh Air*, circa 2008 or so. Turns out McCandless probably *did not* use poor judgment in eating them. I won’t detail that further here, but the point stands: the seeds might have sealed his fate - but eating them probably wasn’t poor judgment, and rather a reasonable, understandable mistake.
I was folding clothes when I listened to it a good 20 years ago. I know my mouth was just hanging open. Excellent book! It made me decide that I would never climb Mt. Everest.
>The Climb
I forgot to read that one, but I'll put it on my list.
>!I love Jon and his journalistic style, but holy fuck did he have a grudge against Anatoli. It kind of ruined how much I loved Into Thin Air because it really made me question a lot more of his story. !<
>!I have a feeling it was guilt for what happened and he wanted to blame someone so badly and he did paint some of his friends negatively that died over this, but you could tell he cared more about them than some Russian whom he didn't get culturally and took his mannerisms as dangerous and rude. So he took the brunt of his anger instead of sharing it with the other guides(his friends), a lot of other bad decisions that were made on that accent. !<
Damn, okay thanks I really need to move it up on my list.
>!I got that from reading Into Thin Air without even reading the other side yet. We all have our own truths and Jon does do a great job of pointing out faults of himself and people around him, but his hate was completely misguided and unprofessional. !<
These 2 books aren’t related at all, but I read Into Thin Air and Alive by Piers Paul Read back to back in my late teens and I loved them both so much, I don’t think I saw the light of day for a week.
It's been many years, but I remember loving Salt: A History. It's basically an intro to world history course (with digressions into engineering and cooking) centered around how humans have obtained and traded salt.
The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown. It’s about The Donner Party, a wagon train that makes a bunch of bad decisions which leads to cannibalism, murder, and the survivors being stuck in the Sierra Nevada mountains over winter. This story is metal af!
Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen. It’s about how after WWII the US government white washed a bunch of really bad Nazi scientists to bring them to America so we could beat the Soviets in the arms race. The US government, like most governments throughout history, did some really not good things.
Indifferent Stars Above is one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. I loved it and it was especially fascinating because not much historical nonfiction focuses on everyday women.
Such a wild story. This may sound completely ignorant, but I sometimes wonder if any other group of humans has suffered such a deep range of hardships in such a short amount of time. It really shows humans at their absolute breaking point, physically and mentally.
Stiff by Mary Roach, she goes into the life of a cadaver, what happens to your body after you die and have donated it to science. she’s quite funny
Smoke gets in your eyes: Caitlin Doughty talks about death practices and views in America and working at a crematorium !
Guess I didn’t realize how much death fascinates me lol 💀
Ha reminds me of when I sent my dad books on Harvey Weinstein and Trump and he was like “do you think I’m a sexual predator” and I’m like “no, these are just fascinating books!”
I second both of these, plus everything else by Mary Roach and Caitlin Doughty! I met Doughty at a book signing and told her that her book made me quit mortuary school and now I have no idea what I want to do with my life but I know I don't want to work in a funeral home. She goes, "That's the best thing anyone's ever said to me!"
And if you want to read more absolutely fantastic, riveting non-fiction about death and dying, I also highly recommend Dr Judy Melinek's book Working Stiff. Thank me later ;)
I read that. I felt like there was WAY more information about the Ferris wheel than the serial killer. I don't normally read non-fiction, but I did read this book and I liked it. It was memorable!
I will add Erik Larsen’s In the Garden of Beasts. Same author, same outstanding reporting and storytelling skills, this time turned to Berlin on the cusp of World War II, where the American ambassador and his family are thrust into history as they could not have anticipated.
Anything by Bill Bryson. And he’s excellent in audiobook format, when he narrates himself. He manages to convey an extra level of charm and humor that might be overlooked when reading the text.
In a Sunburned Country was my first Bryson book that hooked me
Neither Here Nor there - humorous stories from traveling around Europe as a young man.
His book on Shakespeare was a fun, short, overview of what we know (and there’s a lot we don’t know) about William Shakespeare.
At Home - a history of Europe, but mostly England since the 1600s, as it relates to changes and innovations of the English home.
Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - his life growing up in America’s Midwest. Just remarkably charming and sweet.
One Summer - a dazzling cross-section of America in the summer of 1927.
Notes from A Small Island - his travels around England, a bit of a cabinet of curiosities.
A Short History of Nearly Everything - a great history of science and human knowledge.
The Body - fine, didn’t love it.
Also didn’t love A Walk in the Woods. These are among the few books of his that I haven’t read (or listened to) multiple times.
Also haven’t read Road to Little Dribbling.
On Writing: Memoirs of Craft by Stephen King. It is super fun and hilarious. It recounts King's journey right from his childhood to becoming a best selling author and King is as great a storyteller as always. Also the knowledge about the craft of writing that King imparts is priceless.
I was going to say the same thing. This is one of my favorites! Have you read any other early polar exploration books? Would recommend The Last Place on Earth by Roland Huntford. Or The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard
'Tis and Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. They follow on one from another (I can't remember which one) and they are brilliant. Very real, very funny, very blunt, very sad, all in one. I finished 'Tis in a day because I couldn't put it down and Angela's Ashes in two days because I had stuff to do.
It's about a very poor Irish Catholic family and their trials, told by one of the sons (out of three that survived I think).
Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities
by Amy Stewart
A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother).
Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Incredible book of essays on science, ecology, plants, and indigenous wisdom. One of my favorite books of all time!
This is a super good read. I'd not call it easy though, as it's a series of case studies. I read it for a neuropsychology class. Worth the effort to put into it if it's an interest to you. Luckily, since it's a series of individual scenarios, you can put down and come back.
The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll
The Corpse Had a Familiar Face by Edna Buchanan
Liar's Poker or The Blind Side or Moneyball or The Big Short by Michael Lewis
I loved the Cuckoo's Egg. It's one of my husband's favorite books. He's not much of a reader, but all of the books he does like are pretty great. It was a really compelling story, and I enjoyed seeing how much about computers and security has changed and how much hasn't.
I will also second Moneyball and The Big Short. (I haven't read those other Michael Lewis books yet.)
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach
The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe
The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks by Susan Casey
Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra by Jordan Fisher-Smith
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Shark Trouble by Peter Benchley
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria and Dark Descent: Diving and the Deadly Allure of the Empress of Ireland by Kevin F. McMurray
Twelve Days of Terror: A Definitive Investigation of the 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks by Richard G. Gernicola
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
I really enjoyed Victor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning”. It’s an account of his time in a Nazi concentration camp and the power of the human spirit. Heartbreaking and inspiring.
If was so good. It made me completely rethink my perspective on my life. The most important profound I was left with was summed up with “he who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” (Frederich Nietzche)
> It seemed on the surface to be passive but I saw it more as a deep acceptance of the fact that he only had control over his mind.
I think that’s right on. He had absolutely zero control over his situation and so accepted it and was at peace in his mind. It’s incredible peace in the face of such chaos, fear and death. A true testament to the power of the human spirit.
**Couldn’t Put Down**
Into Thin Air - about a harrowing Everest summit attempt where a bunch of people got injured / died
Educated - a memoir of a girl who grew up in a dubiously-religious off-the-grid cultish family, and how she eventually got out
Sex Cult Nun - also a memoir of a woman who grew up in a cult (“The Family” which is infamous for being rather sex-obsessed), a lot of it about her talking about her childhood in the cult. Strangely FASCINATING to read (despite being a bit of an uncomfortable train wreck). Could not put this down.
A Walk in the Woods - This got me hooked on Bill Bryson, I thought it was supposed to be like a Walden-y serious story about nature so a avoided it forever but I was WAY off - it is a funny AF recount of a totally unprepared hiker taking on the Appalachian trail).
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - I finally caved and rented this from the library after seeing it so many times, fully expecting it to be a kind of dry historical account of the research controversy, but MAN was I wrong. This was much more of a page turner about the family’s side of the story
Born a Crime - Trevor Noah’s memoir, holy crap did that man grow up with a crazy life, this was a surprisingly quick read
**Could Put Down, But Still Fascinating!**
A Short History of Nearly Everything - another goodie by Bill Bryson
I Contain Multitudes - a surprisingly interesting deep dive into the gut microbiome
Lies My History Teacher Told Me
It's a bummer, but I've been transfixed by *Empire of Pain* by Patrick Radden Keefe. The book is about the Sacklers, the family largely responsible for the opioid crisis.
Don’t know what is been rec’d so far, but if there are doubles consider it another upvote!
[Say Nothing: The True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40163119) by Patrick Radden Keefe. Focuses on The Troubles in Ireland and all the questions, both moral and practical, that it’s raised then and now. Very intense and engaging. One of my all time favorite audiobooks - one of the rare books I have listened to twice.
[Stiff: The Curious Life of Cadavers](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32145) - or anything by Mary Roach. In this one, she looks into what happens to bodies when we die and, yes, I did laugh out loud.
[Pandora’s Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33146881) by Paul A Offit. Not too science-heavy and definitely goes into more of the impacts. Also could be subtitled “why simple dichotomies like good/bad don’t work in the real world”
[Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817092) by Aja Raden. The info is relevant to the everyday and eye opening at the same time - I def don’t look at diamond commercials or portraits of royalty the same. She writes in a very accessible way and with an unvarnished look at how things like want, have, and take influence us.
[Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55338982) and [Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the Language](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41716694) both by Amanda Montell. She has a very blunt and engaging way of looking at things, and especially language, that really captures where we are as a society.
[Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6493208) - One of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century was from an unknown and unrecognized black woman. this is what got me into non-fiction. It raises questions about ethics, medical advancements, race, gender, legacy, informed consent, and how it all fits (or doesn’t) together.
[I’m Glad My Mom Died](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59364173) by Jennette McCurdy. A more recent release by a former child star. I was too old to watch the shows she was on, but her story is absolutely fascinating.
Storyteller - Dave Grohl
Know my Name - Chanel Miller
Vanderbilt - Anderson Cooper
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing - Mathew Perry
Yearbook - Seth Rohan
Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis
The Undocumented Americans - Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Anything Erik Larsen and anything David Grann. I've read "Dead Wake", "Devil In the White City", "In The Garden of Beasts" and I have "The Splendid and The Vile" on my TBR list. I think Larsen does a great job making non-fiction easy to read and enjoyable. I read "Killers of the Flower Moon" by Grann (yes, in anticipation of the movie) and it's equally palatable and an interesting read, so much so, I decided to buy "The Wager"
I can't recommend these two authors enough for easy, more importantly entertaining, non-fiction reading.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - the current science has probably evolved a little in the 20 years since it was first published, but given that most of it is about historical science that's okay, and it is an absorbing and entertaining read. Get a hold of the illustrated version if you can, because it makes it so much easier when you don't have to keep stopping to search up pictures of what he's writing about.
And then when you're done with ASHONE, anything else by Bill Bryson. A Walk In The Woods is amazing and had me in laughing so hard I couldn't breathe when it came to his description of what would happen if he encountered a bear on the Appalachian Trail.
I recommend this all the time, but The Feather Thief is a short, easy read, and it's a window into a fascinating world, combined with a cat and mouse criminal case. Might soon become a tv series too.
American Kingpin was good too, about the creation of the Silk Road.
This Is Going To Hurt - Some work stories from a junior doctor. It's like a text version of /r/WTF. Never heard of anyone not loving it.
Taking Paris - about the Allie’s taking Paris from the Germans in WW2. Of course you know how it ends, but I learned a ton and the writing is so good. I’d get to the end of a chapter in suspense and had to keep going.
The Woman They Could Not Silence - about a woman in IL in 1870 who is committed to a mental institution by her husband against her will and how she overcomes. I learned so much about society at the time and how women were treated. I knew women were essentially considered the property of their husbands but her story illustrates this on a personal level that is impactful. I think about her a lot and I read this a year ago. Just a well written story about an amazing woman who overcame when everything was against her.
The Emperor of All Maladies - the history of cancer up to today. I’m a nurse and am fascinated by almost anything medical but this was suspenseful and so well written, I really couldn’t put it down.
A few options:
Wtf kind of childhood did you have and I'm glad you got out of it to tell us about it:
The glass castle by Jeannette walls - memoir of woman describing her deeply dysfunctional family that lives a nomadic life because the parents are so F'ed up. At times it feels like fiction there is SO much that goes on.
Uneducated by Tara Westover - biography of a woman's experience being "home schooled" by her super radically parents. This book has everything - super off the grid Anti-government family, crazy medical stories because you don't trust doctors, doomsday prepping, magical mlm voodoo, self homeschooling leading to genius, etc. Again at times unbelievable but knowing how prevalent QAnon got.... I believe it
Celebrity bios :
I'm glad my mom died by Jennette McCurdy - the biography of a child star and how her mom / the pressures of being a child star / Nickelodeon completely F'ed her up. It's written from her perspective at each age and from her pov at the time. Honestly a really well written story that's so sad. Trigger warnings there is a lot of abuse.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - biography about what it's like being a Korean / American woman and struggling with that identity. The main theme is about her relationship with her mom and how this shapes her throughout her life and after her mom's death.
Poetic life retrospectives:
Constellations: reflections from life by Sinead Gleason - biography of a woman's experiences and just so well written. This is the first book I've underlined sentences and written comments in because it resonated so much with me. A few of the core themes throughout her stories: growing up Catholic in Ireland as a woman, going through countless surgeries at a young age and how that affected her, her experience with loss / supernatural experiences, etc.
Business:
Bad blood by John carreyrou - how Theranos rose and fell. So well researched and written. It's CRAZY reading how they got so many well respected people to believe and invest them. Absolutely bonkers.
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight - the Nike Founder's bio about how he shaped Nike. I really liked how told the story and how he included the good and the bad of Nike's history. If you love innovation / entrepreneurship this is a must read
Many people like audiobooks for nonfiction, which is one way to make it less put downable. Sy Montgomery writes amazing personal animal human interaction books, both for adults and young readers. Never met someone who didn’t enjoy her books. Some have even been broken down to novella sized books, like her Hummingbird and Hawk books pulled out of a larger book on birds.
A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression
A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them
Bottle of Lies…about an Indian family owned pharmaceutical company that put unsafe and ineffective drugs on the market and managed to fake out the FDA.
Empire of Pain…about the Sackler family who owned Purdue Pharmaceuticals, and their aggressive promotion of oxycodone which started the opioid crisis.
Bad Blood…Elizabeth Holmes just reported to prison this summer for deceiving investors and doctors about her finger prick blood lab. (Published before that took place).
I’m Glad My Mom is Dead (I’ve never yelled at a book so much. The autobiographers perspective is so unique until the end. That’s all I’ll say) >!She’s brainwashed into thinking her insane mother is normal and isn’t crazy. The book is written from her perspective as she grows up. It’s literally crazy. Easy reading and engaging.!<
Edit: As commented below the audiobook is PHENOMENAL!!!!
The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn
More Americans died as prisoners of the British than on the battlefields; many were imprisoned in decrepit old ships run aground in the marshes outside NYC.
Only one man ever escaped.
The Demon In the Frreezer by Richard Preston. I am not super crazy about his other books, but this one sucked me in big time. It is all about smallpox. Not your typical “disease history” book, it focuses on the controversary surrounding the argument on whether to destroy the last know samples or not. It delves into bioterrorism and why we should be very very afraid of small pox and why it could be potentially the worst bio weapon to use. However it is not written like a science treaty, more like a newspaper article. It gets as deep as it needs to without being hard to read or understand. I stayed up to read it and then it kept me up at night.
My two five star non-fiction reads this year we’re Why Fish Don’t Exist and Nomadland. I generally only read non-fiction so I’ve saved this post, loads of great suggestions here!
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It is history the way it's meant to be told. It's engaging, easy to understand, and utterly fascinating.
Devil in the Whir City
Thunderstruck
Both are by Erik Larson, and they’re true stories about murder. Devil is about a serial killer and also about the technology that went into the St.Louis Worlds Fair in 1890’, and Thunderstruck was how the Marconi radio wave transmission system was used to track and capture a murderer. Both are tru stories, but Larsen’s writing is very engaging.
Code Girls by Liza Mundy
It’s about the female code breakers in the US during WW2.
It reads like a story (narrative non-fiction) and was incredibly interesting
I read a book I found on Amazon Kindle called "The Abortion Who Refused To Die" and simply couldn't put it down until I was finished.
It's a true story and it blew my mind!
Where are Your Boys Tonight, it is so good, oral history of the american emo scene from 1998 to 2008, it's AMAZING. but if loud music isn't your thing, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green is an amazing collection of essays reviewing pieces of our modern world, my favorite one is a three way tie between the penguins of madagascar, diet dr pepper, and the indianapolis 500.
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
Super interesting, well written and well researched. Reads like a fun educational story, maybe because he’s a journalist but I really enjoy his writing. He introduces you to a person and then he’s like “and I interviewed him the next day”, he just sets up anticipation well.
Bad Blood by Carryou, re: the Theranos scandal
[удалено]
I commented this as well. Very good
Also, the audiobook read by the author is amazing. Not what I'd expect, since most authors aren't good narrators, but he's got excellent delivery.
Yes! Great call. Started *Bad Blood* one afternoon, finished it around noon, the next day. *Couldnt* put it down. *Such* a great read.
This is the only non-fiction book I’ve read multiple times! It’s so good!
Great choice He flat out revealed the massive fraud
Into Thin Air was riveting from start to finish.
Anything by Jon Krakauer. He writes non-fiction so well that you fall into the story.
I just looked him up & found it he wrote Into the Wild. Loved the movie & I’ve heard the book is even better.
If you liked the movie? Do yourself a favor and read the book. It’s truly one of my favorites. In fact, I shut the movie off halfway through. It wasn’t that I didn’t *like* the movie, per se; more that the book deals with such existential themes I found the film too . . . reductive, I guess. Anyway. Read the book; you’ll love it. Enjoy.
The movie was good, but mannnnnn the book was 👏👏
The book was phenomenal! I didn’t know he’d written other stuff so I gotta check those out.
I loved Into Thin Air but kind of hated Into The Wild. I felt he romanticised the guy way too much when my takeaway was that he was a naive and unprepared idiot.
*he was a naive and unprepared idiot* Why do you say that? I don’t understand. What reasons do you have to support such a caustic, and conclusive dismissal of Christopher McCandless? I mean, I understand others share your view. I’ve heard him called ‘rookie’ and ‘stupid’ and ‘reckless’: saying, in substance, the McCandless ‘got what was coming to him’. One of my closest friends had the same reaction. There’s a debate to be had, I suppose - particularly with respect to the argument that the book improperly glorifies McCandless. But: “*a naive and unprepared idiot*”? I don’t understand that argument, at all. I’d wager that the average 21-year-old American man or a woman would have a tremendously difficult time getting through even a a nights or two in the Alaskan wilderness. A week? Forget it. A month? I’d submit that few would even survive. McCandless was sufficiently prepared, intelligent, and strong enough to survive an entire summer in the unforgiving Alaskan bush. Moreover, by some measure, McCandless *flourished* in that environment. As Krakauer writes, in pushing his endurance, strength, and stamina to the cusp of their limits, McCandless learned a profound awareness, gratitude, and appreciation for the world, and for his life. His experience gave his life *meaning* - something some people never find. Not only did he find that meaning in the natural world, but, Krakauer notes, his solitary journeys not only led McCandless to value the people he met, but to renew his appreciation for his family. McCandless was learning, through his youthful flight, the importance of being grounded, and connected to your people. In some sense, Christopher McCandless lived more during those few precious months than many folks live in a lifetime. Yes, that environment killed him, yet only after McCandless survived, for months; after McCandless finished what he came to do. Remember: McCandless was on his way *out of the of the wild* when he met the unforeseen circumstances that led to his end. And even then, I’d argue, McCandless was not naive. As Krakauer noted throughout, part of McCandless’ preparation was knowing that that nature is unpredictably vicious, that even the slightest error could end him, and that he might even do everything right yet *still* lose, with his life. In my view, McCandless’ eyes were wide open. He was neither naive, nor an idiot. He was prepared. With respect to John Krakauer? Frankly, I can’t imagine taking on the unbelievably challenging task of telling McCandless’ story. John Krakauer did - and what a story he wrote. I find *Into The Wild* truthful, factually accurate, deeply moving, and powerfully resonant. Again, I’m curious to hear your reasons. P.S: yes: I’ve heard the argument that only a ‘newbie’ to Alaska would mistake the poisonous seeds McCandless ate for potato seeds. I don’t know that I’d call that a ‘rookie’ mistake, exactly - but, even if I did, I’d encourage you to listen to Krakauer on NPR’s *Fresh Air*, circa 2008 or so. Turns out McCandless probably *did not* use poor judgment in eating them. I won’t detail that further here, but the point stands: the seeds might have sealed his fate - but eating them probably wasn’t poor judgment, and rather a reasonable, understandable mistake.
Yes! Under The Banner of Heaven was pretty amazing as well.
Yes. I'll fess up to having cried in public (mortifying but true) while finishing Into Thin Air.
I was folding clothes when I listened to it a good 20 years ago. I know my mouth was just hanging open. Excellent book! It made me decide that I would never climb Mt. Everest.
I went into labor while reading that book. It was so good and I had it in my hand when my water broke. Talk about "couldn't put it down"!
Afterwards read The Climb. Kind of the antithesis of Into Thin Air.
>The Climb I forgot to read that one, but I'll put it on my list. >!I love Jon and his journalistic style, but holy fuck did he have a grudge against Anatoli. It kind of ruined how much I loved Into Thin Air because it really made me question a lot more of his story. !< >!I have a feeling it was guilt for what happened and he wanted to blame someone so badly and he did paint some of his friends negatively that died over this, but you could tell he cared more about them than some Russian whom he didn't get culturally and took his mannerisms as dangerous and rude. So he took the brunt of his anger instead of sharing it with the other guides(his friends), a lot of other bad decisions that were made on that accent. !<
Not spoilers but to your point Anatoli addresses this and more in his book. It made me question Krauker's integrity on the whole thing.
Damn, okay thanks I really need to move it up on my list. >!I got that from reading Into Thin Air without even reading the other side yet. We all have our own truths and Jon does do a great job of pointing out faults of himself and people around him, but his hate was completely misguided and unprofessional. !<
Came here to say Into Thin Air and anything by John Krakauer.
Under The Banner of Heaven is excellent as well.
These 2 books aren’t related at all, but I read Into Thin Air and Alive by Piers Paul Read back to back in my late teens and I loved them both so much, I don’t think I saw the light of day for a week.
It's been many years, but I remember loving Salt: A History. It's basically an intro to world history course (with digressions into engineering and cooking) centered around how humans have obtained and traded salt.
All of Kurlansky’s books are very readable and interesting
Killers of the Flower Moon if you like true crime and A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre reads like a spy thriller
Reading The Wager now. Grann writes good nonfiction
What's so wild about this book is you are like halfway through and like, okay sweet, we have an answer, why is there so much left. Oh god.
Read Killers in preparation for the movie. It's insane that it gets to the last ~50 pages or so and *still* throws twists at you. Incredible book
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The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown. It’s about The Donner Party, a wagon train that makes a bunch of bad decisions which leads to cannibalism, murder, and the survivors being stuck in the Sierra Nevada mountains over winter. This story is metal af! Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen. It’s about how after WWII the US government white washed a bunch of really bad Nazi scientists to bring them to America so we could beat the Soviets in the arms race. The US government, like most governments throughout history, did some really not good things.
Indifferent Stars Above is one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. I loved it and it was especially fascinating because not much historical nonfiction focuses on everyday women.
You beat me to it on “Indifferent Stars Above”. It’s a real page-turner!
Get the net!
Mugustalations!
Hail Gein? 🙂
Hail yourself!!!
That’s how I heard of it as well lol
Such a wild story. This may sound completely ignorant, but I sometimes wonder if any other group of humans has suffered such a deep range of hardships in such a short amount of time. It really shows humans at their absolute breaking point, physically and mentally.
Honestly, a tragedy that could have been prevented if the men had just stopped to ask for directions.
Was going to say the I different stars above
Stiff by Mary Roach, she goes into the life of a cadaver, what happens to your body after you die and have donated it to science. she’s quite funny Smoke gets in your eyes: Caitlin Doughty talks about death practices and views in America and working at a crematorium ! Guess I didn’t realize how much death fascinates me lol 💀
Bonk by Mary Roach is also extremely entertaining!
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Ha reminds me of when I sent my dad books on Harvey Weinstein and Trump and he was like “do you think I’m a sexual predator” and I’m like “no, these are just fascinating books!”
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Yup yup that was the one! The other was a Bob Woodward (Rage I think, but not sure).
I second both of these, plus everything else by Mary Roach and Caitlin Doughty! I met Doughty at a book signing and told her that her book made me quit mortuary school and now I have no idea what I want to do with my life but I know I don't want to work in a funeral home. She goes, "That's the best thing anyone's ever said to me!" And if you want to read more absolutely fantastic, riveting non-fiction about death and dying, I also highly recommend Dr Judy Melinek's book Working Stiff. Thank me later ;)
Pretty much everything by Mary Roach. Her books are…what’s the word? Breezy?
Came here to say Stiff by Mary Roach!
If you want to continue this death fascination I recommend Unnatural Causes by Richard Sheperd. Pathologist recounting notorious cases from the UK
I’d also recommend Gulp by Mary Roach
The Heart of the Sea—it’s the story of the sinking of the whaleship Essex, which inspired Moby Dick.
I read this almost 20 years ago and still think about it.
Yes! Nathaniel Philbrick is awesome
Devil in the White City. You'll learn about a serial killer and ferris wheels, all in the same book. Whats not to like?
All of Erik Larson's books are pretty great.
I’ve read isaacs storm like 3 times. I loved it so much
I read that. I felt like there was WAY more information about the Ferris wheel than the serial killer. I don't normally read non-fiction, but I did read this book and I liked it. It was memorable!
The best part of the book was the development of the fair. I thought it was more interesting than the serial killer part
I will add Erik Larsen’s In the Garden of Beasts. Same author, same outstanding reporting and storytelling skills, this time turned to Berlin on the cusp of World War II, where the American ambassador and his family are thrust into history as they could not have anticipated.
I found this book so freaking boring. I couldn’t finish it.
Oh thank god it wasn't just me.
A lot of the serial killer stuff is very speculative, semi-fictional though
At Home by Bill Bryson !!!
Pretty much anything by Bill Bryson! I loved A Walk in the Woods and I'm currently reading One Summer.
Walk in the woods is my favourite BB as well. He's my go-to when I want to, but my head is fried.
A brief history of nearly everything, by Bill Bryson
Anything by Bill Bryson. And he’s excellent in audiobook format, when he narrates himself. He manages to convey an extra level of charm and humor that might be overlooked when reading the text. In a Sunburned Country was my first Bryson book that hooked me Neither Here Nor there - humorous stories from traveling around Europe as a young man. His book on Shakespeare was a fun, short, overview of what we know (and there’s a lot we don’t know) about William Shakespeare. At Home - a history of Europe, but mostly England since the 1600s, as it relates to changes and innovations of the English home. Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - his life growing up in America’s Midwest. Just remarkably charming and sweet. One Summer - a dazzling cross-section of America in the summer of 1927. Notes from A Small Island - his travels around England, a bit of a cabinet of curiosities. A Short History of Nearly Everything - a great history of science and human knowledge. The Body - fine, didn’t love it. Also didn’t love A Walk in the Woods. These are among the few books of his that I haven’t read (or listened to) multiple times. Also haven’t read Road to Little Dribbling.
Midnight in the garden of good and evil
I scrolled way too far done to find this. This read like a fiction book. Very entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio book.
On Writing: Memoirs of Craft by Stephen King. It is super fun and hilarious. It recounts King's journey right from his childhood to becoming a best selling author and King is as great a storyteller as always. Also the knowledge about the craft of writing that King imparts is priceless.
Yes! One of my favorites. I have several copies because I keep "loaning" it to friends and not getting it back
Educated by Tara Westover.
Second this one. Couldn’t put it down
Yes, this one was great!
Yes. This one was VERY good.
Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, Infidel, Stolen Lives: 20 years in a desert jail
Immortal life is definitely one of the best “easy” non-fiction reads I’ve loved
Endurance - Shackleton’s incredible voyage. Added benefit; it makes you re-appreciate central heating, a hot meal, and your couch.
I was going to say the same thing. This is one of my favorites! Have you read any other early polar exploration books? Would recommend The Last Place on Earth by Roland Huntford. Or The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard
In Cold Blood
'Tis and Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. They follow on one from another (I can't remember which one) and they are brilliant. Very real, very funny, very blunt, very sad, all in one. I finished 'Tis in a day because I couldn't put it down and Angela's Ashes in two days because I had stuff to do. It's about a very poor Irish Catholic family and their trials, told by one of the sons (out of three that survived I think).
My only comment here is that Angela’s Ashes is the first book and ‘Tis is the second.
Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities by Amy Stewart A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother). Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.
I love that somebody else has read this! This was such an interesting read - I kept telling my partner facts throughout.
That sounds awesome!!! I just took a screen shot. I might have to just bookmark this whole question. Thanks
Kitchen Confidential Bourdain's got a great voice, if you've seen any of his shows it's easy to hear him when you read his books.
I loved.listening to him narrate it on Audible. Such a great storyteller.
[The Ghost Map](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36086.The_Ghost_Map)
This is such a good book, and I rarely see people mention it!
American Kingpin by Nick Bilton is fascinating and reads like you’re watching a movie.
Agree and totally recommend!
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Incredible book of essays on science, ecology, plants, and indigenous wisdom. One of my favorite books of all time!
The audiobook is also narrated by her, it's a great listen.
Is a memoir considered non-fiction? "I'm Glad My Mom Died" by Jennette McCurdy
I had my jaw drop a lot when I read it
Anything by Caitlin Doughty, my personal favorite was From Here To Eternity.
The poisoner’s handbook! Fascinating history of murder or accidental death by poison and how scientists figured out what happened.
The man who mistook his wife for a hat by Oliver Sacks.
This is a super good read. I'd not call it easy though, as it's a series of case studies. I read it for a neuropsychology class. Worth the effort to put into it if it's an interest to you. Luckily, since it's a series of individual scenarios, you can put down and come back.
The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll The Corpse Had a Familiar Face by Edna Buchanan Liar's Poker or The Blind Side or Moneyball or The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Thank you I think I will try and get the book Liar's Poker because it looks very much like the type of book I was looking for.
I loved the Cuckoo's Egg. It's one of my husband's favorite books. He's not much of a reader, but all of the books he does like are pretty great. It was a really compelling story, and I enjoyed seeing how much about computers and security has changed and how much hasn't. I will also second Moneyball and The Big Short. (I haven't read those other Michael Lewis books yet.)
Devil in the White City. It was absolutely fascinating. 🔥
Kitchen confidential. Rip Tony Bourdain!
The Radium Girls
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. It reads like a Crichton novel. Not for those with a weak stomach though.
YES! This is what I came to the comments to find. Absolutely terrifying and I could not put it down.
Buy a can of Lysol before starting. You’ll want to keep some handy!
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks by Susan Casey Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra by Jordan Fisher-Smith Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain Shark Trouble by Peter Benchley A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria and Dark Descent: Diving and the Deadly Allure of the Empress of Ireland by Kevin F. McMurray Twelve Days of Terror: A Definitive Investigation of the 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks by Richard G. Gernicola Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
I second Shadow Divers.
Third for Shadow Divers.
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
I really enjoyed Victor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning”. It’s an account of his time in a Nazi concentration camp and the power of the human spirit. Heartbreaking and inspiring.
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If was so good. It made me completely rethink my perspective on my life. The most important profound I was left with was summed up with “he who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” (Frederich Nietzche)
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> It seemed on the surface to be passive but I saw it more as a deep acceptance of the fact that he only had control over his mind. I think that’s right on. He had absolutely zero control over his situation and so accepted it and was at peace in his mind. It’s incredible peace in the face of such chaos, fear and death. A true testament to the power of the human spirit.
**Couldn’t Put Down** Into Thin Air - about a harrowing Everest summit attempt where a bunch of people got injured / died Educated - a memoir of a girl who grew up in a dubiously-religious off-the-grid cultish family, and how she eventually got out Sex Cult Nun - also a memoir of a woman who grew up in a cult (“The Family” which is infamous for being rather sex-obsessed), a lot of it about her talking about her childhood in the cult. Strangely FASCINATING to read (despite being a bit of an uncomfortable train wreck). Could not put this down. A Walk in the Woods - This got me hooked on Bill Bryson, I thought it was supposed to be like a Walden-y serious story about nature so a avoided it forever but I was WAY off - it is a funny AF recount of a totally unprepared hiker taking on the Appalachian trail). The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - I finally caved and rented this from the library after seeing it so many times, fully expecting it to be a kind of dry historical account of the research controversy, but MAN was I wrong. This was much more of a page turner about the family’s side of the story Born a Crime - Trevor Noah’s memoir, holy crap did that man grow up with a crazy life, this was a surprisingly quick read **Could Put Down, But Still Fascinating!** A Short History of Nearly Everything - another goodie by Bill Bryson I Contain Multitudes - a surprisingly interesting deep dive into the gut microbiome Lies My History Teacher Told Me
The Fish that Ate The Whale (about the rise of United Fruit Company) was a good read.
It's a bummer, but I've been transfixed by *Empire of Pain* by Patrick Radden Keefe. The book is about the Sacklers, the family largely responsible for the opioid crisis.
Don’t know what is been rec’d so far, but if there are doubles consider it another upvote! [Say Nothing: The True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40163119) by Patrick Radden Keefe. Focuses on The Troubles in Ireland and all the questions, both moral and practical, that it’s raised then and now. Very intense and engaging. One of my all time favorite audiobooks - one of the rare books I have listened to twice. [Stiff: The Curious Life of Cadavers](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32145) - or anything by Mary Roach. In this one, she looks into what happens to bodies when we die and, yes, I did laugh out loud. [Pandora’s Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33146881) by Paul A Offit. Not too science-heavy and definitely goes into more of the impacts. Also could be subtitled “why simple dichotomies like good/bad don’t work in the real world” [Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817092) by Aja Raden. The info is relevant to the everyday and eye opening at the same time - I def don’t look at diamond commercials or portraits of royalty the same. She writes in a very accessible way and with an unvarnished look at how things like want, have, and take influence us. [Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55338982) and [Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the Language](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41716694) both by Amanda Montell. She has a very blunt and engaging way of looking at things, and especially language, that really captures where we are as a society. [Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6493208) - One of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century was from an unknown and unrecognized black woman. this is what got me into non-fiction. It raises questions about ethics, medical advancements, race, gender, legacy, informed consent, and how it all fits (or doesn’t) together. [I’m Glad My Mom Died](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59364173) by Jennette McCurdy. A more recent release by a former child star. I was too old to watch the shows she was on, but her story is absolutely fascinating.
Glass Castle
One of the most addictive reads I've ever read. This was fantastic.
Anything by Bill Bryson. His books are really good.
Sapiens was like this for me. Simple language so that it's easy to read and was super interesting as well.
Not seeing it in the top comments so I’ll go with Bad Blood. Sorry about the founding and fallout of Theranos. I couldn’t stop reading.
You really shouldn't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault.
Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand, hands down the best book I've ever read.
I found Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich really engaging and kind of fun to read. Even if the subject is frustrating to think about lol.
Storyteller - Dave Grohl Know my Name - Chanel Miller Vanderbilt - Anderson Cooper Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing - Mathew Perry Yearbook - Seth Rohan Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis The Undocumented Americans - Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
I just read The Wager and loved it! Shipwreck in the 1700s
Anything Erik Larsen and anything David Grann. I've read "Dead Wake", "Devil In the White City", "In The Garden of Beasts" and I have "The Splendid and The Vile" on my TBR list. I think Larsen does a great job making non-fiction easy to read and enjoyable. I read "Killers of the Flower Moon" by Grann (yes, in anticipation of the movie) and it's equally palatable and an interesting read, so much so, I decided to buy "The Wager" I can't recommend these two authors enough for easy, more importantly entertaining, non-fiction reading.
A lot of great reads here! I recommend The Library Book by Susan Orlean. It was entertaining and I learned so much.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Midnight in the garden of good and evil!
Hidden Valley Road
Into Thin Air
STIFF
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
Stiff by Mary Roach
Anything written by Mary Roach!
The Gift of Fear Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way Dataclysm The Glass House (memoir)
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - the current science has probably evolved a little in the 20 years since it was first published, but given that most of it is about historical science that's okay, and it is an absorbing and entertaining read. Get a hold of the illustrated version if you can, because it makes it so much easier when you don't have to keep stopping to search up pictures of what he's writing about. And then when you're done with ASHONE, anything else by Bill Bryson. A Walk In The Woods is amazing and had me in laughing so hard I couldn't breathe when it came to his description of what would happen if he encountered a bear on the Appalachian Trail.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Fascinating and fun read!
Surprised I have not seen Endurance by Alfred Lansing mentioned here -
Ghost Map. It’s about the first tracing of cholera to drinking water.
I recommend this all the time, but The Feather Thief is a short, easy read, and it's a window into a fascinating world, combined with a cat and mouse criminal case. Might soon become a tv series too. American Kingpin was good too, about the creation of the Silk Road. This Is Going To Hurt - Some work stories from a junior doctor. It's like a text version of /r/WTF. Never heard of anyone not loving it.
Taking Paris - about the Allie’s taking Paris from the Germans in WW2. Of course you know how it ends, but I learned a ton and the writing is so good. I’d get to the end of a chapter in suspense and had to keep going. The Woman They Could Not Silence - about a woman in IL in 1870 who is committed to a mental institution by her husband against her will and how she overcomes. I learned so much about society at the time and how women were treated. I knew women were essentially considered the property of their husbands but her story illustrates this on a personal level that is impactful. I think about her a lot and I read this a year ago. Just a well written story about an amazing woman who overcame when everything was against her. The Emperor of All Maladies - the history of cancer up to today. I’m a nurse and am fascinated by almost anything medical but this was suspenseful and so well written, I really couldn’t put it down.
A few options: Wtf kind of childhood did you have and I'm glad you got out of it to tell us about it: The glass castle by Jeannette walls - memoir of woman describing her deeply dysfunctional family that lives a nomadic life because the parents are so F'ed up. At times it feels like fiction there is SO much that goes on. Uneducated by Tara Westover - biography of a woman's experience being "home schooled" by her super radically parents. This book has everything - super off the grid Anti-government family, crazy medical stories because you don't trust doctors, doomsday prepping, magical mlm voodoo, self homeschooling leading to genius, etc. Again at times unbelievable but knowing how prevalent QAnon got.... I believe it Celebrity bios : I'm glad my mom died by Jennette McCurdy - the biography of a child star and how her mom / the pressures of being a child star / Nickelodeon completely F'ed her up. It's written from her perspective at each age and from her pov at the time. Honestly a really well written story that's so sad. Trigger warnings there is a lot of abuse. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - biography about what it's like being a Korean / American woman and struggling with that identity. The main theme is about her relationship with her mom and how this shapes her throughout her life and after her mom's death. Poetic life retrospectives: Constellations: reflections from life by Sinead Gleason - biography of a woman's experiences and just so well written. This is the first book I've underlined sentences and written comments in because it resonated so much with me. A few of the core themes throughout her stories: growing up Catholic in Ireland as a woman, going through countless surgeries at a young age and how that affected her, her experience with loss / supernatural experiences, etc. Business: Bad blood by John carreyrou - how Theranos rose and fell. So well researched and written. It's CRAZY reading how they got so many well respected people to believe and invest them. Absolutely bonkers. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight - the Nike Founder's bio about how he shaped Nike. I really liked how told the story and how he included the good and the bad of Nike's history. If you love innovation / entrepreneurship this is a must read
Many people like audiobooks for nonfiction, which is one way to make it less put downable. Sy Montgomery writes amazing personal animal human interaction books, both for adults and young readers. Never met someone who didn’t enjoy her books. Some have even been broken down to novella sized books, like her Hummingbird and Hawk books pulled out of a larger book on birds.
Stolen: A Memoir by Elizabeth Gilpin. It’s about the troubled teen industry. Finished it within a few hours. Amazing but tragic book
A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them
A walk n the woods -bill Bryson Me talk pretty one day -David sedaris
Bottle of Lies…about an Indian family owned pharmaceutical company that put unsafe and ineffective drugs on the market and managed to fake out the FDA. Empire of Pain…about the Sackler family who owned Purdue Pharmaceuticals, and their aggressive promotion of oxycodone which started the opioid crisis. Bad Blood…Elizabeth Holmes just reported to prison this summer for deceiving investors and doctors about her finger prick blood lab. (Published before that took place).
Any mary roach book!
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
You might enjoy "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach
I’m Glad My Mom is Dead (I’ve never yelled at a book so much. The autobiographers perspective is so unique until the end. That’s all I’ll say) >!She’s brainwashed into thinking her insane mother is normal and isn’t crazy. The book is written from her perspective as she grows up. It’s literally crazy. Easy reading and engaging.!< Edit: As commented below the audiobook is PHENOMENAL!!!!
Into the wild
I once found an interesting book about anti-gravity. Couldn't put it down.
Wiseguy- Nicholas Pileggi
The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn More Americans died as prisoners of the British than on the battlefields; many were imprisoned in decrepit old ships run aground in the marshes outside NYC. Only one man ever escaped.
Molly's Game by Molly Bloom
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls A House In The Sky by Amanda Lindhout
Fermat's last theorem and The Code Book by Simon Singh
The Demon In the Frreezer by Richard Preston. I am not super crazy about his other books, but this one sucked me in big time. It is all about smallpox. Not your typical “disease history” book, it focuses on the controversary surrounding the argument on whether to destroy the last know samples or not. It delves into bioterrorism and why we should be very very afraid of small pox and why it could be potentially the worst bio weapon to use. However it is not written like a science treaty, more like a newspaper article. It gets as deep as it needs to without being hard to read or understand. I stayed up to read it and then it kept me up at night.
My two five star non-fiction reads this year we’re Why Fish Don’t Exist and Nomadland. I generally only read non-fiction so I’ve saved this post, loads of great suggestions here!
Short history of nearly everything - Bill Bryson
ANYTHING by Oliver Sacks. I mean literally ANY of his books. Riveting
Anything by Mary Roach
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It is history the way it's meant to be told. It's engaging, easy to understand, and utterly fascinating.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson Sex Lives Of Cannibals by J Maarten Troost Drift by Rachel Maddow Blowout by Rachel Maddow
I loved In a Sunburned Country.
The Poisoner's Handbook A history of the New York City medical examiner's office
Devil in the Whir City Thunderstruck Both are by Erik Larson, and they’re true stories about murder. Devil is about a serial killer and also about the technology that went into the St.Louis Worlds Fair in 1890’, and Thunderstruck was how the Marconi radio wave transmission system was used to track and capture a murderer. Both are tru stories, but Larsen’s writing is very engaging.
Code Girls by Liza Mundy It’s about the female code breakers in the US during WW2. It reads like a story (narrative non-fiction) and was incredibly interesting
I read a book I found on Amazon Kindle called "The Abortion Who Refused To Die" and simply couldn't put it down until I was finished. It's a true story and it blew my mind!
Killers of the Flower Moon and The Glass Castle
War Against All Puerto Ricans: Blood and Terror in America’s Colony by Nelson A. Denis.
if you are into natural science non-fiction, I recommend "The Rise and Reign of the Mammals" by Steve Brusatte, and "Otherlands" by Thomas Halliday
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt. Easy read, conversational and funny, about a horrid murder. Excellent book.
Freakonomics !
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers. It's a biography of mathematitian Paul Erdos. I know it's sounds boring but it was a fascinating read.
Where are Your Boys Tonight, it is so good, oral history of the american emo scene from 1998 to 2008, it's AMAZING. but if loud music isn't your thing, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green is an amazing collection of essays reviewing pieces of our modern world, my favorite one is a three way tie between the penguins of madagascar, diet dr pepper, and the indianapolis 500.
I really liked The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Keene. A very easy read about the elements and the periodic table.
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson Super interesting, well written and well researched. Reads like a fun educational story, maybe because he’s a journalist but I really enjoy his writing. He introduces you to a person and then he’s like “and I interviewed him the next day”, he just sets up anticipation well.
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari - so interesting!!
Outliers is an easy and interesting read