As I progress as a reader, I try to challenge myself to read more and more nonfiction books each year. Nonfiction has always been a challenging genre for me due to the dryer nature of the books. I’ve always liked a great story, and many nonfiction books are just not story books. However, there are quite a few subgenres of nonfiction that are still entertaining, page-turning novels. Nonfiction books that fall into the categories of memoirs, true-crime, or creative nonfiction are usually a safe bet as far as entertaining nonfiction goes. These are the types of books that helped me get into reading nonfiction, and I’ve since expanded my range to include some history and journalism as well.
While some people are not at all interested in reading nonfiction (no judgement, everyone has a preference!), l do think nonfiction books and stories can be incredibly rewarding. To help those readers who are interested in reading nonfiction but aren’t sure how to stay interested, I’ve compiled some books that helped me explore the nonfiction genre:
- The Origin of Others by Toni Morrison
Nobel Prize winner and esteemed author Toni Morrison reflects on the idea of “otherness” in this nonfiction book. She discusses what differentiates us and what aspects of fear and suspicion boil over into racism and xenophobia. This book is first on my list largely due to issues we’re having in the country right now. I think Morrison does such a great job explaining and expanding on these issues without pointing any fingers (unless they need to be pointed somewhere). She educates as well as empathizes, which is something we could use so much more of today. - Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat
Edwidge Danticat is one of the most poetic writers I’ve ever read. Reading a nonfiction book like her is like reading a novel, which is why this is a really great book if you’re a fiction reader trying to get into nonfiction. The book chronicles the story of her family as they flee Haiti to escape the Duvalier regime. She portrays the life of the entire family while discussing larger themes of racism, immigration, and diaspora. - On Writing by Stephen King
This is one of my personal favorites nonfiction books. I’ve ready it many times and continually find new pieces of wisdom and insight that I may not have picked up on previously. The book is two parts: one part memoir, one part advice novel. The memoir recounts some of Stephen’s experiences with his life and writing. It is not a complete memoir, but it gives a good synopsis of his career and adds some personal insight into stories you may have heard before. The advice portion is also well worth reading (obviously). It’s less about hard and fast rules and more about how to enhance your perception of writing. King does give some advice about having a writing routine and finding what works for you, but the parts I enjoyed the most were when he discussed what it means to write and how to dedicate yourself to the craft. - Born A Crime by Trevor Noah
If you know anything about Trevor Noah, you know this book is hilarious. Noah discusses the larger issues of apartheid and segregation through the personal scope of his life growing up in South Africa. It’s a really eye-opening book for those of us who aren’t familiar with those conditions or what that would be like, and I imagine it’s immensely relatable for others who grew up in similar situations. It’s punchy and well-written, and it will certainly keep you engaged. - Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
I’ve said this multiple times about this book, but I truly did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. McConaughey writes about his life thus far (his first fifty years of age) and gives detailed stories about his experiences growing up, with acting, and with his thoughts on life in general. It’s quite well-written, and it’s interspersed with real excerpts from past journals and photos taken throughout his life. Even if you’re not the biggest McConaughey fan, it’s worth the read. - The Disaster Artist by Tom Blisseli and Greg Sestero
Of the books on this list, this one is the most hit or miss. This is a funny, heartfelt story of the filming of The Room, which is a cult-classic directed by Tommy Wiseau. Without any knowledge of the movie, the lore, or Tommy himself, this may not be the MOST interesting read. It’s an exploration into Sestero’s life at the time, the outrageous film production, and Tommy Wiseau as a person. If any of those things interest you, or you’re interested in really outlandish yet true stories, then this will be a great book for you. - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
I’ve included this book in the list because it is a staple of the genre. Capote, an investigative journalist at the time, writes about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Texas. This was one of the first true crime books that really delved into the crime, the history of the victims. the investigation, and the history of the perpetrators. It is not an understatement to say it revolutionized the way people wrote about and investigated murders. It’s an incredible book, and I was hooked from start to finish, but it does deal with some difficult material. If you’re looking for a book to test out true crime, I think this would be a good choice.
Overall, these are the nonfiction books that really opened my eyes to the genre and helped me pursue other nonfiction works. I love reading fiction books to escape to another world, to think about “what if?”, and to interpose myself into someone else’s mind or experience; however, sometimes grounding oneself in the real world is equally as exciting. Learning about other’s real-life experiences, following true-crime investigations, or even reading how-to books about something that interests you can be great ways to broaden your horizons and expand into the nonfiction world.
The Lit Wiz