While we have been avid book lovers since childhood, I’d say our nonfiction tastes developed (as most do) as we approached adulthood. As we continue to age, we find ourselves more and more drawn to the nonfiction genre as a way to learn about people and events beyond our scope of experience. In our humble opinions, it is so important to not only recognize how small a part we are of the world but also to make an effort to understand and learn more about the vast things that haven’t touched us – whether that be by period of time or an experience (or something else entirely). Nonfiction, especially when well-done, bridges the gap between the history we had to learn for the test in school and the magical world of fiction – making things that really happened and people’s stories that they’ve really, truly lived come to life.
Meredith’s Picks:
- Barbara Bush: A Memoir by Barbara Bush – A well-written glimpse into the life of one of America’s first ladies. Told with warmth and humor.
- Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – A WWII survival story and biography of U.S. Olympic runner Louie Zamperini. Moments hard to stomach (Also, Jessica wanted this to be listed as one of her picks but graciously chose to let Meredith have it on her list ;))
- The Witness Wore Red by Rebecca Musser – The heartbreaking story of one of the many wives of Warren Jeffs’ father, how she escaped, and how she helped put Warren Jeffs behind bars.
- Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr – Basically this made me want to go to Rome. Enough said. The author’s personal experience in Rome working on one of his novels.
- Educated by Tara Westover – Very well-written and engaging story of a woman who fought for the gift of education and betterment for herself. I will say I personally felt the book ended in a way that made me feel a little sad for our heroine, but it’s an excellent read just the same.
Jessica’s Picks:
- Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson – An intense, expertly written look into the Siege of Leningrad through the life of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Moments hard to stomach.
- What is a Girl Worth? by Rachael Denhollander – A detailed account on Larry Nassar’s (USA Gymnastics) sexual abuse case from the first woman who came forward. Graphic sexual abuse mentioned throughout.
- Upstairs at the White House by J.B. West – An insightful peek into White House life by the chief usher of 30 years. Thoughtful, heart-warming in some ways, and interesting, especially for those interested in US presidents and/or history.
- In Order to Live by Yeomni Park – A sorrowful, honest story of one girl’s flight from North Korea and fight to find life on the outside. Heart-breaking but fascinating.
- The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – A fascinating story of the University of Washington’s rowing team and their pursuit of gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Eight boys from different background, their enigmatic coach, and a British shipbuilder are at the heart of this book.
As with our top historical fiction list, this is by no means a comprehensive outline of our non-fiction favorites. There are so many more stories to be consumed – from massive events in history to the events in a single person’s life that can have massive implications. We’ll continue to read these stories and share our thoughts with you!
Meredith