What's the best nonfiction book you've ever read? Why?

Question

One of my favorite books in my collection is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. When I first bought it, I expected that it would have interesting bits in it, but also (being a nonfiction book) be somewhat boring. When I read it, however, I found myself unable to put it down. For a nonfiction book, this is rare. That's because it has a rather unusual style to it; that is, it reads rather like a novel. There is actual dialogue between the participants in the story (and that's what it seems like; a story), and elements--such as foreshadowing--that are normally found in fiction. At the same time, though, it also presents the facts in a no-nonsense fashion. And that is why it has quickly become my favorite nonfiction work.

Now, it's your turn. What's the best nonfiction book you've ever read, and why?

Answer 1

HELTER SKELTER

This book was engrossing. I couldn't keep my eyes off, and it's NONFICTION! It's about the Manson Murders, and is true crime non-fiction about the psychedelic and psychotic Manson girls and their cult leader killing the famous actress in Cielo Lane. It has the best first line I've ever read, and I still remember it to this day by heart: "It was so quiet, one of the killers would later say, you could almost hear ice rattling in cocktail shakers in of the homes way down in the canyon." It's just one of those books you remember and consider for an entire week, even though you read it in two days.

OF COURSE, there are the classics. The Diary of Anne Frank is non-fiction, but it's as engrossing and sad as a fictional story. It's also splendid (if I can say such a thing on such a melancholy book.) But at times, true happiness rings in the book, and I must say it certainly isn't boring. It's one of the most popular books in history. If Anne was alive, she would be as rich as Rowling.

Hope I helped!

Answer 2

The original and still best ever nonfiction novel (nonfiction written to entertain in novel form instead of being simply informative) is In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Capote coined the term "nonfiction novel" and invented the genre. His book is factual, painstakingly researched and beautifully written. It is eerie, funny, chilling and thought provoking.

In Cold Blood is about a multiple murder that took place in Kansas in the 50's. Capote also wrote a nonfiction novella (short novel) about another multiple murder. It is called Handcarved Coffins and it's in a collection called Music For Cameleons.

Obviously, I'm a fan, but really, try In Cold Blood. You'll love it.

Answer 3

I like Erik Larson's work. You may also enjoy City of Falling Angels or Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt.

My favorite, though, is In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, for no better reason than kicking off the whole non-fiction novel genre.

Answer 4

Playing with Water by James Hamilton-Paterson....simply put, beautiful prose. It was assigned in my creative writing seminar on foreign correspondence and, out of the eight books assigned, it was my favorite, and easily the favorite out of the other nonfiction I've read. Hamilton-Paterson has great control over language and all the ways he uses landscape as a literary device blew me away. Close seconds are Lucky by Alice Sebold, Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux, and The Lion's Grave by Jon Lee Anderson...the last was assigned in the class as well and was my first heavy encounter with conflict journalism, which I found interesting. Riding the Iron Rooster because of my love for China and the trains, and Lucky because of, again, the prose, as well as the strength the author presented. All very excellent books that I recommend to anyone.

Answer 5

As of late: "Tab Hunter Confidential." Interestingly enough, while his gayness is the underriding theme of the book, he doesn't dwell on it. He refers to it every now and then but it becomes quite clear that he was simply another person trying to make his way and a living in this world. Ever: "And the Band Played On" by Randy Shilts. It was horrifying how health officials and politicians were using terminally ill people as pawns in their own little games of personal and political power. Hmmm, considering the Terry Schaivo case, I guess that's still going on...

Answer 6

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Find out what *really* happened to all the Native Americans. If you like history, this is the history of the US as told by the Native Americans. Famous Americans appear throughout - in a very different light than found in the history books. I wouldn't say it was an *easy* read, but when you're done, you'll never regret it.

Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/

Answer 7

One of the bast recently has been The Language of God by Francis Collins

Collins advocates evolution and how it relates to belief. Collins describes arguments for the idea of God from biology, astrophysics, psychology and other disciplines.

He cites many famous thinkers, most prevalently C. S. Lewis, and also including Saint Augustine, Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin, Theodosius Dobzhansky and others. The book also proposes the name "BioLogos" as a new term for theistic evolution.

Answer 8

My favorite work of non-fiction is a book by one of my professors from college...A Concise History of the Catholic Church...Rev. Thomas Bokenkotter.

Although it was a textbook for his class, I have bought the revisions, and have read them all. It's probably the only textbook that read like a novel that I have ever read.

Answer 9

One of the best non-fiction books that I have recently read is "When I Was a Kid,This Was a Free Country", by G.Gordon Liddy . It is positively ,terrifyingly true .

Answer 10

The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis, really intersting philosophy