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r/nonfictionbookclub

A place to read and discuss nonfiction works.


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Book recommendations for newbies

What are titles would you suggest to get started with.

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Edited

depends on area of your interest...

Bad Blood (investigative journalism)

The Song of the Cell (Bio Sciences)

Sapiens (anthropology, history)

Educated (memoir)

Scale (sciences)

Human Compatible (AI)

The Coddling of American Mind (sociology)

How to change your mind (food, drugs)

I’ll recommend most books by Bill Bryson. He’s done a ton of different subjects and talks about them in a way that feels like a favorite grandpa telling you stories. Australia, the human body, the Appalachian trail, literally “nearly everything.” Take your pick.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This is a great book on so many levels, some history, some science, some personal/biographical. There are a zillion copies, so you can easily find a cheap used copy.

u/TapesFromLASlashSF avatar

This is a bit vague but I’d look for narrative nonfiction on a subject you’re interested in. It doesn’t have to be a deep interest but like a historical event or famous family that interested you. Again, this is only a starting point. Narrative nonfiction can be criticized for various things like sensationalizing events or being a little historically misleading but it is captivating writing. It’s a good starting point to try getting into nonfiction reading.

Some popular narrative nonfiction books:

  • Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow.

  • In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

  • Bad Blood by John Carreyrou.

  • The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright.

  • Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe.

  • The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson.

  • Killers of a Flower Moon by David Grann.

  • The Big Short by Michael Lewis.

  • Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe.

I’ve read most of these and they’ve captivated me.