Best non-fiction books on Reddit
334 reviews from r/suggestmeabook, r/nonfictionbookclub, r/booksuggestions and 7 more subreddits
334 reviews from
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By Brand
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#1
Jon Krakauer
5.0
(22)
"Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer."
"Washington : A Life - Chernow"
"Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer"
"Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer"
"Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer"
"N/A"
"Phenomenally written but heavy content for sure."
"As others have said, Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer."
"Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer"
"Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer"
#2
Erik Larson
5.0
(19)
"The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson."
"The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Honestly anything by Larson."
"Anything by Erik Larson."
"The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson."
"Come for the serial killer, stay for the World's Fair."
"The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson"
"The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson"
"The Devil the White City by Erik Larson"
"Erik Larson - The Devil in the White City."
"The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson."
#3
Tara Westover
4.9
(17)
"Educated by Tara Westover."
"I would suggest Educated by Tara Westover."
"Educated is excellent"
"And “The Glass Castle” are both memoirs."
"Educated by Tara Westover"
"Educated by Tara Westover"
"Educated- Tara Westover."
"Educated by Tara Westover"
"*Educated* by Tara Westover."
"Is a favorite of mine."
#4
Rebecca Skloot
4.8
(16)
"It's my favourite non-fiction book of all time."
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot."
"Equal parts scientific history and personal memoir of Skloot uncovering the story."
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot"
"N/A"
"These have been some of my favourites lately that I would recommend to most people."
"Blend of science, history, and personal narrative about Henrietta and her cells."
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It is a non-fiction book but has a very easy to read, digestible style."
"Was fascinating!"
"It was quite different from anything I had read before but it was very well-written and kept me engaged without being too science-y."
#5
Bill Bryson
5.0
(14)
"Or A Walk In The Wood by Bill Bryson"
"And you never go wrong with anything by Bill Bryson."
"A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson"
"N/A"
"Anything by Bill Bryson but especially Down Under, The Thunderbolt Kid, The Mother Tongue and A Short History of Nearly Everything."
"A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson."
"A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson"
"The Body - Bill Bryson."
"In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson"
"A walk in the woods by Bill Bryson"
#6
Patrick Radden Keefe
5.0
(12)
"Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe."
"A true story or murder and memory in Northern Ireland."
"Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe."
"Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe is by far the best nonfiction book I've read in years."
"“Say Nothing” by Patrick Radden Keefe. I couldn’t put it down!"
"Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe."
"Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe."
"A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland."
"Is phenomenal and reads like a novel."
#7
David Grann
5.0
(12)
"My recent favourite non-fiction."
"The Wager and Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann."
"The Wager and Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann."
"The Lost City of Z by David Grann"
"Is amazing and definitely worth the read."
"Adventure biography about a lost Amazonian city."
"The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann."
"The lost city of Z by David Grann reads like a novel."
"**Killers of the Flower Moon** by ***David Grann***"
"Killers of the flower moon was a great non fiction novel"
#8
Trevor Noah
4.9
(10)
"Born a Crime by Trevor Noah"
"Especially the audiobook!!"
"Born a Crime by Trevor Noah."
"Incredible account of Churchill’s first year as prime minister."
"If u want to try a autobiography which is funny and simple to read "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah."
"Check out Trevor Noah's memoir "Born A Crime" and William Kamkwamba's "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.""
"Born a Crime by Noah Trevor"
"*Born a Crime* by Trevor Noah was what convinced me non-fiction can be fun, too."
"For memoirs, try Trevor Noah's Born a Crime or Tara Westover's Educated."
"Born a Crime by Noah Trevor."
#9
Ed Yong
4.8
(8)
"An immense world. Ed Yong."
"*An Immense World* by Ed Yong."
"An Immense World by Ed Yong (nature; wildlife)"
"Definitely Ed Yong. Both his books - I Contain Multitudes and An Immense World!"
"An Immense World by Ed Yong was great."
"An Immense World by Ed Jong."
#10
Yuval Noah Harari
5.0
(7)
"Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari."
"And Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari"
"Left me pondering the evolution of humankind."
"About how ancient man started living as hunters."
"I am currently reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. I can definitely see it will become my favourite."
"Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 lessons for 21st century by Yuval Noah Harari, in the same order."
"Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harrari."
#11
Mary Roach
5.0
(7)
"Anything by Mary Roach, Gretchen Rubin, or Samantha Irby"
"Mary Roach! Mary Roach! You can thank me later."
"And if you are looking for something with a little humor, Packing for Mars by Mary Roach."
"Packing for Mars by Mary Roach"
"Anything by Mary Roach"
"Anything by."
"Are easy and fun to read."
#12
Kate Moore
4.9
(7)
"Radium Girls, by Kate Moore."
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot."
"Radium Girls by Kate Moore."
"Radium Girls by Kate Moore"
"Radium Girls- Kate Moore."
"The Dark Story of America's Shining Women"
#13
Alfred Lansing
5.0
(6)
"*Endurance* by Alfred Lansing (Shackleton's Trans Arctic Expedition)"
"N/A"
"True story about Ernest Shackleton"
"It’s about Ernest Shackleton’s shipwreck in Antarctica and it’s such a wild ride."
"Endurance by Alfred Lansing is a great account on Shackleton!"
"Is a very good book about Shackleton."
#14
James Clear
4.8
(6)
"Atomic Habits is a must read for everyone"
"Atomic Habits by James Clear."
"Atomic Habits by James Clear"
"Atomic Habits - James Clear."
"For Self Improvement."
#15
Caitlin Doughty
5.0
(5)
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - Caitlin Doughty"
"Smoke gets in your eyes- Caitlin Doughty."
"- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty: A memoir about a young woman working in a crematory."
"Another one that’s on my tbr."
#16
Carl Sagan
5.0
(5)
"Cosmos by Carl Sagan"
"His love of space and our planet and the universe is so apparent in his writing."
"Cosmos by Carl Sagan."
"Its an old book now but Cosmos by Carl Sagan is still an awesome read."
"Sagan makes science accessible, putting it into historical and cultural context."
#17
Truman Capote
5.0
(5)
"In Cold Blood by Truman Capote."
"Killers of the flower moon."
"In cold blood - Truman Capote."
"In Cold Blood by Truman Capote"
"Also In cold blood by Truman Capote."
#18
Daniel James Brown
5.0
(5)
"The Harrowing Story of the Donner Party."
"The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown."
"The Boys in the Boat - Daniel James Brown"
"It’s about the I’ll-fated Donner Party."
"Great read about the Donner party"
#19
Matthew Desmond
4.8
(5)
"Amazing book about the cycle of poverty."
"Evicted by Matthew Desmond."
"Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond"
"**Evicted** by ***Matthew Desmond***"
"Poverty, By America Matthew Desmond"
#20
Marcus Aurelius
5.0
(4)
"I am a big fan of Epictetus' Enchiridion and Marcus Aurelius' Meditations."
"Meditations by Marcus Aurelius"
"Meditations by Marcus Aurelius"
"Meditations by Marcus Aurelius."
#21
Adam Higginbotham
5.0
(4)
"Is so, so good and incredibly accessible for such a complicated topic."
"Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham."
"It was probably the best written nonfiction book I've read that almost flowed like a fiction."
#22
Vaclav Smil
5.0
(4)
"The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going."
"Currently reading Vaclav Smil's How the World Really Works."
"The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going."
"How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going --Vaclav Smil"
#23
Laura Hillenbrand
5.0
(4)
"Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand"
"Or any book by Erik Larson, he’s a great author."
"**Unbroken** by Laura Hillenbrand, a biography of World War II veteran Louis Zamperini."
#24
Timothy Egan
5.0
(4)
"The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan."
"The Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan."
"The worst hard time: The untold story of those who survived the great American dust bowl by Timothy Egan."
"The Immortal Irishman or Dark Nights of the Shadow Catcher, both by Timothy Egan."
#25
Oliver Sacks
5.0
(4)
"I really liked Oliver Sacks' *Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain*."
"Is about how the brain processes or doesn't process music."
"Compulsively readable and also gives you a whole new perspective on the human mind."
#26
Isabel Wilkerson
5.0
(4)
"Amazing stories and I learned a ton"
"Also Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson."
"Caste- Isabel Wilkerson."
"The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabelle Wilkerson."
#27
Merlin Sheldrake
4.8
(4)
"Blood and Thunder."
"Literally changed the way I look at nature."
"Another favourite is Entagled Life by Merlin Sheldrake."
"Haven’t read it yet but from what I’ve heard it’s a good fit for what you’re looking for!"
#28
Richard Preston
4.8
(4)
"*The Hot Zone* by Richard Preston"
"The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story by Richard Preston..."
"*The Hot Zone* by Richard Preston"
#29
Stephen King
5.0
(3)
"On Writing, Stephen King"
"How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell."
"N/A"
#30
John Carreyrou
5.0
(3)
"These are some of the best ones I have read."
"Bad Blood- John Carreryrou."
"Bad Blood by John Carreyrou"
#31
Dava Sobel
5.0
(3)
"Why Fish Don’t Exist."
"Longitude: A True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time—Dava Sorbel."
"N/A"
#32
Daniel Kahneman
5.0
(3)
"Out of all of these, I would most strongly recommend, "the courage to be disliked"."
"N/A"
"Thinking fast and slow - Daniel Kahneman"
#33
Javier Zamora
5.0
(3)
"Solito by Javier Zamora"
"The narrative of the life of Frederick douglas by himself."
"A memoir."
#34
Nick Bilton
5.0
(3)
"American Kingpin by Nick Bilton."
"American Kingpin is one of my favorites."
"Very good narrative non-fiction style that makes it a page turner."
#35
Steve Sheinkin
5.0
(2)
"Narrative Nonfiction is your friend! Check out Steve Sheinkin's books."
"Steve Sheinkin writes great narrative nonfiction - carefully researched information presented as enjoyable stories."
#36
Jon Ronson
5.0
(2)
"The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson."
"Are both great listens."
#37
Robin Wall Kimmerer
5.0
(2)
"The original was an incredibly mind-expanding book for me."
#38
Edward Humes
5.0
(2)
"I loved the audiobook!"
"My fave NF of 2023 was The Forever Witness, which is about how genetic genealogy is now allowing cold cases to be solved."
#39
Robert Moor
5.0
(2)
#40
Rachel Carson
5.0
(2)
"Silent Spring - Rachel Carlson"
"Silent Spring, Rachel Carson;"
#41
Colin Woodard
5.0
(2)
"Super interesting analysis of American culture and impact through the lens of American history."
"Excellent and fun."
#42
Bessel van der Kolk
5.0
(2)
"The Body Keeps the Score, B van der Kolk"
"Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma."
#43
George Orwell
5.0
(2)
"Homage to Catalonia, George Orwell"
"Homage to Catalonia is a non-fiction book I enjoyed a lot."
#44
David Graeber
5.0
(2)
"The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber"
#45
Sebastian Junger
5.0
(2)
"The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger"
#46
Deborah Blum
5.0
(2)
"It's a history of the NYPD Forensics Department, but don't let that throw you off."
"The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum."
#47
Peter Matthiessen
5.0
(2)
"The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen."
#48
Mark Kurlansky
5.0
(2)
"Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky"
"Are also very informative."
#49
Nando Parrado
5.0
(2)
"Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado."
"Miracle in the Andes, Nando Parrado"
#50
Tom O'Neill
5.0
(2)
"Chaos by Tom Oneill."
"Best I've read this year and would recommend."
#51
Richard Dawkins
5.0
(2)
"*The Selfish Gene* will remake your whole worldview."
"The Selfish Gene and The Extended Phenotype by Richard Dawkins."
#52
Michael Lewis
5.0
(2)
"I liked Michael Lewis, and would still recommend all his earlier books."
"Books by Michael Lewis."
#53
Phil Knight
5.0
(2)
"Shoe Dog by Phil Knight."
"(memoir)."
#54
James Bradley
5.0
(2)
"Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley"
"*Flags of Our Fathers* by James Bradley"
#55
Richard Rhodes
5.0
(2)
"The Making Of The Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes"
"The Making of the Atomic Bomb - Richard Rhodes"
#56
Robert K. Massie
5.0
(2)
"Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War by Robert K. Massie."
"Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War by Robert K. Massie."
#57
Yuval Harari
5.0
(2)
"N/A"
"Sapiens by yuval Harari"
#58
Simon Sinek
5.0
(2)
"Great book on leadership."
#59
Andre Agassi
5.0
(2)
"Open by Andre Agassi"
"Open by Andre Agassi"
#60
Mary Beard
5.0
(2)
"SPQR by Mary Beard."
"If you like Roman history Mary Beard's SPQR is a good place to start."
#61
Jack Kerouac
5.0
(2)
"On the Road by Jack Kerouac."
"On the Road by Jack Kerouac is a bit more challenging but a great story."
#62
Steve Pinker
5.0
(2)
"Enlightenment Now --Steve Pinker"
#63
Aubrey de Grey
5.0
(2)
"Ending Aging by Aubrey de Grey."
"Ending Aging by Aubrey de Grey."
#64
John Green
5.0
(2)
"The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green."
"I listened to John Green’s collection of essays called “The Anthropocene Reviewed” two years ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since."
#65
Douglas Hofstadter
5.0
(2)
"Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter."
"Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter."
#66
Paul Kalanithi
5.0
(2)
"When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi."
"When breath becomes air - Paul Kalanithi"
#67
Stefan Zweig
5.0
(2)
"Might be the best book I've read."
"Provides a very interesting perspective."
#68
Lindsey Fitzharris
5.0
(2)
"The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris."
"N/A"
#69
John Vaillant
5.0
(2)
"Best book I’ve read in years."
"5-star books include: Anything by John Vaillant for some excellent nature-themed story telling: Fire Weather."
#70
Christopher McDougall
5.0
(2)
"Born to Run by Christopher McDougall"
"Born to Run by Christopher McDougall."
#71
Anthony Bourdain
5.0
(2)
"(memoir)."
"Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain"
#72
Robert A. Caro
5.0
(2)
#73
Michael Finkel
4.5
(2)
"I also really liked The Art Thief by Michael Finkel last year."
"Recently I have loved The Art Thief"
#74
Max Tegmark
4.5
(2)
"Max Tegmark's speculative non-fiction **Life 3.0** presents the spectrum of futures mankind is facing due to the ascent of artificial intelligence."
"Is speculative non-fiction."
#75
Molly Manning
4.5
(2)
"N/A"
#76
Siddharth Kara
4.5
(2)
"Siddharth Kara, *Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives*"
"It’s about cobalt mining in the Congo."
#77
Michelle Zauner
4.5
(2)
"I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner are both really good"
"It was great, but deals with cancer/loss of a parent/grief."
#78
Matthew McConaughey
4.5
(2)
"Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights."
"For Pure Entertainment."
#79
Lee Kuan Yew
4.5
(2)
"Try Lee Kuan Yew's books ( The Singapore Story, From Third World to First)."
"2. The Singapore Story by Lee Kuan Yew"
#80
Tim Marshall
4.5
(2)
"These are some of the best ones I have read."
"Basically tells you why countries do or do not get along."
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