Are you skeptical about reading nonfiction? I was too, but now I love it! Here are the best nonfiction books if you’re looking to give nonfiction a try.
It took me a very long time to enjoy reading nonfiction books. I also thought that if I was going to read for pleasure, that could only mean fiction. Nonfiction seemed too much like school and reminded me of being forced to read things I had no interest in reading. I was staunchly anti-nonfiction.
Then, after I had babies, that changed. I wanted to read more, but I didn’t have time to sit down and read many physical books. This scenario saw me turn to audiobooks, but I wasn’t (and still am not) a fan of listening to fiction on audiobook. That left me with a decision to make. Reluctantly, I gave nonfiction audiobooks a try. And now I’m hooked.
If you’re similarly skeptical about reading (or listening to) nonfiction, but you’re interested in maybe dipping your toe in the nonfiction waters, trust me when I say that there is a category of nonfiction for you. Nonfiction books run the gamut – tell-all memoirs, heartwarming stories, self-help – you name it, there are nonfiction books about it. To help you wade through the myriad nonfiction titles out there to find one you’re sure to love, I’m here with recommendations. Here are the best nonfiction books in a few different categories that might tickle your toes. Happy reading!
Best Nonfiction Books
Celebrity memoirs
I’m admittedly not the most die-hard pop culture person, but I still enjoy a celebrity memoir ever now and again. It’s interesting to see how the other half lives, at the very least. It’s also kind of like passing a car crash. You just have to look, even if you really don’t want to. This morbid curiosity makes a celebrity memoir a good place to start your nonfiction journey. If this sounds appealing to you, here are the best nonfiction books in the celebrity memoir category, according to me anyway.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
You don’t have to be Matthew McConaughey’s biggest fan to enjoy his memoir, Greenlights. I certainly don’t really care about Matthew McConaughey on a personal level. I don’t follow his life or watch all of his movies, so I don’t really know why I decided to read it. But I’m glad I did! As Matthew tells his story of going from Mr. Little Texas to Hollywood movie star, he highlights the greenlights that led him to where he is today. He also gets philosophical as he urges you to focus on the greenlights in your life rather than the redlights that grind you to a halt. Bottom line: I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. And I bet you will too.
The Storyteller by Dave Grohl
Another of the best nonfiction books in the celebrity memoir category is Dave Grohl’s memoir, The Storyteller. Of course, I know Dave Grohl from Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, but I’m not a super fan by any stretch of the imagination. But, after reading his book, I’m sure that he has lived one hell of an interesting life. If you do love his music, this is a must-listen on audiobook. The audiobook includes a whole bunch of music as a bonus at the end.
Finding Me by Viola Davis
I’ve always loved Viola Davis as an actress and she’s always knocks it out of the park on the red carpet at award shows, but I had no idea of her background. Her memoir, Finding Me, details her rise from rags to riches. She is one strong lady and she deserves all of her success. I dare you to get through this book without crying. I sure didn’t!
Non-celebrity memoirs
Celebrities aren’t the only ones who live interesting lives. Non-celebrity memoirs can be just as fascinating. That’s why they deserve their own category of best nonfiction books. If you like to be nosy but you could truly care less about celebrities, start here.
Educated by Tara Westover
Wow. Just wow. Educated is Tara Westover’s story of growing up in a family of Mormon survivalists in rural Idaho and her journey to shed the baggage of her upbringing to become educated at the finest institutions in the world. Even though you probably didn’t grow up off the grid in Idaho, I’m sure you can find something to relate to in this memoir.
From Scratch by Tembi Locke
I’m not sure why I chose to read From Scratch, but I’m glad I did and I bet you will be too. A black woman falls in love with a Sicilian man when she takes a semester abroad in Italy. They create a life they love despite the disapproval of his family. Then, when he dies young, Tembi Locke has to forge a relationship with the family who has disapproved of her for the sake of her daughter. This is a beautiful story of love, both romantic and familial.
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Sarah Wynn-Williams used to be pretty high up at Facebook. Careless People is her tell-all that shines a light on just how much power the tech bros have and how nonchalantly they wield it. This is an eye-opening must read in the digital age.
Self-help
When I first started out on my nonfiction journey, I leaned heavily into self-help books. I’m going to blame the post-partum hormones. Although I rarely pick up self-help titles these days, there have been a few books in the self-help category that have truly been impactful. If you’re looking for a little self-improvement, give one of the best nonfiction books in the self-help sphere a try.
The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi
Kendra Adachi’s first book, The Lazy Genius Way, is literally life changing. I read this book right after my second child was born, when I was scrambling to figure out how to manage two kids, a dog, a husband with a demanding work schedule, and my own demanding work schedule. The concept of working smarter, not harder, with the help of the 13 lazy genius principles really resonated with me, and I would guess it will with you too.
Kendra has since written two other books that were also super impactful – The Lazy Genius Kitchen and The Plan. If you’re looking for gentle, realistic self-help, Kendra is your girl.
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
If you are in any loving interpersonal relationship, please read The 5 Love Languages! It has been a game changer to understand my love language (acts of service) and my husband’s love language (words of affirmation). Now that we know what love language to “speak” with one another, we are in a much better place in our relationship. I encourage everyone, married or not, to read this book, determine your love language and the love languages of those close to you so you can maintain healthy, loving relationships.
Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
Tired of being the default parent for pretty much all aspects of her family’s home life, Eve Rodsky created a practical system of spreading out these responsibilities more fairly. This new system is the “game” of Fair Play with four rules and 100 cards representing household tasks that you deal to yourself or your partner to more evenly balance the often-invisible work of running a modern household. It helps you prioritize what really matters to your family and rebalance your life.
Storytelling
If you like reading fiction because of the storytelling in fiction works, don’t count out nonfiction entirely! Some of my favorite nonfiction books are full of rich storytelling. The authors of these books take a true story and weave a tale that reads like a work of fiction. They are talented, y’all. These might just the the best nonfiction books, period.
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
The Boys in the Boat tells such a great story about a rowing team from the University of Washington in the 1930s that achieved something no one thought they ever could – Olympic gold. It’s so well-written that I kept forgetting it was a true story. If you want to lose yourself in an inspiring story, please give this book a read.
The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon
Life has been heavy lately, especially in the U.S. It’s easy to give up hope, I get it. If you’re feeling hopeless in these times of extreme political tumult, I encourage you to read The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon. This book is the glimmer of hope we all need with its reminder that ordinary people can do extraordinary things and truly make a difference.
The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede
We all remember our personal experience on September 11, 2001, even if it’s getting a little fuzzy now. Most of us are also well acquainted with the stories of the people who were at the World Trade Center or the Pentagon on that horrible day. But what about the people who were in airplanes en route to the U.S. when the airspace suddenly closed? That’s where The Day the World Came to Town comes in, as it focuses on the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, which took in many of these stranded passengers. This book is a heartwarming 9/11 story that just makes you feel good about people (especially in time when it’s easy to feel bad about them). If you’re looking for an uplifting story to give you a little faith in humanity, this is the book for you
Other posts
Looking for other book-related content? I have a few posts specifically related to books, and a few that are tangentially related. I’ll just leave them here for you:
Are you ready to read nonfiction now? Which of the best nonfiction books are you going to pick up next? Share down below or over on Instagram @sarainseason!
Want more recommendations? I’ve got lots more if you want them!