Welcome to a new Friday Favorites post! This week I’ll be discussing a genre that has never before been mentioned on this blog: Nonfiction!
I’ve enjoyed non-fiction increasingly over the last few years. When I was younger I tended to mentally categorize nonfiction (with the exception of memoirs) with schoolwork and textbooks. Which is to say, I wasn’t crazy about it.
Since coming to college though I’ve really come to love nonfiction, especially narrative truth-is-stranger-than-fiction type books. I learn plenty from fiction books, but nonfiction uniquely gives very direct insights into the world around us. I think the best, most riveting nonfiction books are those that are not just engaging, but where the author sets out to argue a specific point. Even the most dry, esoteric topic can become fascinating when viewed through the right lens. Passionate authors plus books that generate their own momentum are an unbeatable combination in this genre.
It’s so satisfying to finish a truly enjoyable book and also know that I learned something important from it. With that in mind, here are some of my favorite nonfiction reads from the past few years!
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
(John Carreyrou)
This book tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes. In 2014 she was Silicon Valley’s brightest star, thanks to her startup, Theranos, that claimed to be able to run hundreds of medical tests on a few drops of blood. But plot twist! It was all a scam! Bad Blood has the whole sordid tale, told by the reporter who exposed the fraud in the first place.
I obsessed over this book for a full semester. So much so that I was even inspired to write an article about it (and Theranos generally) in my school’s campus magazine. So much that I ran through the rain on a stormy October afternoon to make it to a book talk that Carreyrou gave at a neighboring university (meeting him was so cool!). I am generally interested in all things related to entrepreneurship, and as a woman in tech, was especially drawn to the story of a young woman who managed to attain mythical founder status, only for it to all come crashing down.
The scale of Holmes’ fraud was so massive, stretching across over a decade, and the story itself is so insane, I promise this is an absolutely riveting read. It’s still one of my favorite books of all time, and in my opinion should be required reading for anyone involved in startups or tech.
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
(Ronan Farrow)
This is another phenomenal work of investigative journalism. Here, Ronan Farrow details how he chased down and put together the explosive 2017 New Yorker expose about the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. It’s intriguing, fast-paced, and very eye-opening.
Just as a warning, this is a somewhat distressing book to read. Farrow doesn’t hold back; he dives under the hood and offers sharp insights into the rampant abuses and cover-ups in the entertainment industry. Ultimately this book sheds light on a dark but truly important topic.
She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth
(Helen Castor)
I’m a history buff, and I especially love learning about overlooked powerful women in history. This book dives into England’s medieval history from a new perspective. Its thesis is that queen Elizabeth — one of the most famous women who ruled a world built for men — didn’t come out of nowhere. She represented the culmination of a series of powerful women who, over several centuries, sought the crown and struggled to challenge male power. From Queen Matilda, to the ultimate medieval bad-ass Eleanor of Acquitaine, to Margaret of Anjou, one by one they failed in some way or another to claim ruling power. Until finally, England had absolutely no choice but to name a female monarch (enter Elizabeth).
For such a dense topic this book is incredibly readable! The author, Helen Castor, writes in a narrative way — which is impressive considering how limited the historical evidence is — that brings the Norman conquerers, the Tudors, and everyone in between to life.
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World
(Melinda Gates)
Regardless of how you feel about the Gates family (and I know some people have very strong opinions) this is an eye-opening, thought-provoking read about what it really takes to lift women — especially in communities where their oppression is deeply woven into the societal fabric.
It’s a data-driven book; she demonstrates exactly how lifting women lifts society as a whole, and advances developing economies. She proves why — especially in developing countries — issues like contraception, girls’ education, and women in agriculture impact everyone, and why addressing them should be at the top of the priority list. She shares so many touching stories of remarkable people uplifting women in communities that are already themselves marginalized.
The combination of personal stories and stark data is very compelling. And her stories of supporting local NGOs rather than trying to directly intervene made me think a lot about what truly impactful philanthropy means. I think it’s rare to find a book about global issues and activism that so clearly articulates what exactly it will take to solve them, and then backs it up with such clear evidence.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
(Erik Larson)
Disclaimer — I’m not actually quite done with this book yet, but I already know it’s one of the best history narratives that I have read.
World War II is probably one of the most saturated genres of nonfiction history, especially the iconic Winston Churchill, but somehow Larson manages to put his own spin on it. Through Churchill’s diaries, the writings of his family and most trusted aides, and recently released intelligence reports, Larson reconstructs a fascinating day-by-day view of Churchill’s leadership during the Blitz. The research is meticulous, but like She-Wolves the writing is what really causes this book to transcend from interesting history to a true page-turner. The colorful cast of characters comes to life; we become acquainted with Churchill and his army of private secretaries, but also his daughter Mary, his wife Clementine, and his rather quirky air minister Lord Beaverbrook. Larson clearly has a talent for writing history like a novelist!
It was pretty hard to narrow this down to just a few books — I had to leave some amazing ones off the list. What are your favorite nonfiction reads?
River of Reads 