10 Non-Fiction Books That Are as Gripping as Novels
Are you a fiction lover looking to branch out? These compelling true stories are every bit as immersive as the best literary page-turners.
I can’t remember exactly when, but sometime in the last decade, I made a conscious decision to read only non-fiction – mainly memoirs and biographies, with self-help firmly off the list. I wanted books that would immerse me in someone else’s way of living, and maybe I’d learn a thing or two about bettering my own life along the way.
Since then, I’ve read probably a hundred or so non-fiction books. That includes hefty memoirs like Lena Dunham’s Famesick, heavily-researched biographies like Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell, essay collections like Emily Ratajkowski’s My Body and even a book of therapy transcripts (Baek Sehee’s I Want to Die but I want to Eat Tteokbokki). The one thing all of these had in common? They read like fiction.
When I recently shared 19 of my favorites from the hundred-or-so on Instagram, I couldn’t believe the response – 1,300 saves on the post and counting. “This speaks to me!,” one friend commented. “I can’t read non-fiction.” Turns out my years of hunting down easy-to-read non-fiction could actually be useful to someone. So here’s round two: my top 10 picks of page-turning non-fiction, what to expect from each, and why I loved them.
Content note: Some of the books featured below explore experiences of abuse, trauma, illness and loss.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Like the title alludes to, this memoir will make you cry – well, it made me do so, anyway. Michelle Zauner writes about growing up in the US with a Korean mother who showed her love through food. After a difficult relationship during her teenage years, Michelle begins to understand everything her mum did for her when she is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
The Tell by Amy Griffin
I went into this memoir completely blind, and I think that’s exactly why its account felt so powerful – it was completely unexpected. What I will tell you is that Amy grew up in a loving family in Texas before moving to New York City and starting one of her own. From the outside, her life looks perfect, but she’s long felt that something isn’t quite right. Through psychedelic-assisted therapy, she begins recovering what she believes are memories of childhood sexual abuse – and the book follows her attempt to understand what happened.
Editor’s note: Since the publication of The Tell, Griffin has faced a lawsuit from a former classmate who alleges that elements of the memoir’s accounts were drawn from her experiences. Griffin denies the allegations and maintains that the events described are her own. Legal proceedings remain ongoing.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
I didn’t know who Jennette McCurdy was until I read her memoir, but I was hooked anyway. She was a Nickelodeon child star raised by an abusive, controlling mum who encouraged calorie restriction and contributed to her disordered eating. I always love a celebrity memoir written by the celebrity themselves, not a ghostwriter – and this one delivers.
Strangers by Belle Burden
This memoir beautifully weaves past and present, telling the story of how Belle Burden discovered that her husband – father to their three kids – was having an affair, and left. She’d spent much of their marriage allowing her husband to manage their finances, which became a serious problem when they separated and she was forced to confront the terms of their prenup and how little financial control she had retained.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
This memoir follows psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb through her own journey into therapy after a personal crisis, alongside the sessions she conducts with four of her patients. Even as a trained psychotherapist, Lori has her own blind spots, and watching her navigate them – while also seeing therapy play out across such different personalities – makes for a fascinating read.
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
By now we all know that social media execs likely don’t have users’ best interests at heart. This memoir from Facebook’s former Director of Global Public Policy paints a disturbing picture of the company’s leadership and alleges that Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and other senior figures repeatedly abused their power.
Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs
I’m so glad I stumbled on this at the library. It’s a memoir by the daughter Steve Jobs had with his high-school sweetheart, Chrisann Brennan. The author always felt like she wasn’t quite wanted, particularly after her dad married and had three more kids. There are sweet moments between Lisa and her dad, but for the most part, he doesn’t come off well.
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
This 2005 classic is often recommended to anyone grieving someone close. It documents the year after Joan unexpectedly lost her husband, John Gregory Dunne, while their daughter was also critically ill. It’s one of the clearest examples I’ve read of writing capturing raw feeling.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller was sexually assaulted outside a Stanford fraternity house, a crime for which the perpetrator Brock Turner was sentenced to six months but served only three. This memoir traces everything that followed the assault, including her victim impact statement, reportedly read by 11 million people within four days.
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
Lisa Taddeo spent eight years researching the sex lives of three American women from very different backgrounds, then distilled it all into this book. As a journalist myself, I have huge respect for the sheer amount of work behind understanding these women deeply enough to tell their stories with such nuance. The narrative moves between the three, which really drives home just how differently sex plays out in each of their lives.
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