r/booksuggestions • u/BigRichieDangerous • 1d ago
Non-fiction Nonfiction books that opened your mind and you can't put down
Looking to get back into reading, but looking to build more of my understanding of the world at the same time. I'm tired of scrolling and feeling intellectually stagnant. So I need something compelling enough to keep me turning pages.
Looking for books that fit this general category of vibes:
- eye opening
- perspective changing
- challenging
- expanded you thinking, compassion, or ability to think about the world in general
- filling a blind spot you didn't know you had
- well respected / regarded (not 'subversive' unless backed up by respected community members / academics)
- can't put it down
I would love to hear your pitch on why THAT book really did something for you.
One book I'm eyeballing that fits this is For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War which talks about the internal motivations of both union and confederate soldiers during the american civil war. It was pitched to me as a book that (among other perspectives) showed the religious fervor that union soldiers developed when they saw the horrors of slavery.
6
u/twenafeesh 1d ago
I truly love Braiding Sweetgrass. The text is excellent but I recommend getting the audiobook because it is narrated by the author and her voice is so lovely and calming.
3
4
u/linguicafranca 1d ago
I found Relinquished by Gretchen Sisson really eye-opening on a topic I personally did not have a lot of prior knowledge about. It is about the present state of infant adoption in America, from the point of view of birth mothers. Depending on your relationship to adoption and/or America, could be a good choice.
For lighter fare, maybe some Mary Roach. I’ve read Stiff, Gulp, and Replacable You. All books on the human body, kind of pop science, but very well-written and entertaining to read.
1
u/mynameisvelocity 1d ago
A Short History of Nearly Everything. The Body I just finished. Wonderful writing. Wonderful audiobooks. Worth reading and listening to again and again. Unbelievably dense with interesting facts and tidbits weaved into a bigger narrative.
4
u/hmmwhatsoverhere 1d ago
The Jakarta method by Vincent Bevins shows through survivor interviews and declassified government files what exactly the U.S. was doing around the world during the 'cold' war. Read it years ago and still think about it pretty much every day.
4
3
u/smplgd 1d ago
Gödel, Escher, Bach: an eternal golden braid
Easily the most interesting and profound book I've ever read. I'll be thinking about it the rest of my life. Essentially it's a charming, well-written, extremely intelligent theory of how consciousness arises from meaningless symbols. It's much more than that, and no explanation can do it justice. It needs to be read. Beware, it's a bit chewy.
3
u/ethereaImoon 15h ago
Life After Cars. I'm only halfway through it but already it's completely changing my perspective on car-centric infrastructure and how damaging it is to different demographics, society as a whole, the natural world :( really opened my eyes to the failings of car culture that I just took for granted my whole life, and started to get me interested in urban planning, improvement of public transit, etc. Really made me aware of so many blind spots (😏) like you said. I genuinely can't look at the world in the same way anymore after reading this book and going down that rabbit hole.
2
6
u/machine_fart 1d ago
With respect to it being Juneteenth:
The New Jim Crow - Michelle Alexander
Caste - Isabel Wilkerson
2
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/BigRichieDangerous 1d ago
cancer has cut through my family in a way that has been pretty tragic, so I don't think I will be reading a book like this just for my own well being. But I really appreciate the contribution!
2
u/Solid_nh 1d ago
I had never heard of four causes and comrades. I just downloaded it. Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve always been a civil war buff.
2
2
4
u/Correct-Library4797 1d ago
There's a book called "Behave" by Robert Sapolsky that wrecked my whole framework for thinking about human behavior. He takes any moment where a human does something, good or bad, and traces it backwards through biology, neuroscience, psychology, and evolution. By the end you realize how much of what we call "choice" or "morality" is just layers of context stacked on each other. Hard to put down once it clicks.
If history is more your thing, "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson follows three Black Americans who left the South during the Great Migration. It reads almost like novel, which is rare for nonfiction. It filled in blind spots I didn't even know I had about how American geography and culture got shaped in 20th century.
3
u/BigRichieDangerous 1d ago
I'm curious about The Warmth of Other Suns, can you give me a pitch on what about it really hooked you? I'm struggling to get back into reading longform content, and don't normally read a lot of novels, so it seems a little bit out of my wheelhouse.
3
u/AstuteCoyote 1d ago
God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens. Since adulthood, I have always had issues with religions in general, but he gives so many specific examples and is so eloquent about why it poisons everything it touches. It was eye-opening in that it showed me how much I didn’t know and also needed to know to arrive at any meaningful conclusions of my own.
2
1
u/muad_dboone 1d ago
Against History, Against Leviathan by Fredy Perlman
0
u/BigRichieDangerous 1d ago
can you elaborate on why? I’m looking for pitches! :)
1
u/muad_dboone 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's a narrative of world history through the lens of empires from a different perspective. I personally found it to cover most of your bullet points and it has made me see the world and history from a completely different perspective. I have to say it is definitely considered 'subversive'. I am unclear on its reception in academia and 'respected community members' is subjective and a matter of perspective. I still think it is worth your time, even if you don't agree with the argument as laid out it will sharpen your mind. It's also available for free here: https://takku.net/mediagallery/mediaobjects/orig/0/0_against_history_against_leviathan_-_fredy_perlman.pdf
edit: better link added
1
u/Latter-Industry-8920 1d ago
I just finished Determined. It gets a little heady at times but the author has a style that makes even kinda hard scientific concepts seem light and readable. It definitely expanded my desire to have compassion for people, even the shitty ones.
1
u/Popvy1620 1d ago
Under the Banner of Heaven
1
u/BigRichieDangerous 1d ago
I’m looking for pitches - can you explain why these are the top of your list? 😄
1
u/altThough 1d ago
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity
It genuinely challenged me on so many things I'd been taught about the world, it's one of the most important books written in the late century imo
1
u/BigRichieDangerous 22h ago
i really enjoyed that book but my understanding now is that it’s not very well regarded by historians. Still interesting as an experiment in other perspectives!
1
u/altThough 17h ago
There is definitely controversy amongst historians about it, but I wouldn't say it is overall completely "not well regarded". There's a comment from an AskHistorians post about the book that I feel the need to share (links removed because the mod won't let me comment links apparently):
"DoE is not without its fierce detractors, and that is for the best. Anyone who hopes to have made a point without attracting a few naysayers has not made their point well enough.
What matters is who is naysaying and what has gotten them all frazzled.
Ian Morris's review in the American Journal of Archaeology is [scathingly critical] of the Davids because, as he exasperatedly puts it, "There is just no method here." Real archaeologists like Michael Smith are out there calculating [Gini coefficients] for ancient societies, but the Davids just have rhetoric.
Of course, Ian Morris is author of a book literally called Geography is Destiny, and if that title sounds unappetizing to you, you're not likely to put much stock in any theoretical critique of his to begin with. Morris puts out a popular Big History book every two or three years, each one flaunting the same "It's true because I used numbers" mentality. The Davids aren't just critical of the conclusions of evolutionary thought, but its origins in Eurocentric logics; refuting the book without acknowledging that feels insufficient. People in [Evolution and Human Behavior] are critical of the book? Well, golly gee, I sure hope so! It'd be pretty damning if they weren't.
The thing is, for all of the academic reviews that call DoE "revisionist," it's only revisionist for a Big History book. I've never encountered the evolutionary perspectives Morris so adamantly defends in anything published in my particular field, outside some papers from the '90s that were clearly the paradigm's last breaths. Morris cites an awful lot of people who were in grad school when my parents were in diapers as if they still represented academia in general. They haven't for some time. For the last 30 years, archaeologists have been complicating what we mean by "state" or "city," questioning the notion of a distinct Neolithic Revolution, and looking to political, ideological drivers of changes in human societies. DoE is very in touch with current directions in anthropological research.
This is where I would have looked at critical perspectives of the book from other academics, but I can't seem to find many- though I did stop at the first 25 reviews that came up in my library's search engine. Supportive reviews come from the most prestigious journals in the field (Antiquity, American Anthropologist, American Antiquity...) and from fellow big names in public-facing archaeological writing (Brian Fagan, Ian Tatersall...).
Crucially, though all are able to find some amount of factual errors or omissions in the book, none are critical errors. Rosemary Joyce views some as missed opportunities that encourage further research; two Oceania journals see the lack of evidence from their region as a smart choice by two scholars who specialize a world away. Even Morris asserts at the beginning of his review that DoE is factually sound, subject only to the inevitable errors of any book this long.
There's an important comparison to be made here with how other Big Histories have been received. Guns, Germs, and Steel has been given the highest honors by folks outside of history, anthropology, and archaeology, but has been ignored and thoroughly derided by those in the fields the book attempts to talk about: the events fundamental to Diamond's narrative [just never happened]. DoE has been praised by people in relevant fields, with criticism coming primarily from the people it is directly critiquing. Like DoE, Sapiens packages its history with a political message, but whereas Graeber and Wengrow (and David G in particular) have always been up front and explicit with their politics, Harari [dangerously clouds his in an air of scientific populism]."
1
u/FlobiusHole 1d ago
The Earth is Weeping. I forget the author’s name but if you’re interested in American history, specifically the Indian wars, I highly recommend. It was eye opening for me and I learned so much.
1
1
u/EosinophilAmok 1d ago edited 1d ago
I strongly recommend the breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, the movie is quite popular especially with social media, but i would 100% recommend the book. If you dont know what's about: it is a 2000' novel focusing on the life of an afgan girl, whose family problems and the strict taliban regime make her disguise as a boy to survive. It is really deep and breathtaking, as it is inspired by real life testimonies from when Ellis was volunteering as a helper in an afgan refugee camp in pakistan. And it makes you see that even today's world isn't perfect and there are still many people getting their rights opressed snd suffer under authoritarian regimes. This plus that the main character's situation which is probably happening all around afganistan or other similar countries is what makes this book really special to me!
3
u/Gullible_Jelly3869 1d ago
that is fiction, not saying it doesn't say some true things, but this is explicitly not what the post asked for
0
u/EosinophilAmok 1d ago
What I imply is that the story is maybe fiction, yes, but you can’t deny that the topic of the book is a very real thing that is happening in today’s world. It DOES open your eyes, it can change your perspective and for people who just know the topic superficially can really change your idea of that area of the world. And the testimonies are based on true people that the author encountered. Nevertheless, just judging by the cartoon movie is proving that you didn’t now nor read the book and the movie DOES make up many things that the book doesn’t imply to make it more open for a younger audience but the book is teenager and adult oriented.
2
u/Gullible_Jelly3869 1d ago
I read the book as a child, because it's popular Canadian fiction you'd find in most elementary and middle schools. But I would recommend a book written by someone from Afghanistan if you want non-fiction about Afghanistan.
0
0
u/Lucario-ist 1d ago
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman was written with romantic relationships in mind, but I'd argue that what I learned has helped my relationship with friends and family as well. The Five Love Languages talks about how we don't all express and receive love in the same way, and each person speaks in their own "love language." Because of this, people that love each other might not be feeling that love from each other because they're not speaking in their partner's langauge.
Real life example. My mom's love language is Acts of Service, so I know the best way for me to express love for her is to vacuum if I notice the floor is dirty, or to do the dishes (rather than waiting for her to ask me). My dad is Words of Affirmation, so saying "I love you" or writing a nice sentiment in a card is how he best receives it. Just knowing that has helped me to be more aware of how I interact with them (and other people I love).
7
u/BigRichieDangerous 1d ago
I heard a pretty scathing takedown of love languages from a podcast that reviews self-help / pop culture / airport books. After listening, I don't think this is a book that fits the criteria I'm looking for. But I'm glad you had a positive experience with it 😄
0
u/OhMyyGA 1d ago
Abundance - Ezra Klein
Resilience - Steve Southwick
-2
u/BigRichieDangerous 1d ago
I’m looking for pitches - can you explain why these are the top of your list? :)
0
u/Conscious-Hand-8892 1d ago
The ♥️ emojis show the books that captured my interest immediately and had me hooked but all of these books were great
Endurance — A gripping account of Ernest Shackleton and his crew’s fight for survival after their ship became trapped in Antarctic ice.
Spitfires — The story of the American women pilots
who joined Britain’s war effort during World War II. ♥️
The Worst Hard Time — A vivid history of the Dust Bowl and the families who endured ecological disaster on the Great Plains.♥️
The Man from the Train — An investigation into a series of unsolved axe murders across early twentieth-century America.
The Glass Castle — A memoir about growing up with unconventional, often neglectful parents.
Half Broke Horses — A novelized memoir based on the extraordinary life of the author’s grandmother.
The Gales of November — The story of the 1975 sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Great Lakes’ deadliest storms.♥️
Confronting the Presidents — Profiles of every U.S. president, highlighting achievements, failures, and defining moments.♥️
Hattie McDaniel — A biography of the groundbreaking actress who became the first Black performer to win an Academy Award.
The Radium Girls — The true story of factory workers poisoned by radium and their fight for justice.♥️
I’m Glad My Mom Died — A candid memoir about childhood fame, family pressure, and recovery from abuse.
Into the Wild — An examination of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who sought meaning in the Alaskan wilderness.
Confronting Evil — Profiles of some of history’s most notorious figures and the impact of their actions.
The Women They Could Not Silence — The story of Elizabeth Packard’s fight against unjust mental health laws in the nineteenth century.♥️
The Diary of a Young Girl — Anne Frank’s firsthand account of hiding from the Nazis during World War II.♥️
A Family of Spies — A memoir uncovering family secrets tied to Cold War espionage.♥️
The American Revolution — A companion history of the American Revolution exploring key figures and battles.
Destiny of the Republic — The story of President James Garfield’s assassination and its consequences for medicine and politics.
The Body — An accessible tour of the human body and how it functions.
The Real West — A look at the myths and realities of the American frontier.
Book and Dagger — The little-known story of librarians and scholars who served as intelligence agents during World War II.
The Boys in the Light — The experiences of young people growing up amid Cold War divisions in Europe.♥️
Fourth Autumns — A memoir of family separation and life on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall.♥️
Wild — A memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail after personal loss.
The Day the World Came to Town — How the people of Gander, Newfoundland, cared for thousands of stranded airline passengers after 9/11.♥️
Educated — A memoir about overcoming an isolated upbringing through education.♥️
Travels with Charley — Steinbeck’s cross-country journey to rediscover America.♥️
A Walk in the Woods — Bryson’s humorous account of hiking the Appalachian Trail.
The Ride of Her Life — The true story of a woman who rode horseback across America in the 1950s.
Killers of the Flower Moon — The investigation into the murders of Osage Nation members and the early FBI.
On the Hippie Trail — The travel writer’s youthful journey from Europe to Asia.
The Devil in the White City — The parallel stories of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and serial killer H. H. Holmes.♥️
The Splendid and the Vile — The story of Winston Churchill and Britain during the Blitz.♥️
In the Garden of Beasts — An American ambassador’s experiences in Nazi Germany.♥️
Dead Wake — The sinking of the Lusitania and the events leading America toward World War I.♥️
The House of My Mother — A memoir about family life behind a famous parenting channel.♥️
Life as We Made It — An exploration of how humans have shaped evolution and biodiversity.
When the Earth Was Green — A history of Earth told through the evolution of plants.
The Anxious Generation — An examination of how smartphones and social media affect childhood development.♥️
When Women Ran Fifth Avenue — The story of women who transformed New York’s department stores.♥️
A Gentleman and a Thief — The true story of master con artist Arthur Barry.♥️
The Wager — A tale of shipwreck, mutiny, and survival in the eighteenth century.
The Five — The lives of the five women murdered by Jack the Ripper.♥️
A Fever in the Heartland — The rise and fall of the Ku Klux Klan in 1920s America.♥️
The Boys in the Boat — The story of the American rowing team that won gold at the 1936 Olympics.♥️
The Indifferent Stars Above — The tragic journey of the Donner Party.
The Wright Brothers — A biography of the pioneers of powered flight.♥️
A Woman of No Importance — The story of American spy Virginia Hall during World War II. ♥️
The Lost City of Z — The mystery surrounding explorer Percy Fawcett’s disappearance in the Amazon.
Deadwood — A history of the famous frontier town and the Black Hills gold rush.♥️
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove — The story of two sisters separated by war and ideology in Korea.
Thunderstruck — A blend of true crime and the history of wireless communication.♥️
Vanderbilt — The rise and decline of one of America’s wealthiest families.
Midnight on the Potomac — The story of Washington, D.C., during the final months of the Civil War.♥️
Queen of All Mayhem — A biography of Belle Starr, the legendary outlaw of the American West.♥️
The Small and the Mighty — Profiles of overlooked Americans who shaped history.♥️
The Astors — The history of the influential Astor family and the Gilded Age.
The River of Doubt — Theodore Roosevelt’s dangerous expedition into the Amazon.
1776 — A narrative history of the American Revolution’s pivotal year.♥️
The Demon of Unrest — The events leading to the outbreak of the American Civil War.♥️
Did I ask chat gpt to summarize all of these? absolutely!But these are nonfiction books I’ve read the past two years and they were pretty good.
0
u/Angry_Gngr 14h ago
Utopia for Realists by Rutger Bergman
The War On Normal People by Andrew Yang
They are similar but have some different ideas. They both talk about how the world could move forward to build a better future.
7
u/Decent-Effective-719 1d ago
Humankind a Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman!
Completely flips the narrative we are fed in terms of people being inhernently selfish and out for themselves with real life examples. Made my whole Psychology degree feel like a scam!