Non-Fiction Books: Some of the Best of All Time

Best non-fiction books

The magic of books holds the power to take you to a parallel universe. All avid readers can relate that reading sessions bind with an incredible aura of sanity. Despite the genre, books are the forever keeper. But, if you are the one who is truly into non-fiction, we have something extra special for you. Yes, here we have handpicked the best nonfiction books only for you. So, are you ready to drown in the ocean of non-fiction literary love? Let’s get started:

Queen of Our Times

Author: Robert Hardman

Robert follows the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2 in a structured way. This must-read is full of anecdotes and observations into the life of the royal figure. From war, romance and tragedy, look into the life of the shy yet sturdy icon.

Queen of our Times throws light on the survival and revival of the dynasty. Even after writing several books about royalty, Robert makes this unique, so it does not feel repetitive to the readers. Get a sneak peek into the unpublished papers of the royal family and the unseen personal photographs.  

The Book Of Minds

Author: Joseph Murphy

For centuries, scientists have spent their lives figuring out the human brain. While philosophers are busy trying to describe the human mind, Philip, an award-winning writer, asks what the opinion is about the non-human mind. This groundbreaking book shows how the human mind should not be a standard for measuring everything else.

Minds differ in humans and dolphins, chimpanzees, and even computers. To understand our minds the best, we need to explore the minds of others as well to simplify diversity. Philip explains how to understand yourself and other beings through this book.

The Colour of Madness

Author: Dr.Samara Linton

With poetry, memoirs, essays and short fiction, the book tells how the mental health of white differs from that of People of Colour in the UK. The Colour of madness gives voice to people who have had various experiences with mental health.

Explore the whitewashed mental health narrative in the UK and see how people talk about their occurrences and share their vulnerabilities. See how racism is futile and how badly it affects people of Colour. The book illustrates some solutions that should come within the system to make the minority communities feel safe and protected.  

The Psychology of Stupidity

Author: Jean-Francois Marmion

Contrary to the word stupid, this book comes from geniuses’ brains, including a Nobel prize winner. The book is an eye-opener as it tells how a lazy mind can make us do stupid things. It further tells how the smartest people can believe in superstitious things and how the manipulation by the media misguided all of us.

The next time you debate with a stupid person, read this book to know why it is a trap and a waste of your time. More than an eye-opener, this book is a brain opener. 

Scary Smart

Author: Mo Gawdat

Mo Gawdat, the former chief business officer of Google, educates us about the dangers of the effects of artificial intelligence on humanity. Artificial intelligence is way smarter than us, and it will be a billion times smarter than humans in just a few years.

This bold, fascinating and engaging read shows how we and our machines can live better. Mo highlights how we can protect ourselves and our planet in the future by fixing the current trajectory. With thirty years of experience with AI, Mo Gawdat surely knows what he is writing about and is here to take us on a scary-smart journey.

The Reluctant Carer

Author: Pan Macmillan

This is one of the rare books that every household must read. Being deeply moving and irresistibly funny simultaneously, the story is relatable to everyone. The reluctant carer is a true story that shows the life of a carer and how things unravel when you least expect them.

One day, when you receive a phone call about the ill health of your father and even your mom is not well. However, when you fall ill amidst all of this, things go haywire. From heartbreak and honesty to humour, the book is quite wholesome.

The Defense of the Witches

Author: Mona Chollet

The book opens on an interesting note when the author asks you to think of the first witch that comes to your mind. In the story, unmarried, childless and independent women take control of their future. People often turn women into witches when they cannot offer what a man or society asks of them.  

Furthermore, the story shows how older women face the same pressures as the witches did centuries ago. Also, it suggests how women are often linked with witches and witchcraft and how society is still misogynistic even in the modern era.

God: An Anatomy

Author: Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou

Explore the fascinating history of God as the ancient worshippers envisioned him. People had different visions of God with a fantastic male body and superpowers. In this book, the author shows how the God of the Bible did not have a body.  

After extensive research of the Bible, the writer concludes that the ancient people created an image of God similar to people living back then. They put together their lives’ experiences to assume that God weeps, laughs, eats and talks just like them. Read this book to uncover some amazing facts that will keep you engaged.

A World On The Wing

Author: Scott Weidensaul

Take the journey of the sky to follow the lives of global birds and see how they migrate. Mr Weidensaul explores the science of the birds, focuses on their population and shows concerns about their future.

Whether you are a birder or not, this journey is the one that you should hop on. Live from the point of view of birds and see how it is to live as a living thing on this planet and not a human. Travel in the hearts of nature and get a hold of this engaging book.

The Yoga Manifesto

Author: Nadia Gilani

Nadia Gilani writes a love letter to yoga and tells how it changed her life. The yoga teacher believes that this practice can take you through the highs and lows of life and never leave your side in difficult situations. While this is an ancient spiritual practice, it is now for a group of people only.

The author questions why more people of Colour, the working class and the middlemen are not into yoga. This funny and shocking book gives the world a lot to ponder upon. With an amazing storyteller, you will get glued to the book.

Wayfinding

Author: M.R. O’Connor

O’Connor talks to several neuroscientists, anthropologists and navigators to study migration precision among organisms. Back in the day, our ancestors started living in different corners of the world and travelling without navigation. Even today, several master navigators use their traditional techniques and do not use the GPS.

Wayfinding is an incredible book that questions, explores and examines the studies of organisms. Moving on, it also focuses on Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and memory loss. Start reading this book to activate the nerd side of you and understand how beautifully the universe can function in several ways.

Making It

Author: Jay Blades

Making It by Jay Blades is an excellent book that gives you hope even in the most difficult times. Jay, the star of the show, ʼThe repair shopʼ pens beautifully how life can be unfair, but you still have to show up.

In this story, Jay also shares his life details and writes about how he tackled racism. From strengths and weaknesses to boundaries, question a lot of aspects of life and present them in front of you. Once you start reading the book, there is no stopping you from finishing it in a day.

Empire of Pain

Author: Patrick Radden Keefe

Patrick examines the history of the Sackler family and shows you the world of elites. Look at how the members’ most powerful, affluent, and private lives live. Empire of pain, a very well researched book, is what you need to know about the significant dynasties of America.

From drama and empty personal lives to disputes, the book can make you feel a lot of emotions at once. Three generations of the Sackler family were famous for their philanthropy until one day; their reputation was over due to the oxycontin. Read another of Patrick’s best sellers and get amazed.

Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man

Author: Emmanuel Chinedum Acho

Emmanuel urges the Americans to address the issues of racism in the states. If you want to learn something new and get a fresh perspective, this book is great. Moreover, the book is a lot to take in at once and you have to read it gradually to grasp what the author is trying to say.

As the name suggests itself, the book is about people of Colour, how they face racism and what changes can we make as a society to make them feel safe at all times.  

The Sleeping Beauties

Author: Suzanne O’Sullivan

Set in a small town in Appalachian, the story revolves around women who go to sleep and, if disturbed, turn extremely violent. While the men are left behind, there is still a ray of sunshine beneath the clouds: Evie, the mysterious woman, maybe the immune or the curse of the sleeping disease.

See how people figure out whether Evie is a blessing in disguise or simply a monster. While the chaos is at an all-time high in the town, some people take advantage of it to take revenge on their old enemies. Will this whole thing turn into havoc?

Seven And A Half Lessons About The Brain

Author: Lisa Feldman Barrett

The book forces you to think about why you have a brain in the first place. Have you wondered why exactly we need a brain? If yes, this book belongs in your collection for sure. The book has them all, from humour to surprises, which makes it very interesting.

Learn about the brain’s structure, where they come from and how it evolved over the centuries. Moreover, the book contains some amazing facts that will bust your myths. The brain is full of surprises and so is this book!  

Bad Blood

Author: John Carreyrou

With zero expertise and technology that does not help but an excellent sales pitch, you can go too far to give rise to fraud. The story revolves around Elizabeth Holmes, who promised the world a miracle in medicine. However, these promises were the basis of lies and fraud. Elizabeth lied about a shopping $9 billion evaluation.

She was simply an extraordinary businesswoman to everyone else who was about to prove a miracle that would save so many lives, from lying to playing political games. This is a great read as you can follow the life of the brilliant Elizabeth Holmes. 

It’s Not About The Burqa

Author: Mariam Khan

Mariam Khan did not agree with how society labels and creates stereotypes about Muslim women. Not only Muslim women but women in general. She speaks about how they do not get a chance to raise their voices against anything.  

When Mariam felt tired of reading notions about Muslim women by people who were neither muslin nor women. The book is real, funny, humorous, and sad many times. Furthermore, it throws light on the current situation and writes, ʼit is not about the burqaʼ to show what Muslim women go through every day.

Brown Baby

Author: Nikesh Shukla

The author of this book Nikesh, dedicates his book to his two daughters. The book is extremely funny and heart wrenching at the same time. Nikesh tries to prepare his daughters for the outer world by telling them about racism, sexism, and the climate crisis.

It can be difficult to find your way out and seek happiness among all this chaos. Nikesh does the same thing by finding love and hope in the little things of life. The joy of fatherhood taught Nikesh how simple life could be.  

Queer Intentions

Author: Amelia Abraham

Explore the joys and sufferings of being an LGBTQ+ in our society. See what changes made these communities’ lives easier and what things still need improvement. The book asks us several questions, like when people finally start accepting the communities and why do they differentiate between these communities.

Although several thoughtful steps are being taken across the public, they can be a part of society at what price. Curiosity, humorous and funny are the three words that describe the book. Learn about the experiences of different queer people and understand how they must feel.

How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch

Author: Harry Cliff

One of the most talked-about non-fiction of the ages, How to make an apple pie from scratch, is inspired by Carl Sagan’s line: ‘If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.’

In other words, you can call this book an exceptional recipe treasure that involves the hearts of dying stars, the universe and everything in-between as the primary ingredients. Not just that, but if you wish to dig into how our world relates to the Big Bag or the flow of the galaxy, then the mentioned book has been written only for you.

The Warmth of Other Suns

Author: Isabel Wilkerson

Published in 2010, the presented literary work is one in a million for obvious reasons. If you are curious to uncurtain the iconic migration history of African Americans in 1920, The Warmth of Other Suns is waiting for you.

Tortured with the prejudice of the South, lured by comparative, high-paying jobs and relatively less racism, Wilkerson shockingly pin-pointed the pain of the migrants by that time. But ultimately, the book embraces the beauty of life with countless hopes, wishes and positivity for all readers.

Every Good Boy Does Fine

Author: Jeremy Denk

Coming straight from the life lessons of eminent pianist Jeremy Denk, this book highlights some precious music lessons. There is no sign of doubt that you will feel like you are in eternal love with music while reading the book.

More than that, the valuable touch of classical music has the power to win your heart with words. To celebrate the symphony of self-believe, Every Good Boy Does Fine presents the life journey of a musician. All in all, investing your time in this piece is definitely worth it.

This Is Going To Hurt

Author: Adam Kay

Empowering the reality of life as if it is a comedy marathon, This is going to hurt is indisputably one of the best non fiction books of all time. The idea of the book revolves around junior doctors’ strike that overlays the bleak yet real secrets of a hospital.

Highlighting all the unbelievable perspectives, the mentioned book showcases the instances of pain, inconvenience, laughter and much more. Precisely, if you have been looking for something out of the league in the stream ofgood nonfiction books, then feel free to go with this one.

Stronger

Author: Poorna Bell

The worst thing that a woman can do is staying dependent on a man. Be it the little chores of home or the big life decisions; the dependency factor ruins freedom. For the sake of cutting down all the drama, Stronger is here to be your savior. Yes, adorned with a distinctive dose of positivity and hope, Stronger signifies the crux of inner confidence.

Written by Poorna Bell, Stronger is the voyage of her life that pertains to how she became stronger after the death of her husband. Besides all the good things, Stronger is a deep insight into women’s mental health and inner peace.

Hope Not Fear

Author: Hassan Akkad

Filled with the much-needed supply of self-esteem, Hope Not Fear is a beautiful work by Hassan Akkad, inspired by his life experiences. Starting from Syria before the war to his frontline worker role as an NHS cleaner in London, this book offers enough room for good vibes.

Beyond everything, Hope Not Fear has the capability to blow off the clouds of negativity while blessing your brain with kindness. Critically introducing the ups and downs of the Covid-19 era, the respective book is what you might be looking for so far as the best non-fiction option.

More Myself

Author: Alicia Keys

When someone talks about non-fiction legends, the factor of autobiographies tops the chart and More Myself is such a gem in the relative stream. Landing from the pen of famous American songwriter and singer Alicia, every page of this book ties you with its eternal charm.

Gathering the best experiences of Alicia Keys, this book teaches the art of self-acceptance. The success story of the lady will leave every reader in a unique zone of self-love. Without any doubt, More Myself is the best motivational source that you keep on your bookshelf as a remarkable piece.

The Happiest Man On Earth

Author: Eddie Jaku

Commendably written to load every dark moment of life with joy, The Happiest Man On Earth justifies the power of non fiction books.In 1938, Eddie Jaky was imprisoned in a German concentration camp where he lived the pathetic nightmares.

Apart from living the prisoner’s life, he lost his family, home and even his country, but he still coped with the spirit to survive. No wonder his tale of survival made him believe that he is the happiest man on earth and that’s how he wrote this fantastic piece of non-fiction literary work.

Your Story Matters

Author: Nikesh Shukla

Can you imagine that a book can empower your voice like never before? Yes, yet another powerful work by Nikesh Shukla, Your Story Matters, makes you realise the impact of voice.

Created as a mini guide to expand the readers’ speaking and writing skills, this book is life-changing. The tips and tricks and the separate section of exercise enable the learner to grasp all the skills at a great pace.

Green living made easy

Author: Nancy Birtwhistle

Coming from the court of Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle, Green living made easy goes a lot with its title. Authored to make the practices of greener life more accessible, this book is a kick-start to protecting our environment.

Inlined with 101 tremendously helpful hacks about recycling, creative crafting, eco-friendly ways, gardening etiquettes and much more, this book is all you need. Furthermore, the pretty illustrations would take the reading excitement to the next level.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

Author: Adam Grant

Have you ever thought of challenging what you already know? Yes, written with a clear idea of challenging the power to think, this book is a legendary mention in the world of non-fictions. Adam Grant is a renowned physiological expert who understands the value of thought-process.

Through this book, he tried to reflect on the impact of our thoughts in our life. While reading ‘Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know’, you might explore a new direction to challenge your thought process.

London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency: A Memoir

Author: Kate Macdougall

Imagine if someday you turn your random plan into a reality while leaving your career? Sounds unrealistic, right? But Kate Macdougall made it workable by starting a dog-walking agency from scratch.

The most shocking part of her journey as she had no clue about a dog agency or starting a new business. But, despite all challenges, she learned to make her way out of it. So, Kate Macdougall’s ‘London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency: A Memoir’ is a magnificent name in the space of non-fiction books for all admirers.

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet

Author: John Green

No one can deny the fact that the contribution of John Green to the edge of books is of no comparison. He simply overpowered the competition from the world’s best-seller, Fault in Our Stars, to ‘The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet’.

If you are willing to understand the phenomena of the current geologic age and the intervention of humans on earth, then this book needs to be there on your study table. Undoubtedly, the bunch of essays will provide you with astounding insight into the planet and human relationships.

Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone

Author: Sarah Jaffe

Through her book, Sarah Jaffe has hardly hit on the burning concept of work-life balance. While uncovering the ruined work ethics of American work culture, this book is a strong take on the corporate world.

Be it an intern or an experienced professional; everyone would find the mentioned piece unexpectedly relatable for all the obvious reasons. But, at the end Work Won’t Love You Back surely teaches the lesson of valuing your work and the efforts that you put in your professional journey.

Let Me Tell You What I Mean

Author: Joan Didion

From 1968 to 2000, Joan Didion wrote an iconic bunch of 20 essays that are all set to inspire you the most. Especially if you are a creative person, her collection of 20 excellent essays is curated only for you.

Through this book, Didion shared her approach to the creative outputs. By mentioning how her perception helped her grow, Let Me Tell What I Mean could be an unforgettable read for all creativepreneur.

These Precious Days: Essays

Author: Ann Patchett

Imagining the prosperity of life without friendship is simply impossible. There is no scope of doubt that These Precious Days give you the chance to appreciate your bonds like never before.

The book beautifully portrays the eternal connection between friends and how it makes life prettier. Landing with endless opportunities to make you fall in love with the initial pages Ann Patchett’s These Precious Days takes the celebration of the friendship to the next level.

Unfinished

Author: Priyanka Chopra Jonas

This larger than life Memoir by Priyanka Chopra Jonas is probably one of the most inspiringnon fiction books you can ever come across. Boldly penning the life tales of her struggle to the mega success, Unfinished allocates endless reasons to appreciate life.

After reading the book, you might go into an immense shock at how she managed to raise from an Indian middle-class family to the blockbusters of the United States. Not just that, but this book will make you a die-hard fan of none other than the sensational PC.

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism

Author: Amber Ruffin

It’s the time to tighten your seat belts while sitting on your reading chair because ‘You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: serves as a shaking take on racism. New York-based comedian Amber Ruffin and her sister Lacey Lamar introduce their bad experiences with casual racism.

It gets especially pathetic for Lacey, who still lives in their home state of Nebraska. These encounters are surely hard to believe but sadly state the truth. Thus, if you find something different to trigger your non-fiction affection, ‘You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey’ has to be there.

An Ugly Truth

Author: Cecilia King

Cecilia King’s An Ugly Truth has brought a revolution in the tech world by exposing a loop of hidden facts. Yes, this book keenly revolves around the behind-the-curtains story of the domination of Facebook (now Meta).

Now, it’s needless to say that every tech-head must go through this literary piece at least once in their lifetime. Setting the high bars of expectations on the grounds of non-fiction, An Ugly Truth could be a remarkable member of your happy book family.

Raising Critical Thinkers

Author: Julie Bogard

In online media, where the uses and gratification theory is working way faster than ever, critical thinking is slightly diminishing. Serving a robust angle on how students are going through the phase of mental development, Julie Bogard provides a practical written tool to assist children in their overall growth.

This book syncs the direction of thinking and nurtures the reactions, behavioral frameworks, communication ethics, and much more for the kids. So, from parents to little brains, this book is an irreplaceable addition to thenon fiction books galaxy.

The Power of Regret

Author: Daniel H. Pink

Just like achievements, regrets are an inseparable part of life. If you are the one who believes that regret is one of the most negative sources to keep up with life, The Power of Regret is here to change your mindset. Framing research in social psychology, neuroscience, and biology, Pink’s The Power of Regrets bursts out the “no regrets” myth.

On the other hand, this book empowers the existence of regrets in our lives while teaching some unordinary life lessons that link directly with regrets. So, before underestimating the proficiency of regrets, make sure you give a good read to this rare non-fiction.

Build For Tomorrow

Author: Janson Feifer

Your presence shapes your future, and Build For Tomorrow is an iconic read to shape your Tomorrow in the possible righteous way. It is justified to call this book a quick guide to mend your future by owning every opportunity that comes your way.

If you are a regular listener of Feifer’s podcasts, you can surely guess the power of Build For Tomorrow. More than that, Jason’s mentioned non-fiction allows you to take forward the change exclusively in your favour.  

Final Words

The world of nonfiction books is endless, but now you surely have a few prominent picks to start your subtle non-fiction book reading journey. So, stop thinking any further and collect all your favourites to cherish good books for a lifetime.

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