Looking for an engaging, well-paced nonfiction read? Check out this list made by librarians at The Seattle Public Library. Annotations from review sources, as cited. (December 2024).
Get the Picture
Immersive reporting along the lines of George Plimpton or Barbara Ehrenreich, [blending] relentless curiosity, bottomless energy, and a gift for clever formulations that recalls Oscar Wilde. A delightful book on an inspiring topic by a writer who could make dust sparkle. (Kirkus)
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Our Moon
A solid biography of the Moon. There's plenty here for readers who enjoy planetary and earth science books. (Library Journal)
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A Fever in the Heartland
The shocking story of how Ku Klux Klan leader David C. Stephenson seized and lost control of the state of Indiana in the 1920s. (Publishers Weekly)
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The Art Thief
Enthralling...In animated and colorful prose, Finkel summons the emotional intensity of a murder mystery. But old masters, not bodies, are missing...The Art Thief is about heists, yes, but it also speaks to much more. (The Washington Post)
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The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum
Fox succeeds in rescuing a once-notorious public figure from historical obscurity. An engrossing portrait of an unlikely criminal mastermind. (Kirkus)
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Biking Uphill in the Rain
Tom Fucoloro's new book explores the good, the bad, and the sometimes-shocking history of Seattle's bike culture. (The Stranger)
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The Wager
[Grann's] dogged search through ships’ logs and other contemporaneous accounts of the disaster and its mutinous aftermath has turned up the kind of sterling details that make his writing sing…Grann simultaneously reconstructs history while telling a tale that is as propulsive and adventure filled as any potboiler. (The Atlantic)
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Madness
A thoroughgoing, often shocking exposé of segregation in the treatment (or nontreatment) of mental illness. [A] strong contribution to the literature of both mental health care and civil rights. (Kirkus)
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Splinters
Bestseller Jamison chronicles in this exquisite memoir the dramatic shift her life took following the birth of her daughter and the end of her marriage. By turns funny, poignant, harrowing, and joyful, this standout personal history isn't easily forgotten. (Publishers Weekly)
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The Infernal Machine
Drawing parallels with contemporary acts of terrorism and governmental abuses of power in monitoring citizens, Johnson makes history part of an ongoing story we all need to consider. Smart, accessible, and highly readable. (Kirkus)
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