Narrative nonfiction can be a great way for history lovers to learn about the past in an engaging and compelling way. Here are a few examples of must-read narrative nonfiction books for history lovers:
"Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand (2010) - This book tells the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who survived a plane crash and spent months adrift in the Pacific before being captured by the Japanese and sent to a prisoner of war camp.
"The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West" by David McCullough (2019) - This book tells the story of the early settlers of Ohio and the Northwest Territory and their struggles to build a new society in the face of adversity.
"The Guns of August" by Barbara Tuchman (1962) - This book tells the story of the outbreak of World War I and the first month of the war, detailing the political and military decisions that led to the outbreak of the war and the devastating consequences that followed.
"Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty" by Patrick Radden Keefe (2021) - This book tells the story of the Sackler family, the secretive billionaires behind the opioid crisis, the rise and fall of their empire, and the human cost of their fortune.
"In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin" by Erik Larson (2011) - This book tells the story of an American family who lived in Berlin during the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, and their firsthand account of the political and social upheaval that took place during that time.
"The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America" by Erik Larson (2003) - This book tells the story of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and the serial killer who used the fair as a hunting ground for his victims.
"The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon" by David Grann (2009) - This book tells the story of Percy Fawcett, a British explorer who disappeared while searching for a lost city in the Amazon jungle.
"The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson (2010) - This book tells the story of the Great Migration, the movement of six million African Americans out of the South and into the North between 1915 and 1970.
"The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown (2013) - This book tells the story of the American rowing team that competed in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.
"The Man Who Built the Sierra Club: A Life of David Brower" by Robert Wyss (2015) - This book tells the story of David Brower, one of the most influential environmental leaders of the 20th century and his role in the Sierra Club and the development of the modern environmental movement.
This list is not exhaustive and there are many other great narrative nonfiction books that cover a wide range of historical events and figures.
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