Narrative Nonfiction for Fun

Discover true stories that read like novels, from survival to science to history.

Many readers think of nonfiction as textbooks, but narrative nonfiction tells true stories using the tools of fiction: real characters, scenes, suspense, and dialogue from records or interviews. You might read about an expedition lost in the polar ice, scientists racing to understand a new disease, a young inventor in a village without electricity, or the people who built a famous bridge. These books combine the excitement of a novel with the satisfaction of learning something real.

Here's an original opening in this style: 'At 4 a. m. , the radio crackled. The rescue pilot had one hour of fuel and a storm closing in. Somewhere below, three climbers were waiting on a ledge. ' Narrative nonfiction often includes photos, maps, timelines, and an author's note explaining sources. Reading that note is worthwhile, because it tells you how the author knows what happened and which details, like exact dialogue, were reconstructed.

If you love thrillers, true survival stories may become your new favorite.

• 1Narrative nonfiction tells true stories with fiction's tools
• 2It blends excitement with real learning
• 3Read the author's note to learn about sources