If you haven’t caught on, I’m all about reading for pleasure and entertainment. And I’ll admit, I read my fair share of fluffy fiction. Sometimes, though, I find I need to change things up to keep from getting bored, and often that means reading some nonfiction. That’s not to say that nonfiction can’t be fun, or fluffy for that matter. Here are a few titles to break up your summer fiction binge without skimping on entertainment value.
The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. Call it pop sociology, but The Tipping Point will certainly get your gears turning. Little changes can have big results: if a small group of people starts to behave differently, the effects ripple outward until a critical mass or “tipping point” is reached, changing the world. Gladwell explores this theory, likening word-of-mouth spread of information to a virus spreading, and follows the growth of these “epidemics”, labeling three different roles people play in the process. Enlightening, thought provoking; a fast read for a lazy summer weekend.
Freakonomics, by Stephen D. Levitt. Mmm, economics. Makes you think of…what? Statistics, tweed-clad professors, interest rates? Levitt breaks out of the norm and brings things much closer to home, deconstructing all sorts of behavior looking for hidden incentives. Will reading to your child when she’s a baby make her a better student when she’s older? What are the patterns behind baby-naming trends? Connections can be made, Levitt believes, if you’re looking at cause and effect from the right angle. PS—Freakonomics also spent a LOT of time on the NYT bestsellers’ list. If you’re looking for something to peak your interest, look no further.
The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. If you’d rather your nonfiction read like a novel, check out The Devil in the White City. Larson infuses drama, action and atmosphere into the unbelievable events surrounding the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Just five years after Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London, H.H. Holmes was on a similar rampage in the churning new metropolis of Chicago; many of his despicable acts occurred during the World’s Fair, exploiting one of Chicago’s finest moments. The book strikes a balance between detailing the vast preparations of the fair and chronicling Holmes’s movements and deeds at the same time. An engrossing, chilling read!
Up next, suggestions for book clubs (or solo readers just looking for a great story!).
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