I’ve previously said on this platform that for me — as it is for many book lovers — choosing a favorite book is like choosing which of my organs I’d be comfortable living without. I also have a tendency to overthink things. So naturally, being assigned an article of book recommendations in which my only direction is “whatever you want to talk about” had me staring at my overstuffed bookshelves in a blind panic.
After going through many, many possible iterations of what this list could be, I’ve settled on a sort of autobiographical journey through some of my favorite nonfiction books over the years, particularly those that changed my views, my understanding, and occasionally even my life. While this is by no means a comprehensive list, these are seven nonfiction books from my personal library that have made a solid impact on me and might do the same for you.
The Bad Girl’s Guide to the Open Road by Cameron Tuttle, Illustrated by Susannah Bettag
I found this strange little vinyl guidebook when I was a teenager, browsing a bookstore in my local mall after taking my driver’s permit instruction course. At the time, there were few things more important to me than getting out on my own, so the charming late-90s girl-powrrrr aesthetic and hilarious text — combined with actual, practical advice on things like how to change a tire or non-weapon items to defend yourself with — called to me. This book was a huge inspiration when I planned my own 2,500-mile cross-country road trip two years later, and while I no longer keep it in my glovebox, it gave me the confidence to travel alone as a young woman.
Dave Barry Turns 50 by Dave Barry
For a book that was so obviously marketed to the Baby Boomer generation back in the late 90s, this book had an absolute chokehold on me. There was something about the combination of humor and historical fact combined with genuinely affecting personal stories about growing up during some of the most tumultuous years of U.S. history — up to that point, anyway — that resonated with me as a teenager and still does now. I can also look back on Barry’s writing and know that it had a huge influence on the way I write now, particularly in the way I tell stories; he’s a master teacher in the school of “make them laugh, make them cry, make them think.”
Badass: A Relentless Onslaught of the Toughest Warlords, Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, Gunfighters, and Military Commanders to Ever Live by Ben Thompson
Growing up with my dad, it was hard not to love learning about history; when most kids were going to the theme park over the summer, I was touring Civil and Revolutionary War sites. My dad had a way of making history come alive that, later on, I found lacking in dry historical texts. Luckily, this hilarious recounting of some of history’s most badass figures helped bridge the gap until I had sources like Drunk History and Puppet History (two separate but equally fantastic shows) to pick up where my dad left off. While this title is far from perfect — only six of the 40 badasses covered are female, tsk tsk — it’s still a pretty rolicking ride for readers who love history but enjoy a little modern humor with it.
The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History by Chris Smith
When I was young, no one talked to kids or teens about politics; there seemed to be this unspoken agreement amongst adults that young people were too dumb to understand what was going on in the world, and therefore should not have a say or opinion in government or social issues (even if those very same things affected them). Looking back, one of the largest instruments of changing the place of young people in social issues was Jon Stewart’s tenure on The Daily Show, and how he and his team made caring about current events both accessible and cool. This oral history of that time is incredibly well done, especially in how it honestly covers the successes achieved and mistakes made.
The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks
Listen, I know Disney is a murky area for a lot of people. Walt Disney was an imperfect man, and so were many of the people who helped build his empire. The culture surrounding Disney fanaticism can be problematic (and I say this as someone currently wearing an Oliver & Company T-shirt). However, no matter where you come down on the Disney corporation, one thing cannot be denied: the Disney theme parks are literal marvels of modern engineering and artistry. The creativity, planning, research, and effort that went into them is staggering, and the way that Leslie Iwerks celebrates those talents in this historical account is well-deserved (also, fun fact: Iwerks is the granddaughter of Ub Iwerks, the man who actually created Mickey Mouse).
Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult by Bruce Handy
Anyone who has read my work here on Bookstr can probably guess that I have an abiding love of children’s literature (and many of my coworkers, who have sat through several incidents of my soapboxing on how underappreciated the genre is, can confirm it). So naturally, this phenomenal deep dive into the joys of reading — or rereading — children’s literature from an adult perspective had to make this list. Handy turns a loving yet critical eye on classic children’s books, giving fascinating historical context while also pondering the lessons of works like The Runaway Bunny and The Giving Tree, especially which ones hold up and which ones are problematic. For adult lovers of children’s books, this one is a must-read (though I must disagree with Handy on one point: sparkles on the cover are awesome).
Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights ed. by Ashley Hope Pérez, Illustrated by Debbie Fong
Unfortunately, children and young people’s access to literature is now being threatened daily. It’s a form of cultural censorship that disproportionately targets marginalized identities and communities, and it’s been growing in aggression and scope since certain political ideologies have recently gained power. This recent anthology is an important look at how damaging the effects of book bans and censorship can be on young audiences from a multitude of perspectives and, perhaps most importantly, also acts as a resource for those trying to fight the systematic cultural erasure of the already underrepresented. If there’s any book on this list that you should read right now, this is the one.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my semi-autobiographical journey through some of my favorite nonfiction titles and that you’ve picked up a few more books to add to your TBR list. Happy reading!
For more curated lists of reads recommended by the Bookstr team, check out our series of recommendation articles.
For all of our Bookstr Team recommendations, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
