good reads
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Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand My rating: 5 of 5 stars A lot of nonfiction books get so bogged down with detail that they have no narrative drive. Unbroken doesn’t have this problem. From the beginning, Hillenbrand’s writing sets the story in driven, organized motion, drawing
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Fighting for Life by S. Josephine Baker My rating: 5 of 5 stars First of all, Sara Josephine Baker lived an incredible life. Second of all, she has a totally relatable way of sharing her story. Originally published in 1939, this autobiography tells firsthand the story of a woman doctor (at a time when that
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Before the Fall by Noah Hawley My rating: 5 of 5 stars A private plane crashes in the middle of a short flight from Martha’s Vineyard to New York City. Before the Fall tells the stories of the characters involved: the painter who survived, swimming the four-year-old child to safety; the flight attendant and the
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Every month, week, day, I’m adding more stories to my to-read list. Here are a few favorites from the past few months: What Bullets Do to Bodies by Jason Fagone, Highline An up-close portrait of the work of Dr. Amy Goldberg, a trauma surgeon in North Philly who’s seen more bullet wounds in the past 30
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Hawkins’ words don’t paint lush portraits or jump to poetic heights. They’re too busy drawing you close to the characters, especially Rachel whose perspective begins and ends the book. As you read, you immerse into the complexity that is a human being whose past she both regrets and can’t leave behind.
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This post is part of a series recommending longform, narrative nonfiction (as well as other worthwhile writings). The Amateur Cloud Society That (Sort Of) Rattled the Scientific Community by Jon Mooallem, The New York Times Magazine The most quotable piece I’ve read recently, this story examines the culture of cloud-loving in a way that observes science, philosophy, and
Meredith Sell 