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Non-fiction for people who don't do non-fiction
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items Think non-fiction is all dusty textbooks and dull footnotes? Think again. I'm a lifelong reader who loves a good story, and these are the true ones that hooked me, from shipwrecks and borders to Tudors and black holes. Every book here is well reviewe...
Sections
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Maps, places and how the world works
True stories that read like thrillers
History without the homework
Science for the curious
Quirky and surprising
Maps, places and how the world works
Discover why borders wiggle, mountains matter and Britain is so wonderfully odd. Geography with jokes, perfect for anyone who thinks maps are boring.
Ever wondered why the world looks the way it does? The Map Men are on hand with jokes, oddities and wonderfully nerdy tangents. It's like being taught geography by your funniest friend, minus the homework. You'll finish it full of pub-quiz facts and ...
This Way Up: The Map Men
Just finished this one, and absolutely loved it! Ever wondered why civilisation popped up where it did? Lewis Dartnell shows how tectonic plates, ice ages and monsoon winds quietly shaped human history. Part geology, part world history, packed with s...
Origins - How the Earth Shaped Human History: Lewis Dartnell
Why does Russia obsess over ports? Why is Africa so tricky to unite? Tim Marshall shows how mountains, rivers and coastlines quietly pull the strings of world politics. It's clear, clever and surprisingly gripping. Read it and you'll be the most inte...
Prisoners of Geography: Tim Marshall
Think borders are boring? Think again. Jonn Elledge tells the stories behind the lines on the map with wit, warmth and a healthy sense of the absurd. Each chapter is bite-sized, so it's perfect for dipping into. You'll never look at an atlas the same...
A History of the World in 47 Borders: Jonn Elledge
Bill Bryson wanders round Britain, gently baffled and endlessly entertained by everything from bin collections to tea rooms. It's affectionate, mischievous and laugh-out-loud funny. Perfect for anyone who thinks non-fiction is dull, or who just fanci...
Notes From A Small Island: Bill Bryson
True stories that read like thrillers
Shipwrecks, mountain disasters and mysterious murders, all true. These page-turners read like novels and will happily keep you up past bedtime.
Shipwreck, mutiny, starvation and two very different versions of the truth. David Grann turns an 18th-century disaster into a page-turner that rivals any novel. You'll find yourself gasping on the sofa and quoting it to anyone who'll listen. Warning:...
The Wager: David Grann
Oil money, a wealthy Native American community, and a chilling string of mysterious deaths. David Grann unpicks a real-life 1920s whodunnit with the pace of a thriller and the care of a great storyteller. Utterly gripping, and a brilliant gateway for...
Killers Of The Flower Moon: David Grann
A routine Everest climb turns into one of mountaineering's darkest days, told by someone who was there. Jon Krakauer writes with grit, honesty and real tension. You'll read it wrapped in a blanket, feeling very glad your biggest challenge today is th...
Into Thin Air: Jon Krakauer
The story of the world's worst nuclear disaster, told like a thriller. Adam Higginbotham brings the scientists, officials and ordinary people vividly to life, and the tension never lets up. It's sobering but impossible to put down. You'll learn loads...
Midnight in Chernobyl: Adam Higginbotham
History without the homework
Kings and Queens, Romans and Tudors, minus the dusty textbooks. Lively, funny and full of gossip, these books make the past feel like a very good night in.
Remember learning the kings and queens of England? Forget that. Charlie Higson spins the whole saga with jokes, gossip and a gloriously irreverent eye. It's history for people who thought they hated history. You'll laugh, you'll learn, and you'll fin...
Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee: Charlie Higson
Ancient Rome, minus the dusty textbook. Mary Beard brings the Romans to life with sharp wit, big ideas and a delightful habit of questioning everything we thought we knew. It's smart, lively and surprisingly funny. You'll come away feeling like you'v...
SPQR - A History of Ancient Rome: Mary Beard
Churchill, the Blitz and the daily lives of the people around him, told with the pace of a novel. Erik Larson pulls you into the tense, tea-drinking, bomb-dodging heart of 1940. Full of fascinating detail and surprising charm. A history book that fee...
The Splendid and the Vile: Erik Larson
What did the Tudors eat, wear, and do all day? Ruth Goodman has actually tried it, so you get the smelly, surprising and downright odd details. It's history from the ground up, one day at a time. You'll never complain about your morning routine again...
How to be a Tudor: Ruth Goodman
Science for the curious
Big bangs, odd elements and the universe explained in plain English. No lab coat required, just a curious mind and a willingness to be amazed.
Bill Bryson sets out to understand the universe, from the Big Bang to bacteria, and brings you along for the ride. It's funny, curious and full of astonishing facts. A perfect read for anyone who always meant to pay attention in science class. Consid...
A Short History of Nearly Everything: Bill Bryson
Black holes, dark matter and the origins of the universe, all in a slim little book you can read in an evening. Neil deGrasse Tyson keeps things clear, quick and fun. Ideal if you want to sound brilliant at parties without any heavy lifting. Mind-blo...
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry: Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Who knew the periodic table was so full of drama? Sam Kean serves up tales of poisonings, rivalries, mad scientists and a spoon that melts in your tea. It's chemistry told as gossip. You'll never look at the humble elements the same way again.
The Disappearing Spoon: Sam Kean
Quirky and surprising
For when you want something delightfully different. Maths mishaps and the science of what happens after we die: weird, funny and unexpectedly brilliant.
A book about maths that is actually funny. Matt Parker tours the spectacular ways numbers go wrong, from collapsing bridges to confused computers. You'll giggle, wince and feel oddly better about your own mistakes. Perfect for maths fans and maths-ph...
Humble Pi: Matt Parker
What happens to our bodies after we die? Mary Roach investigates with curiosity, cheek and a surprisingly cheerful tone. It's morbid, fascinating and unexpectedly hilarious. Not one for squeamish readers over dinner, but a brilliant, mind-widening re...
Stiff - The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers: Mary Roach
A Nobel-winning physicist who cracked safes, played the bongos and pranked his colleagues for fun. Richard Feynman's true stories are cheeky, clever and impossible to resist. It's science with a wink, packed into bite-sized tales. You'll finish it wi...
Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman!: Richard P Feynman