Non-Fiction Books

Born a Crime (2016) by Trevor Noah

(Stories from a South African Childhood) 

Genre: Autobiography

Comedian Trevor Noah, originally from South Africa but now residing and working in the US, is known for being able to combine humour with sharp analysis. He shows this in his television show on Comedy Central every week, and on Stand Up stages. In his autobiography, he focuses on the challenging but also humorous aspects of his childhood during Apartheid South Africa. Unsurprisingly, this book is both entertaining and deeply thought-provoking.

Into Thin Air (1997) by Jon Krakauer

Genre: Travel 

A classic among travel literature, this novel is based on a real expedition to Mount Everest in 1996, which ended in a disaster. Journalist Jon Krakauer was part of the  expedition to write an article for a magazine, and later wrote this novel after the situation turned out to be more extraordinary than expected. Even though the novel has been criticised by some in the mountaineering world as partly inaccurate, it remains a great novel to read.

(Note: The film "Everest" (2015) is not strictly speaking based on this novel, but tells the same event. Krakauer is one of the protagonists.)

Lean In (2013) by Sheryl Sandberg

(Women, Work, and the Will to Lead)

Genre: Business

Sheryl Sandberg has been a successful and well-known business woman already before writing this book on women in the business world in America. Since then, she has spent more time with public speaking and consulting on women's roles in companies. While not all her ideas are applicable to other fields of work, her book is an interesting insight into some of the challenges she faced in the male-dominated tech-world of California.  

In Cold Blood (1965) by Truman Capote

Genre: Reimagination of real events

Celebrated author Truman Capote, known mainly for his fiction such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's", created a literary sensation when he went to do research on a  gruesome crime in Kansas, and ended up writing a widely celebrated non-fiction novel about it. A genre that is now very common in television (e.g. "Mindhunters" or "American Crime Story"), this was unusual at the time, and makes for a gripping reading experience.

A Room of One's Own (1929) by Virginia Woolf

Genre: Essay

Considered to be an essential feminist text, this extended essay discusses the both physical and figurative space needed to be creative. This can of course be adapted to many other concepts nowadays, in forms of work that were not yet available to women in 1929 when Virginia Woolf wrote this text. The freedom and opportunity that come with having a room of one's own, without being disturbed or in danger of being evicted, is an issue that rings very true in times of confinement. 

These Truths (2018) by Jill Lepore

Genre: Politics

A recent publication by esteemed American history professor Jill Lepore, this book deals with American history in a way that is shedding a new light on thing from a perspective of today. Especially the chapters towards the end, dealing with the most recent decades, are very interesting in light of how American politics has changed. 

The Art of Happiness (1998) by the Dalai Lama

Genre: Biography

I read this book when travelling to Tibet, when I was in general reflecting a lot on the 14th Dalai Lama and his ideas. Written together with psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler, who asked questions to the Dalai Lama and discussed them with him, this book is deeply inspiring. It explains the purpose of life as seen by His Holiness, as well as very practical advice on how to deal with obstacles and emotions such as anxiety and anger. 

Walking the Nile (2015) by Levison Wood

Genre: Travel

The former British Army officer and explorer Levison Wood is no doubt one of the greatest travel writers of our time. His literature is so great because his trips are always spectacular and lead to unexpected experiences. In this novel, he narrates his trip of walking the entire length of the River Nile, which seems an impossible feat. All his books are worth reading, depending on your geographical interest read "Walking the Himalayas" or "Walking the Americas".

(See also my post on Levison Wood, which includes further info and some links)

Just Mercy (2014) by Bryan Stevenson

 (A Story of Justice and Redemption)

Genre: Autobiography/Politics

Lawyer Bryan Stevenson has been an influential figure in the legal world, working towards justice for African American prisoners, especially on Death Row. He retells his own path, how he became interested in helping people who had nobody standing up for them while being a young law student, and how his work has developed since then. An inspiring  reading experience.

(Note: The 2020 adaptation with Michael B. Jordan is also worth watching.)

We Should All Be Feminists (2013) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

Genre: TED Talk turned into a book

Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has written several novels which have been very successful worldwide, and made her an important African voice of our time. This gave her the opportunity to give several TED talks, in one of whom (in 2013) she discusses feminism. While her ideas might have been groundbreaking to some, they are just common sense and far from being radical for others. It has become essential reading for both men and women.

(You can also watch the TED talk here instead.)