Staff Nonfiction Favorites

This book is a beautiful portrait of Prince Edward Island and the forests, meadows, and fields that inspired Anne. Drawing from Montgomery’s archives, her letters and journal entries are interwoven with lush photographs of the place she called home. If you can’t visit Prince Edward Island yourself, this book is the next best thing. - Katherine

Want to understand how the 1% amassed all of their money and power? Want to take power back? Graeber, one of the minds behind Occupy, traces the history of money from the earliest civilizations up to the housing market crash of 2018 and (too big to fail) bail-outs. Graeber introduces new ideas for changing our broken financial system. Viva La Revolution! - Jason

I had to get my hands on this after seeing Bregman's clear, assured take-downs of wealth inequality at Davos and on Tucker Carlson. His vision for a modern utopia where technological advancements benefit humans rather than oppress them includes universal basic income, a 15 hour workweek, and open borders. This radical, ambitious, and knowledgeable plan is a must read! - Clara

An absolute must-read for any true crime fan, this horrifying account of a decades-long California crime spree will have you locking your doors and windows at night. The compassion and bulldog advocacy McNamara brought to the story is truly a new standard for the genre, and the killer was recently apprehended in Sacramento due to her efforts.

Part memoir, part cookbook, each page radiates with feeling and flavor. Beautifully written vignettes of Shaya’s life and the people who shaped his cooking lead into clear and visceral recipes. Simple instructions powerfully evoke flavor, texture, aroma, and heat at every step of the dish. This book is warm and delicious and will keep you reading and, (hopefully) eating. - Jocelyn

For four hundred years to be Irish in Ireland was a crime. Its people, stubborn to a fault, did not take to fetters gently. Thomas Francis Meagher ached for a free Ireland though he spent most of his life in exile. Just in time for the Easter Rising centennial, Egan writes about Meagher with a fervor to match the man’s need for freedom. Meagher’s almost unbelievable life lit a fire in me. - Ivy

"Why write? Life is a cage of empty words" – Edward the Hamster

Thankfully for us, Edward keeps writing, giving us insight to the tormented mind of a uniquely unconventional household pet. Through his suffering, we become enlightened. And could you ask for anything more?

Bolin examines iterations of the "dead girl" trope - from the works of Joan Didion and Raymond Chandler to Twin Peaks and Serial. She explores our fascination with the seemingly endless story of violence done to women's bodies. I recommend for readers willing to interrogate their reasons for tuning in to true crime and to reflect on the ethics of how these stories are told and consumed. - Kristi

Written as imagined life narratives, this is the most interesting history book I've read all year. Hartman revisits old sources about urban, black Philadelphia to interpret them through the overlooked eyes of young black women navigating social change at the turn of the 20th century. Her methodology dials in on women’s lived experiences and reads like short stories. Love! - Clara

In this captivating account of one of history's most brilliant rulers, Pulitzer Prize-winning Stacy Schiff introduces us to a Cleopatra we have not met before and, in this case anyway, truth is far more interesting than fiction. I've been talking about it for years and can't see myself not bringing up this amazing woman in conversation any time soon. Can't recommend it enough! - Emma