Staff Nonfiction Favorites

In 1857, a child was convicted of murdering his mother after her body was found decomposing in their home. This lurid point of entry belies a fascinating and surprisingly compassionate examination of a crime that gripped Victorian London. Like the best crime narratives, its focus is not on the crime itself, but on the extraordinary ways it shaped the lives left in its wake. - Katherine

So sharp! I feel like I laughed out loud every paragraph. Flannery looks at the Europe’s unique roles as a bridge between continents, analyzing paleontology, geology, botany, anthropology and more. Europe couldn't be as funny as it is without a backbone of research. Centuries of scholarship are translated with an irreverent wit that brings the past alive. Absolutely delightful reading. - Clara

Fisher was an actress, geek icon, and a professional screw-up who held nothing back from her audience. She called herself the product of “Hollywood incest” and never failed to find the humor in life. My nerdy little heart reveled in every moment. The secrets are as juicy as expected. More importantly, it’s full of the wit and self-deprecation we expected from our foul-mouthed princess. - Ivy

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?