The Books We Loved

Nonfiction that reads like Fiction

Jul 30, 2025 · 39 min · Episode 83 · 43.7 MB
0:00-39:22

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Olivia and Manda are joined by Hannah (from Community Engagement), for a rousing conversation about nonfiction books that are so fascinating that they read like fiction. Books chatted about today include:

  • Stiff: the Curious Life of Human Cadavers, Mary Roach
  • Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist, Jasmin Graham
  • Soul of an Octopus, Sy Montgomery
  • Unbroken: a World War II story of survival, resilience, and redemption, Laura Hillenbrand
  • Nobody Will Tell You This But Me, Bess Kalb
  • Lab Girl, Hope Jahren
  • Good Talk, Mira Jacob
  • Fun Home, Alison Bechdel 
  • Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
  • The Devil in the White City, Eric Larson
  • The Poisoner's Handbook, Deborah Blum
  • The Ghost Map, Steven Johnson
  • Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot