Senior book lovers who've made resolutions for the new year to branch into nonfiction or older adults who love to learn might want to add one of the books below to their to-be-read pile.
Older adults who enjoy true crime podcasts or television shows may want to check out this nonfiction novel by Truman Capote. It tells the story of the Clutter family murders, which occurred in Kansas in 1959. Capote traveled to the area to interview people about the case before it was solved, and many people consider In Cold Blood to be the first true-crime nonfiction novel.
Whether you're an older adult of faith or someone interested in all types of theology, C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity is an excellent nonfiction choice. This book addresses fundamental topics to Christianity, including the existence of God. It's filled with Lewis's signature logic and compelling metaphors.
The Washington Post reporters who broke the Watergate scandal story in the '70s tell the entire story in All the President's Men. Readers interested in history or the role of the press in politics may find this book interesting.
This memoir was published after Hemingway's death and tells the story of his early writing years. Literature lovers may enjoy the backstory of one of America's great writers.
This book follows a handful of survivors and the struggles they faced while trying to rebuild their lives after the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Hersey takes readers through the chaos in the aftermath of the bombing, the radiation sickness many suffered and the ongoing efforts of people to return to any kind of normalcy.
If you ever wished you'd taken a philosophy class in college or enjoy a good logical argument, Meditations on First Philosophy may be a good book to dig into. This foundational philosophy text is typically required reading for college philosophy studies, and it's one of the more accessible philosophy texts of its time.
The full title of this book is Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. The book is part memoir and part essay collection, with a smidge of self-help. Katherine May writes about a season of hardship she experienced and how wintering through such times can come with its own power and beauty.
Gorgeous prose and a meandering storyteller style make this book somewhat whimsical even though May addresses serious situations and universal experiences like loss, grief and fear.
Galileo's oldest daughter was a cloistered nun who kept an ongoing correspondence with her father for years. Some of these letters survived through the decades, and Dava Sobel uses the information in them along with in-depth research to create a compelling narrative regarding the life of Galileo.
Galileo's Daughter tells the story of Galileo's work in science against a backdrop of his family and social relationships. It also captures the delicate balance required between faith and scientific research during that time.
This short book presents an accessible guide to some of the main topics of astrophysics. Neil deGrasse Tyson is well-known for his ability to distill complex topics into bite-size chunks, and he does a great job of exploring concepts such as dark matter, dark energy and black holes in a way non-astrophysicists can understand and even enjoy.
This is a great nonfiction book for anyone interested in these topics but overwhelmed by the large tomes many others in the field have written.
In the winter of 1943, more than 200 French women were transported to Auschwitz after being arrested for participating in the French Resistance. A Train in Winter tells the harrowing tale of these women, who become bonded by suffering.
Moorehead's powerful book is certainly not a light read, and the first few chapters can be daunting, as they're full of names, places and facts. However, older adults interested in World War II history who push further into this book are rewarded with a story that demonstrates the power of enduring friendship and the true resilience of the human spirit.
