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Quick answer: If you loved Erik Larson, read Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, then Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, then David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon, The Wager and The Lost City of Z, and Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat and Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken. All are gripping narrative history.
Erik Larson writes narrative nonfiction such as The Devil in the White City. These picks share his gift for turning history into a thriller.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Devil in the White City | Erik Larson | Adult | history plus murder |
| In Cold Blood | Truman Capote | Adult | readers who want the classic |
| Killers of the Flower Moon | David Grann | Adult | more Grann |
| The Wager | David Grann | Adult | shipwreck survival |
| The Boys in the Boat | Daniel James Brown | Adult | Olympic rowers |
| Unbroken | Laura Hillenbrand | Adult | survival in captivity |
| The Lost City of Z | David Grann | Adult | jungle exploration |
| The Great Influenza | John M. Barry | Adult | pandemic history |
| The Zookeeper's Wife | Diane Ackerman | Adult | true stories |
| Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | John Berendt | Adult | southern gothic |
| Over the Edge of the World | Laurence Bergreen | Adult | Magellan's voyage |
| Fallout | Lesley M.M. Blume | Adult | readers who like journalism |
| Black Hawk Down | Mark Bowden | Adult | military reportage |
| Undaunted Courage | Stephen E. Ambrose | Adult | exploration history |
| Eighty Days | Matthew Goodman | Adult | readers who want true stories |
1. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
A serial killer lurks around the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Narrative nonfiction with a thriller pace.
Best for: history plus murder.
2. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Capote's nonfiction novel about the Clutter family murders in Kansas. A literary true-crime landmark.
Best for: readers who want the classic.
3. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Murders of Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma lead to the early FBI. Grann's best-known work, gripping and well researched.
Best for: more Grann.
4. The Wager by David Grann
A British warship wrecks off Patagonia in 1741, and the survivors tell conflicting stories. A tense sea adventure.
Best for: shipwreck survival.
5. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
An American rowing crew rises to win gold in 1936. Inspiring and moving.
Best for: Olympic rowers.
6. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
An Olympic runner survives a plane crash and a Japanese prison camp. Epic and harrowing.
Best for: survival in captivity.
7. The Lost City of Z by David Grann
A journalist follows the trail of explorer Percy Fawcett into the Amazon. Gripping and atmospheric.
Best for: jungle exploration.
8. The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
The 1918 flu pandemic told through scientists and cities. Detailed and compelling.
Best for: pandemic history.
9. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
A Polish zookeeper and his wife shelter Jews in the Warsaw Zoo. Gentle and brave.
Best for: true stories.
10. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
A visitor to Savannah gets involved in a murder case. Atmospheric and quirky.
Best for: southern gothic.
11. Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen
The first circumnavigation of the globe, told in detail. Epic and brutal.
Best for: Magellan's voyage.
12. Fallout by Lesley M.M. Blume
How a journalist revealed the human cost of Hiroshima and changed history. Short and gripping.
Best for: readers who like journalism.
13. Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden
A minute-by-minute account of a 1993 US raid in Mogadishu. Gripping and based on interviews.
Best for: military reportage.
14. Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose
The story of Lewis and Clark and the first journey across the continent. Detailed and gripping.
Best for: exploration history.
15. Eighty Days by Matthew Goodman
The real race of 1889 between reporters Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland to circle the world. Fascinating nonfiction.
Best for: readers who want true stories.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Erik Larson: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Erik Larson. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For true crime, read In Cold Blood. For history, try Undaunted Courage or The Boys in the Boat. For the best narrative nonfiction, pick Killers of the Flower Moon.
Related: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann: Summary and Key Takeaways · The Lost City of Z by David Grann: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Erik Larson?
An American author and journalist.
What is his best-known book?
The Devil in the White City.
Is it fiction?
No, it is narrative nonfiction.
Which book here is best for readers who want true stories?
Try Eighty Days by Matthew Goodman, which suits readers looking for readers who want true stories.
Which book here is best for exploration history?
Try Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose, which suits readers looking for exploration history.
Which book here is best for military reportage?
Try Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, which suits readers looking for military reportage.
Which book here is best for readers who like journalism?
Try Fallout by Lesley M.M. Blume, which suits readers looking for readers who like journalism.