Recommendations based on Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old Chinaby Paul French

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator

    by Joakim Palmkvist
    A gripping true crime story of a murder investigation in a small Swedish town, led by an unlikely investigator.

    A chilling true crime story of poisonous family secrets, love gone wrong, and a cold case that refused to stay buried…, In late summer of 2012, millionaire landowner Göran Lundblad went missing from ... (Barnes & Noble)

  2. People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo--and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up

    by Richard Lloyd Parry
    A gripping account of a young woman's disappearance and the twisted journey to find her.

    An incisive and compelling account of the case of 21-year-old Lucie Blackman, who stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000 and disappeared forever. The following winter, her ... (Goodreads)

  3. Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory

    by Ben Macintyre
    True story of a WWII deception operation involving a dead body, fake documents, and a daring plan to mislead the Nazis.

    “Pure catnip to fans of World War II thrillers and a lot of fun for everyone else.”—Joseph Kanon,, Washington Post Book World, “Thrilling . . . What makes, Operation Mincemeat, so winning, in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II

    by Mitchell Zuckoff
    Epic story of a WWII air crash survivors' journey through a dangerous and uncharted jungle.

    “A lost world, man-eating tribesmen, lush andimpenetrable jungles, stranded American fliers (one of them a dame withgreat gams , for heaven's sake), a startling rescue mission. . . . This is atrue ... (Goodreads)

  5. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

    by Erik Larson
    A family's struggle to cope with the darkness of Nazi Germany, as seen through one man's courage.

    The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra

    by Helen Rappaport
    Chronicles the lives of Tsar Nicholas II's daughters, and their struggle to survive the Russian Revolution.

    A 12-WEEK NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Helen Rappaport paints a compelling portrait of the doomed grand duchesses." —,People, magazine "The public spoke of the sisters in a gentile, superficial manner, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  7. Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies

    by Ben Macintyre
    A detailed account of British spies and their role in the secret operations of WWII.

    In his celebrated bestsellers, Agent Zigzag, and, Operation Mincemeat, Ben Macintyre told the dazzling true stories of a remarkable WWII double agent and of how the Allies employed a corpse to fool ... (Goodreads)

  8. River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze

    by Peter Hessler
    A memoir of a Peace Corps volunteer's two-year stay in a small Chinese town on the Yangtze River, exploring the culture and history of the region.

    In the heart of China's Sichuan province lies the small city of Fuling. Surrounded by the terraced hills of the Yangtze River valley, Fuling has long been a place of continuity, far from the bustling ... (Goodreads)

  9. My Beloved World

    by Sonia Sotomayor
    Autobiographical account of a Latina's path to the Supreme Court, overcoming personal and systemic obstacles.

    The first Latinx (Puerto Rican) and third woman appointed to the US Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor has become an instant American icon. Now, with a candor and intimacy never undertaken by a sitting ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Road to Character

    by David Brooks
    A journey through the lives of influential figures, exploring how they developed their character and moral compass.

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • David Brooks challenges us to rebalance the scales between the focus on external success—“résumé virtues”—and our core principles. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE ... (Goodreads)

  11. Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal

    by Ben Macintyre
    A thrilling tale of a double agent during World War II who lives a life of deception and espionage.

    Eddie Chapman was a charming criminal, a con man, and a philanderer. He was also one of the most remarkable double agents Britain has ever produced. Inside the traitor was a man of loyalty; inside ... (Goodreads)

  12. How to Read Literature Like a Professor

    by Thomas C. Foster
    A guide to exploring literature’s hidden meanings and uncovering the underlying themes.

    While many books can be enjoyed for their basic stories, there are often deeper meanings interwoven in these literary texts... How to Read Literature Like a Professor helps us to discover those ... (Goodreads)

  13. The Six Wives of Henry VIII

    by Alison Weir
    A historical account of the tumultuous lives of Henry VIII's six wives, their political and religious struggles.

    The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this ... (Goodreads)

  14. Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West

    by Blaine Harden
    True story of a man who escaped from a North Korean prison camp and his journey to freedom.

    A, New York Times, bestseller, the shocking story of one of the few people born in a North Korean political prison to have escaped and survived. North Korea is isolated and hungry, bankrupt and ... (Goodreads)

  15. Life

    by Keith Richards
    A personal journey of a legendary rockstar, reflecting on the highs and lows of his life.

    With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock and roll life. Now, at last, the man ... (Goodreads)

  16. My Life in France

    by Julia Child
    A memoir of Julia Child's life in Paris, cooking and exploring French cuisine.

    The bestselling story of Julia's years in France–and the basis for Julie & Julia , starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams--in her own words. Although she would later singlehandedly create a new approach ... (Goodreads)

  17. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders

    by Vincent Bugliosi
    A detailed account of the Manson Family and their brutal murders, as well as the trial that followed.

    Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial, Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the twentieth century: the cold-blooded Tate-LaBianca ... (Goodreads)

  18. One Summer: America, 1927

    by Bill Bryson
    A vivid portrait of America in the summer of 1927, featuring a host of historical figures and events.

    In One Summer Bill Bryson, one of our greatest and most beloved nonfiction writers, transports readers on a journey back to one amazing season in American life. The summer of 1927 began with one of ... (Goodreads)

  19. Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

    by Katherine Boo
    Explores the lives of the people living in Mumbai's slums and the harsh realities they face.

    From Pulitzer Prize-winner Katherine Boo, a landmark work of narrative nonfiction that tells the dramatic and sometimes heartbreaking story of families striving toward a better life in one of the ... (Goodreads)

  20. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

    by Barbara Demick
    Exploration of the lives of North Koreans during the famine and repression of the 1990s.

    Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the unchallenged rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and the ... (Goodreads)

  21. The Wright Brothers

    by David McCullough
    The story of the Wright brothers and their pioneering invention of the airplane.

    Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found, here, Two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize David McCullough tells the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who ... (Goodreads)

  22. We Were Soldiers Once... and Young: Ia Drang - The Battle that Changed the War in Vietnam

    by Harold G. Moore
    An account of the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam, told from the perspective of the soldiers who fought it.

    Each year, the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps selects one book that he believes is both relevant and timeless for reading by all Marines. The Commandant's choice for 1993 was We Were Soldiers ... (Goodreads)

  23. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

    by Reza Aslan
    An examination of Jesus' life, death and legacy within the context of 1st century Judea.

    From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Guns of August

    by Barbara W. Tuchman
    A riveting account of the events leading up to World War I and its devastating consequences.

    Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time The Proud Tower, the Pulitzer Prize–winning The Guns of August, and The Zimmerman Telegram comprise Barbara W. ... (Goodreads)

  25. Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

    by Michael Lewis
    How an unconventional approach to baseball changed the competitive landscape.

    Billy Beane, general manager of MLB's Oakland A's and protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball , had a problem: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that's smaller than that of nearly every ... (Goodreads)

  26. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

    by Malcolm Gladwell
    An exploration of unlikely success stories, examining conventional wisdom and biases.

    In his #1 bestselling books The Tipping Point , Blink , and Outliers , Malcolm Gladwell has explored the ways we understand and change our world. Now he looks at the complex and surprising ways the ... (Goodreads)

  27. Twelve Years a Slave

    by Solomon Northup
    A man's journey of survival and resilience after being kidnapped and sold into slavery in the antebellum South.

    Twelve Years a Slave, sub-title: Narrative of Solomon Northup, citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the Red River in ... (Goodreads)

  28. Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    Epic tale of exploration and adventure as Lewis and Clark traverse the American wilderness.

    'This was much more than a bunch of guys out on an exploring and collecting expedition. This was a military expedition into hostile territory'. In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his ... (Goodreads)

  29. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    A comprehensive study of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the unique cabinet he assembled.

    Winner of the Lincoln Prize Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from ... (Goodreads)

  30. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

    by Jung Chang
    A family memoir spanning decades of Chinese history, exploring the power of resilience.

    The story of three generations in twentieth-century China that blends the intimacy of memoir and the panoramic sweep of eyewitness history—a bestselling classic in thirty languages with more than ten ... (Goodreads)