What to read: 10 interesting books based on real events

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker has compiled a selection of books for those who love exciting but true stories.

1. "The Mysterious Story of Billy Milligan" by Daniel Keyes

Billy Milligan is the first person in US history to be found not guilty of crimes due to dissociative identity disorder: 24 personalities coexisted in him. Daniel Keyes's book is a documentary novel that reliably tells the story of Milligan. If you are fascinated by the biographies of the mentally ill, the nature and symptoms of their diseases, "The Mysterious Story of Billy Milligan" you will love too.

2. "Zodiac", Robert Graysmith

Zodiac is perhaps the most famous serial killer, whose identity has not yet been identified. He became famous not only for his crimes, but also for his interactions with the media and the police. Zodiac sent letters with codes to newspapers demanding to publish them on the front pages and was always one step ahead of investigators.

Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, has been obsessed with the mystery of a maniac for 13 years. In the book, he published the results of his investigation and offered his own view of the identity of the killer.

3. "American Tragedy", Theodore Dreiser

An instructive story of Clyde Griffiths, who from a young age dreamed of a luxurious life and a place in a secular society. Obsession with this dream brought the hero to a crime.

The plot is based on the murder of his girlfriend Grace Brown in 1906 by Chester Gillette. Gillette's story is just one of such precedents (there were about 15 in total) that inspired Theodore Dreiser to write American Tragedy.

4. "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts

An autobiographical novel by Gregory David Roberts, a former drug addict and robber who escaped from an Australian prison. Once in Bombay, the hero quickly makes acquaintances in criminal circles, is engaged in the smuggling and trade of weapons, and soon becomes a significant figure in the Indian mafia.

Roberts' amazing story has a happy ending: Gregory is now a law-abiding citizen, reunited with his family.

5. Lust for Life by Irving Stone

Irving Stone's novel about the life of the famous Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. The author researched the artist's correspondence with his brother Theo, which allowed him to reliably recreate the history of the creation of "The Potato Eaters", "Sunflowers" and other paintings, as well as the biography of the genius who fell into madness and committed suicide at the age of 37.

6. "Catch Me If You Can" by Frank William Abagnale

The autobiography of Frank Abagnale, who crossed the line at 16. Hiding from law enforcement agencies, he forged documents and successfully performed the roles of a pilot, lawyer or doctor. The scam experience also helped Abagnale earn his first legal million.

"Catch Me If You Can" tells the amazing story of an adventurer who seems to be the winner in any situation.

7. "The Dyatlov Pass, or the Mystery of the Nine", Anna Matveeva

The death of the Dyatlov group in the mountains of the Northern Urals is a terrible and mysterious story, the decisive role in which is attributed to either the military or aliens. Anna Matveeva, in her story, narrates on behalf of a girl who is investigating the mystery of the Dyatlov Pass. The book reliably contains a number of facts about the tragedy. The author also offers 16 possible reasons for the death of the tourist group, along the way assessing their likelihood.

8. "Thin Air" by John Krakauer

Again tragedy, again mountains. This time, John Krakauer talks about the deaths of climbers while climbing Mount Everest on May 11, 1996, when eight members of the expedition died as a result of bad weather and poor preparation. Krakauer did not restore the chronology of events from the archives - he himself was a member of the tour group.

Each of the survivors tells the story of this tragedy in their own way. "In Thin Air" is probably the most popular version of the development of events.

9. "Stolen Life" by Jaycee Lee Dugard

"The Stolen Life" is the story of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped as a child by the married couple Garrido and spent 18 years in prison. In captivity, she gave birth to two daughters, whom she then passed off as younger sisters. This story becomes even more terrible because of the manifestation of the Stockholm syndrome: the victim could get in touch with relatives more than once, but until recently she defended her kidnappers.

10. Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman

The autobiographical story of Piper Kerman, which formed the basis of the series of the same name. After graduating from university, the heroine Piper gets involved with drugs, enters into same-sex romantic relationships and even goes to a rather serious crime. 11 years later, the reckoning overtakes the already law-abiding Piper.

Kerman's story tells about a year spent in the walls of a women's prison, about the relationship of prisoners and a meeting with a former mistress who made the heroine commit a crime 11 years ago.