Hello, lovely readers!
It’s a new month, which means it’s time for another round of book recommendations! If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know how much I love sharing what I’ve been reading. Today’s post is extra special because I’m focusing entirely on non-fiction books—something I don’t do very often in my recommendations.
Before we dive in, I wanted to let you know that you can watch the video version of these recommendations below if you prefer to see me chat about these books rather than read about them. (Though I personally love having both options available!)
Watch the Video Version
Life Update Before We Begin
Quick life update before we get into the recommendations—if my voice sounds a bit off in the video, it’s because I’ve been battling one cold after another for the past couple of months. Between Julia bringing home daycare germs, then passing them to me, then to my husband, and back again… it’s been a never-ending cycle!
I’ve tested negative for COVID and strep multiple times, so it’s just one of those joys of parenthood that nobody warns you about—the constant carousel of colds that circulate through your household once you have kids. But we’re rolling with it!
Book Recommendation Milestone!
A quick note that this is actually my 15th book recommendation post/video on my channel! That means I’ve now recommended 75 different books over the past three years. SEVENTY-FIVE! When I think back to how I barely read 1-4 books a year after college, it makes me so proud to see how far I’ve come with my reading habit.
If you’re new here, I have a whole treasure trove of book recommendations in my archives, covering everything from romance to thrillers to literary fiction—and now more non-fiction!
My 5 Non-Fiction Recommendations
1. “Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty” by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
I was absolutely fascinated by this book. I’ve known about the Vanderbilt family for years—that they were this incredibly wealthy, powerful dynasty in New York long ago—but what I didn’t realize was that Anderson Cooper (yes, the CNN journalist!) is actually part of this family. His mother was Gloria Vanderbilt, though he carries his father’s last name.
What makes this book special is that it’s written from the perspective of someone actually in the family, rather than an outside historian. Cooper traces the family’s history from his great-great-great-grandfather Cornelius Vanderbilt, who started by working on boats transporting goods between Manhattan and Staten Island. From these humble beginnings, the family’s wealth grew exponentially, eventually owning most of the railroads in the US at one point.
But what goes up must come down, and Cooper doesn’t shy away from documenting how family rifts and poor financial planning led to the dynasty’s eventual decline. By the time Cooper was growing up, most of the Vanderbilt fortune was gone, and he built his career as a journalist through his own merit.
For New Yorkers like me (or anyone who loves NYC history), this book is particularly special because it details the stories behind many famous buildings and landmarks that still exist today. Some of the magnificent mansions where the Vanderbilts once lived and held lavish parties are now hotels or have been repurposed—little pieces of history hidden in plain sight throughout the city.
I actually ended up purchasing a physical copy after initially reading it digitally because I wanted to see the photos included in the book. Five out of five stars—I couldn’t recommend it more highly!
(Side note: I shared this recommendation on my Instagram stories a while back and tagged Anderson Cooper. He actually reposted it and sent me a quick thank you message! It was such a nice gesture that made me appreciate him even more as a person.)
2. “My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress” by Rachel DeLoache Williams
You might have watched “Inventing Anna” on Netflix—the show about Anna Delvey, the woman who pretended to be a German heiress and conned her way into New York high society. After watching the series, I was so intrigued that I had to learn more about what actually happened beyond the dramatized TV version.
This book is written by Rachel DeLoache Williams, who was a writer for Vanity Fair and one of Anna’s close friends during this whole saga. She tells the story of how she met Anna, was initially dazzled by her apparent wealth and lifestyle, and then slowly started noticing cracks in Anna’s stories. The whole situation culminated in that infamous trip to Morocco where Rachel ended up putting thousands of dollars on her credit card (that Anna was supposed to pay back), which started the unraveling of Anna’s entire scheme.
It’s fascinating to read Rachel’s first-hand account of being drawn into Anna’s web and how she came to realize she was being conned. While the Netflix show took some creative liberties, this book gives you the real story from someone who lived it. I’d give it about 3 out of 5 stars—it’s a compelling read, especially if you enjoyed the show and want to know more about what really happened.
3. “The Palace Papers” by Tina Brown
I’ve mentioned before that I’m oddly fascinated by the British royal family. This is always a bit of a contradiction for me since I’m definitely a democratic republic kind of girl at heart (being from Argentina originally and now living in the US). I don’t particularly support the concept of monarchy as a system, but I find the history and drama of the Windsor family absolutely captivating.
“The Palace Papers” splits its focus between four key women in the modern royal family: Camilla (now Queen), Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and the late Queen Elizabeth II. Each woman gets about a quarter of the book dedicated to her story—her background, how she came to be connected with the royal family, and her impact on the monarchy.
Tina Brown is a journalist who has covered the royals for decades, and she includes tons of details about Kate’s relationship with William, Meghan’s relationship with Harry and their eventual departure from royal duties, and Queen Elizabeth’s remarkable reign. While you should take some of the behind-closed-doors insights with a grain of salt (as with any royal reporting), the book is incredibly well-researched and gives you a comprehensive look at the modern monarchy.
If you’re at all interested in the royal family, this is a great read that I’d give about 3.5-4 out of 5 stars. It’s quite thick but worth the time investment for royal enthusiasts.
4. “The Diana Chronicles” by Tina Brown
After reading “The Palace Papers,” I discovered that Tina Brown had written an earlier book specifically about Princess Diana. “The Diana Chronicles” covers Diana’s entire life—from her childhood and upbringing to her meeting Prince Charles, having William and Harry, her struggles within the royal family, and ultimately her tragic death in 1997.
It also examines how Diana’s death shook the monarchy to its core and forced the royal family to change their ways. She truly was “the people’s princess,” and this book helps you understand why she had such an enormous impact on both the royal family and the public.
While I appreciate Brown’s thorough reporting and the incredible amount of information packed into this book, I will say there were moments where the author’s pro-monarchy stance became a bit much for me. At one point, she even makes a dismissive comment about democratic systems where people elect new leaders every few years, suggesting that’s somehow “confusing” compared to hereditary monarchy. As someone who values democracy, I found that take a bit jarring!
Still, if you’re interested in Diana’s story, I’d recommend reading this book before “The Palace Papers,” as it gives you important context for understanding the modern royal family. I’d give it about 3-4 out of 5 stars.
5. “Spare” by Prince Harry
And finally, we have “Spare” by Prince Harry himself. This book offers something entirely different from the previous two royal books—an insider’s perspective from someone who was actually born into the monarchy.
What makes “Spare” unique is that you rarely get to hear about royal life from someone who actually lived it. Harry shares memories of his boarding school days, Christmas celebrations with his family, and precious recollections of his mother, Princess Diana. He talks candidly about growing up as “the spare” to his brother William (the heir), his time serving in Afghanistan with the Royal Air Force, his various relationships before meeting Meghan, and ultimately, his decision to step back from royal duties.
The book also delves into his once-close relationship with William and how it deteriorated over time, leading to their current estrangement. You get a sense of how truly unique and complicated Harry’s life has been—having immense privilege while simultaneously dealing with intense media scrutiny, paparazzi harassment, and the constraints of royal protocol.
While I found the beginning of the book a bit slow to get through, once I got about 25% in, I couldn’t put it down. The rawness of Harry’s storytelling makes it feel like he’s determined to tell his own story on his own terms, preventing others from controlling his narrative or profiting from sharing his secrets.
If you’re interested in the royal family, I’d give this book about 3-4 stars out of 5. It’s definitely a different perspective from the typical royal biography and offers insights you won’t find anywhere else.
My Reading Journey
As I mentioned earlier, this is my 15th book recommendation post, which feels like a real milestone! My channel will turn three years old in October, which means I’ve been sharing book recommendations every 2-3 months consistently since I started.
Reading has been a part of my life since childhood—my mom instilled this love in both me and my sister from a young age. But like many of us, I fell out of the habit during university when I had to read so much for my courses that reading for pleasure fell by the wayside. After graduating, I struggled to get back into recreational reading and was only finishing a handful of books each year.
One of the few silver linings of 2020 was rediscovering my love of reading. With less work and more time at home, I signed up for a library card, discovered I could borrow free Kindle books, and started devouring stories on my iPad (later upgrading to a proper Kindle). I ended up reading 24 books that year—a personal record of two per month!
I maintained that pace in 2021 with another 24 books, then read 22 books in 2022 despite being pregnant for most of the year and then becoming a new mom. This year, I’m on track for about 12 books, which feels like a win given all my new responsibilities.
Looking back at these 75 book recommendations makes me incredibly proud of maintaining this habit and creating this content for you all. I truly hope that among these recommendations, you’ve found at least a few books that resonated with you!
Stay Connected
If you love books and book recommendations as much as I do, make sure to follow me on Instagram (@FloPereira) where I share what I’m currently reading in my stories. You can also find a highlight dedicated to books on my profile.
I also recommend following me on Goodreads (username: flopereira) where I update what I’m reading and rate books before they make it into my formal recommendations.
What are you currently reading? Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Let me know in the comments below!
Happy reading!
Flor
P.S. If you’re looking for more recommendations, don’t forget to check out my previous book recommendation posts. With 75 total recommendations across various genres, I’m pretty confident you’ll find something you’ll love!
