# Please recommend a nonfiction vacation book

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-nonfiction-vacation-book/1019371>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** books-writing-myths\
**Created:** [June 9, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-nonfiction-vacation-book/1019371 "2025-06-09T14:50:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-nonfiction-vacation-book/1019371/61 "2025-06-19T13:22:39Z")

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> [@madmonk28](#):
>
> Books I consider perfect vacation books:
> 
> Devil in the White City and all of Larsen’s other books  
> The Match King  
> The Lost City of Z  
> Night of the Grizzlies

You might consider **The Lost City of the Monkey God** by Douglas Preston (who mainly writes technothrillers, either alone or in collaboration with Lincoln Childs). This is one of three or so nonfiction books he wrote.

You might also consider a book I’m in the middle of **A History of the World in 80 Lost Women** by Katie Nelson and Olivia Meikle. Very light, humorous reading, but they take their history seriously. Lots of information about influential women in history that you never heard of. The book just came out, and they do their research, so it’s up-to-date. Lots of fun and educational.

Also, if I may immodest, if you like books about over-a-century-old amusement parks and the personalities involved (as in Devil in the White City), have a look at **Lost Wonderland: The Brief and Brilliant Life of Boston’s Million Dollar Amusement Park** by Stephen R. Wilk. Definitely worth a look [www.lost-wonderland.com](http://www.lost-wonderland.com)

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**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-nonfiction-vacation-book/1019371/62 "2025-06-19T13:24:01Z")

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Back from vacation and about half way through my book, so I’ll need another. Lots of good recs here.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-nonfiction-vacation-book/1019371/63 "2025-06-19T16:51:20Z")

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> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> Also, if I may immodest, if you like books about over-a-century-old amusement parks and the personalities involved (as in Devil in the White City), have a look at **Lost Wonderland: The Brief and Brilliant Life of Boston’s Million Dollar Amusement Park** by Stephen R. Wilk. Definitely worth a look

I read, enjoyed and reviewed his _Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon_ , and I highly recommend it. Same with _The Traveler_.

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