Nonfiction that Reads Like Fiction/Intelligent Fiction

Try these books if you're looking for:

• creative non-fiction
• witty fiction
• intelligent writing style
• not cheesy

The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of the Ancient Bible 
By Matti Friedman
221.44 FRI 2012
The Aleppo Codex is a manuscript copy of the Old Testament created during the 10th century. In 1947 the codex was thought to have been destroyed in a fire when Arabs staged anti-Jewish riots in Aleppo. Then the codex turned out not to have been destroyed only damaged—pieces scattered and portions burned. The question of what damage occurred and when is one of the subjects of this book. Friedman is an investigative journalist who has dug thoroughly into the story of codex—especially the part of the story from 1947 until the present day—and it is a fascinating story. A mix of history, mystery, and thriller, Friedman has put together a great read.

Close Range: Wyoming Stories 
By Annie Proulx
F PROULX
Annie Proulx is an award winning author and a journalist. Her "westerns" are not typical at all--nevertheless they are evocative and beautifully written stories of the West featuring compelling characters, bleak landscapes, and interesting storylines.

The Kitchen God’s Wife 
By Amy Tan
F TAN
Although this novel begins and ends in California, the bulk of the story is set in mid-twentieth century China. Winnie tells her life story to her grown daughter—a story of a lonely childhood followed by an arranged marriage to a self-centered, second-rate businessman lacking honor and integrity. By her own wits and sense of values, her friendships, and more than a bit of luck, Winnie not only survives her marriage and Japanese bomb raids, but marries an American soldier, immigrates to the United States and settles in California. This is an inspiring, triumphant story of one woman’s courage.