What are fiction and nonfiction book pairings? They’re two books that share a connection, and when read together, totally elevates your reading experience!
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Think of fiction and nonfiction book pairings like wine pairings (a bold Cab Sav and dark chocolate or a crisp Sav Blanc and sharp cheddar) or your favorite food combinations (mac and cheese or bacon and eggs). Some things just go better together.
In books, if you’re reading a fiction title, try pairing it with a nonfiction book!
To make this literary combo work, find a common thread between the two genres. The connection could be a similar subject that relates to the novel you’re reading. Or the nonfiction book could give you factual background knowledge about the setting, time period, or characters in your fiction story.
For this list, I paired a bestseller (in fiction or nonfiction) with a related book that you may not have come across but is so worth the read!
What is fiction vs nonfiction?
As a writer and a reader, even I had to double-check exactly what makes a book fiction or nonfiction. Basically, it comes down to whether the story is imagined or based on facts.
Fiction refers to made-up narratives in which the storyline, characters, and events evolve from the author’s creativity. You’ll find plot twists, imaginative settings, and characters that may not exist in reality.
Nonfiction sticks with the facts (and only the facts), presenting events, people, and concepts based on real-life experiences that can be verified as true. Nonfiction provides readers with accurate and objective real-world accounts and includes genres like biography, history, science, and journalism.
What fiction and nonfiction book pairings work best together?
Save for Later…
Famous People by Justin Kuritzkes and The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
In the memoir, The Woman in Me, we finally hear from long-silenced Britney Spears as she spills the tea on her tumultuous life behind the scenes as one of the most famous pop music performers. Speaking of “famous,” pair this powerful and highest-selling celebrity memoir with the lesser-known fictional account, Famous People, by Justin Kuritzkes.
This fiction/nonfiction book pairing follows a “he said/she said” theme. After or as you read Britney’s memoir, pick up Famous People, which one top Amazon reviewer aptly describes as “the diary of an alternate reality Justin Bieber.”
Or, for another fiction book pairing option …
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
In the honorable mention book pairing category, you could go with a “women in music” theme and pair The Woman in Me with the wildly popular (and for a good reason) Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which is such a fun read about a lead singer and band’s rise to fame in the 70s and said to be loosely based on Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac.
Buy Daisy Jones & The Six on Amazon | Bookshop.org | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz
This book pairing gets a chef’s kiss!
In Lessons in Chemistry, Elizabeth Zott is a gifted chemist trying to succeed in the male-dominated field in the 1960s. In a twist, Elizabeth becomes the unlikely host and star of a beloved American cooking show.
Of course, when you think of an intelligent woman hosting a 1960s cooking show, you can’t help but picture Julia Child on The French Chef signing off with a hearty, “Bon appétit!” However, Julia Child was so much more than a TV chef, as you’ll learn in this entertaining biography by Bob Spitz.
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll and The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy by Elizabeth Kendall and Molly Kendall
If your idea of relaxing is reading (or watching) about murderers and serial killers, then this book pairing is for you!
In Bright Young Women, a pulse-racing read, Pamela Schumacher, who survived a murderous scene at her Florida sorority house, and Tina Cannon, who’s searching for the murderer of her friend, work together to find justice.
Pair this exhilarating fictional account with the nonfiction story about the real-life serial killer that Bright Young Women is based on, Ted Bundy. Read the updated and expanded version of the 1981 memoir of Elizabeth Kendall, who had a six-year relationship with Bundy. It’s an amazing yet chilling read!
All the Broken Places by John Boyne and Irena’s Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar J. Mazzeo
For a satisfying and fascinating historical fiction/World War II history book pairing, begin with All the Broken Places. In this fictional story, ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby befriends a little boy, Henry, who lives in the apartment below her. The boy’s unstable living circumstances cause Gretel to recall traumatic memories of her escape from Nazi Germany when she was 12. Inspired by her regrets from the past, Gretel risks all to save the young boy from harm.
Pair this emotionally gripping read with the remarkable true story of another brave woman, Irena Sendler. As a social worker in 1942, Irena gained access to a Warsaw ghetto where she encountered trapped Jewish families awaiting a terrible fate. Irena smuggled thousands of children of these families to safety through perilous conditions.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden and Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir That Inspired “Upstairs, Downstairs” and “Downton Abbey” by Margaret Powell
This book pairing shares the theme of “maids.” As a character choice or the subject of a biography, stories that focus on a maid tend to have a curious feel. After all, a maid begins as an outsider who’s granted access to the inside of the most impressive homes containing affluent families and their secrets.
For the fiction portion of this pairing, get ready for a wild ride with plot twists you may not see coming. The Housemaid, book one of a 3-part series, shares the first-person point of view of the newly hired maid. While the story begins benignly, it soon takes a dark turn that will have you turning pages and neglecting your own household chores!
Pair this captivating fiction read with the delightful and charming biography of Margaret Powell and the true story of her life serving in the great houses of England. Unlike its fictional pairing, you can unwind and relax with this humorous account.
What fiction and nonfiction book pairings will you come up with?
I hope you enjoyed these ideas for book pairings! Remember, have fun with it, and get creative. Reading a great book is a rewarding experience on its own, but pairing it with a related read can lead to a deeper understanding of the subject. Like I said in the title, with a book pairing, you’ll double your reading fun!
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