5 Non-Fiction Summer Beach Books

Whether tanning on the beach, lazing in the hammock, or relaxing on the porch, nothing makes the time fly like a great summer book. If you're looking for a few beach books to get you started, try these 5 non-fiction titles.

Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of by Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War IIby Mitchell Zuckoff.

Fans of Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken will likely enjoy Zuckoff's amazing but true narrative of one of the most daring wartime rescue missions ever attempted. Towards the end of WWII, a plane carrying 24 members of the U.S. military crashed in a remote New Guinea jungle. Three survived, with barely any food or water, and no means of communication. Oh, and the jungle was known for its cannibalistic inhabitants. The beach never looked so good.

Hellhound on His Trail: The Electrifying Account of the Largest Manhunt in American History
by Hampton Sides.

This white knuckle narrative by Sides chronicles the lesser known side of an event that drew blood straight from the heart of American history. After Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King was assassinated by escaped convict James Earl Ray, the nation witnessed the single largest manhunt in recorded history. Ray's bizarre character traits and the shocking events that detail his capture will have you riveted, so don't forget to reapply the suntan lotion.

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain
by David Eagleman

Ever hear your name mentioned across the room in a conversation you didn't even realize was going on? Eagleman explores this and many other phenomena involving the subconscious mind. If you're not a fan of neuroscience, you may become one this summer after reading Eagleman's witty and accessible narrative of human behavior and the brain. At least subconsciously.

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
by Jon Ronson.

One in one hundred people are psychopaths...do you know one hundred people? Ronson, author of The Men Who Stare At Goats, explores the inner world of the psychopath by interviewing not only the psychologists who study them, but the "mad-men" themselves. Ronson's humorous mix of psychology and sociology provides an entertaining look into the dark fringes of society, and makes for a fast paced yet informative beach read. Think you might be a psychopath? Take the official test and find out for sure.

Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
by Joshua Foer.

What did you have for breakfast today? Yesterday? The day before?? Enter the fascinating world of memory, as author Joshua Foer immerses himself into the U.S. Memory Championship. Foer reports on the fascinating people who compete in such "sport," such as the current memory champion who can memorize the order of 1,528 digits in one hour. Impress your friends by learning the visual techniques that Foer picked up along the way, such as mnemonic devices to memorize the order of a deck of cards (which explains the odd title of his book). A summer read you won't be able to forget if you try.

Sources: amazon.com