What is narrative non-fiction?

Narrative nonfiction is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factual stories about real people and events. It combines the techniques of fiction writing with the factual content of nonfiction. Narrative nonfiction often employs literary techniques such as plot, character development, and dialogue to tell stories that are both entertaining and informative.

Typically, narrative nonfiction is based on extensive research and interviews, but it is written in a way that makes it engaging and accessible to a general audience. It can cover a wide range of topics, including history, biography, science, travel, and current events.

Some examples of narrative nonfiction include:

- Jon Krakauer's *Into Thin Air*, a firsthand account of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster

- Michael Lewis's *The Big Short*, a narrative account of the 2008 financial crisis

- Laura Hillenbrand's *Unbroken*, a biography of Louis Zamperini, a WWII survivor

- Mary Roach's *Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers*, a scientific exploration of the human body after death

Narrative nonfiction can be a powerful tool for storytelling, as it can bring readers closer to the events and people it describes. By combining the elements of fiction and nonfiction, it can engage readers in a way that pure nonfiction cannot.