Nonfiction, EMI-PRI
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! Or that's the idea, at least. Nonfiction works center on facts and real events. Although there is some debate about which kinds of literature qualify as nonfiction, the genre typically includes books in the categories of biography, memoir, science, history, self-help, cooking, health and fitness, business, and more.
Nonfiction Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Eminent Victorians
Eminent Victorians, collection of short biographical sketches by Lytton Strachey, published in 1918. Stracheyâs......
epigram
epigram, originally an inscription suitable for carving on a monument, but since the time of the Greek Anthology......
epistle
epistle, a composition in prose or poetry written in the form of a letter to a particular person or group. In literature......
epitaph
epitaph, an inscription in verse or prose upon a tomb; and, by extension, anything written as if to be inscribed......
essay
essay, an analytic, interpretative, or critical literary composition usually much shorter and less systematic and......
Essay Concerning Human Understanding, An
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, work by the English philosopher John Locke, published in 1689, that presents......
Essay on Man, An
An Essay on Man, philosophical essay written in heroic couplets of iambic pentameter by Alexander Pope, published......
Essays
Essays, work by the French writer and philosopher Michel de Montaigne (1533â92) that established a new literary......
Ethics
Ethics, treatise of rationalist metaphysics by the Dutch Jewish philosopher Benedict de Spinoza. Composed in Latin......
Father and Son
Father and Son, autobiography by Edmund Gosse, published anonymously in 1907. Considered a minor masterpiece, Father......
Federalist papers
Federalist papers, series of 85 essays on the proposed new Constitution of the United States and on the nature......
Feminine Mystique, The
The Feminine Mystique, a landmark book by feminist Betty Friedan published in 1963 that described the pervasive......
Fire Next Time, The
The Fire Next Time, nonfiction book, published in 1963, comprising two previously published essays in letter form......
Freedomâs Journal Letter to the Editor
Freedomâs Journalâwith its masthead slogan âRighteousness Exalteth a Nation,ââwas the first Black-owned and operated......
Genius of Christianity, The
The Genius of Christianity, five-volume treatise by François-Auguste-René Chateaubriand, published in French as......
gnomic poetry
gnomic poetry, aphoristic verse containing short, memorable statements of traditional wisdom and morality. The......
Good-Bye to All That
Good-Bye to All That, autobiography by Robert Graves, published in 1929 and revised in 1957. It is considered a......
Grace Abounding
Grace Abounding, spiritual autobiography of John Bunyan, written during the first years of his 12-year imprisonment......
Gratianâs Decretum
Gratianâs Decretum, collection of nearly 3,800 texts touching on all areas of church discipline and regulation......
Green Book, the
the Green Book, travel guide published (1936â67) during the segregation era in the United States that identified......
Guide to Kulchur
Guide to Kulchur, prose work by Ezra Pound, published in 1938. A brilliant but fragmentary work, it consists of......
Gulag Archipelago, The
The Gulag Archipelago, history and memoir of life in the Soviet Unionâs prison camp system by Russian novelist......
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Guns, Germs, and Steel, popular social science book by University of California, Los Angeles professor Jared Diamond......
hagiography
hagiography, the body of literature describing the lives and veneration of the Christian saints. The literature......
Hillbilly Elegy
Hillbilly Elegy is the best-selling 2016 memoir by J.D. Vance. In it the future U.S. senator and vice presidential......
Hiroshima
Hiroshima, groundbreaking nonfiction work written by American journalist John Hersey that was originally published......
Hitler Diaries
Hitler Diaries, a 60-volume set of diaries, attributed to Adolf Hitler, at the center of one of the greatest hoaxes......
Homage to Catalonia
Homage to Catalonia, autobiographical account by British writer George Orwell of his experience as a volunteer......
How old was Anne Frank when she wrote her diary?
Anne Frank received her red-and-white plaid diary as a gift on her 13th birthday on June 12, 1942, and began writing......
How to Win Friends and Influence People
How to Win Friends and Influence People, popular and influential self-help and salesmanship book by the author,......
I Am Malala
I Am Malala, autobiographical narrative and the first book by Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, published in......
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the first of seven autobiographical works by American writer Maya Angelou, published......
If It DieâŠ
If It DieâŠ, autobiographical work by AndrĂ© Gide, published as Si le grain ne meurt. It was initially printed privately......
Impeachment of a President
In the wake of the Watergate scandal and the resignation of U.S. Pres. Richard M. Nixon, Bruce L. Felknor, a former......
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself, autobiographical narrative published in 1861 by Harriet......
Innocents Abroad, The
The Innocents Abroad, a humorous travel narrative by Mark Twain, published in 1869 and based on Twainâs letters......
Jeune Afrique Lâintelligent
Jeune Afrique Lâintelligent, weekly newsmagazine in the French language that presents news and interpretative and......
journal
journal, an account of day-to-day events or a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private......
Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, The
The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, work by James Boswell, published in 1785. The book is an account of the......
Journal of the Plague Year, A
A Journal of the Plague Year, account of the Great Plague of London in 1664â65, written by Daniel Defoe and published......
Journal to Stella
Journal to Stella, series of letters written (1710â13) from Jonathan Swift in London to Esther Johnson and her......
journalism
At its most basic, journalism is the collection, preparation, and distribution of news and information to the public.......
Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, A
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, book by Samuel Johnson, published in 1775. The Journey was the result......
Journey Without Maps
Journey Without Maps, travel book by Graham Greene, published in 1936, that describes his first journey to Africa.......
Jâaccuse
Jâaccuse, celebrated open letter by Ămile Zola to the president of the French Republic in defense of Alfred Dreyfus,......
Kamasutra
Kamasutra, the oldest extant Indian prose treatise (sutra) on the subject of pleasure (kama)âsexual pleasure, desire,......
Kapital, Das
Das Kapital, one of the major works of the 19th-century economist and philosopher Karl Marx (1818â83), in which......
Katherine Group
Katherine Group, a group of five Middle English prose devotional works dating from c. 1180 to 1210. It consists......
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, nonfiction work on the daily lives of Depression-era tenant farmers, with text by......
Letter from Jamaica
Letter from Jamaica, Letter written by Latin American soldier, revolutionary, and statesman SimĂłn BolĂvar in 1815......
Letter to Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Banneker, August 19, 1791
Mathematician and almanac-maker Benjamin Banneker was one of the most accomplished Black men in the early life......
Leviathan
Leviathan, magnum opus of the early-modern English political philosopher, ethicist, metaphysician, and scientist......
Life of Henry Brulard, The
The Life of Henry Brulard, unfinished autobiography by Stendhal, which he began writing in November 1835 and abandoned......
Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., The
The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., generally regarded as the greatest of English biographies, written by James......
Life on the Mississippi
Life on the Mississippi, memoir of the steamboat era on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War by......
literary criticism
literary criticism, the reasoned consideration of literary works and issues. It applies, as a term, to any argumentation......
literary journalism
literary journalism, a wide-ranging category that can include journalism, memoirs and other autobiographical writing,......
liveblogging
Liveblogs are a news format that is native to the Web and is now an established part of the news ecology in many......
Long Walk to Freedom
Long Walk to Freedom, autobiography by Nelson Mandela published in 1994. It recounts the life and struggle of Mandela,......
MacBride Report
The International Commission for the Study of Communications Problems was established by UNESCO in 1977 to investigate......
Macleanâs
Macleanâs, weekly newsmagazine, published in Toronto, whose thorough coverage of Canadaâs national affairs and......
MahÄvaáčsa
MahÄvaáčsa, (PÄli: âGreat Chronicleâ), historical chronology of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), written in the 5th or......
Maine Woods, The
The Maine Woods, collection of three autobiographical narratives by Henry David Thoreau. Each of the essays recounts......
Malleus maleficarum
Malleus maleficarum, detailed legal and theological document (c. 1486) regarded as the standard handbook on witchcraft,......
Martyrdom of Polycarp
Martyrdom of Polycarp, early Christian letter that describes the death by burning of St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna......
Meditations
Meditations, work by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121â180 ce; ruled 161â180 ce) consisting of Stoicism-inspired......
Meditations on First Philosophy
Meditations on First Philosophy, a treatise by the French scientist, mathematician, and philosopher René Descartes......
Memoir
Memoir, history or record composed from personal observation and experience. Closely related to, and often confused......
Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter
Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, first and best-known book of a four-volume autobiography by Simone de Beauvoir,......
Memoirs of an Egotist
Memoirs of an Egotist, autobiographical work by Stendhal, published posthumously in France in 1892 as Souvenirs......
Memoirs of Chateaubriand, The
The Memoirs of Chateaubriand, autobiographical work by François-Auguste-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand, published......
Memories of a Catholic Girlhood
Memories of a Catholic Girlhood, autobiography of Mary McCarthy, published in 1957. McCarthy wrote about her troubled......
Michelin
Michelin, leading French brand and manufacturer of tires and other rubber products. Headquarters are at Clermont-Ferrand.......
Milinda-panha
Milinda-panha, lively dialogue on Buddhist doctrine with questions and dilemmas posed by King Milindaâi.e., Menander,......
Modest Proposal, A
A Modest Proposal, satiric essay by Jonathan Swift, published in pamphlet form in 1729. Presented in the guise......
Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres
Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres, extended essay by Henry Adams, printed privately in 1904 and commercially in 1913.......
My Childhood
My Childhood, the first book of an autobiographical trilogy by Maxim Gorky, published in Russian in 1913â14 as......
My Left Foot
My Left Foot, memoir written by Irish author Christy Brown (June 5, 1932âSeptember 7, 1981), published in 1954.......
Myth of Sisyphus, The
The Myth of Sisyphus, philosophical essay by Albert Camus, published in French in 1942 as Le Mythe de Sisyphe.......
Narrow Road to the Deep North, The
The Narrow Road to the Deep North, travel account written by Japanese haiku master BashĆ as Oku no hosomichi (âThe......
Natyashastra
Natyashastra, detailed treatise and handbook on dramatic art that deals with all aspects of classical Sanskrit......
Newsweek
Newsweek, weekly newsmagazine based in New York, New York. It originated as a print publication in 1933 but briefly......
nonfictional prose
nonfictional prose, any literary work that is based mainly on fact, even though it may contain fictional elements.......
- Introduction
- Style, Genres, Forms
- Descriptive, Narrative, Expository
- Essay, Genres, Forms
- Journalism, Provocation, Writing
- Philosophy, Politics, Writing
- Doctrinal, Philosophical, Religious
- Theology, Writers, Texts
- Interpretations, Analysis, Context
- Essays, Journalism, Memoirs
- Dialogues, Narratives, Essays
- Autobiography, Memoir, Essay
Notes Towards the Definition of Culture
Notes Towards the Definition of Culture, critical treatise by T.S. Eliot that originally appeared as a series of......
On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History
On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History, six essays by Thomas Carlyle, published in 1841 and based on......
On Love
On Love, philosophical discourse by Stendhal, published in 1822 as De lâamour. The work was prompted by Stendhalâs......
On the Sublime
On the Sublime, treatise on literary criticism by Longinus, dating to about the 1st century ce. The earliest surviving......
op-ed page
An op-ed is an essay published by a news outlet, either in print or online, that expresses the authorâs viewpoint.......
Parallel Lives
Parallel Lives, influential collection of biographies of famous Greek and Roman soldiers, legislators, orators,......
Parian Chronicle
Parian Chronicle, document inscribed on marble in the Attic Greek dialect and containing an outline of Greek history......
Paston Letters
Paston Letters, the largest surviving collection of 15th-century English correspondence. It is invaluable to historians......
Patriotic Gore
Patriotic Gore, collection of essays by Edmund Wilson, published in 1962. Subtitled Studies in the Literature of......
pensée
pensée, a thought expressed in literary form. A pensée can be short and in a specific form, such as an aphorism......
Peopleâs History of the United States, A
A Peopleâs History of the United States, nonfiction work of history by American historian Howard Zinn that was......
Peregrinatio Etheriae
Peregrinatio Etheriae, an anonymous and incomplete account of a western European nunâs travels in the Middle East,......
Periodic Table, The
The Periodic Table, collection of memoirs by Primo Levi, published in Italian as Il sistema periodico in 1975 and......
Pillow Book
Pillow Book, (c. 1000), title of a book of reminiscences and impressions by the 11th-century Japanese court lady......
Pramana-varttika
Pramana-varttika, perhaps the foremost work on Buddhist logic and epistemology, written in the 7th century. The......
Primary Chronicle, The
The Primary Chronicle, medieval Kyivan Rus historical work that gives a detailed account of the early history of......
Prince, The
The Prince, political treatise by NiccolĂČ Machiavelli, written in 1513. A short treatise on how to acquire power,......