6 Non-Fiction Authors Tackling Big Topics In Accessible Ways

From taboo subjects to complicated technology, there are many important topics that aren't as fully-covered or well-understood as they should be. Luckily, authors like the ones listed here write accessible works of non-fiction that help readers learn more about world hunger, GPS, child abuse, and more. If you're interested in exploring big topics, consider checking out some of their works. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

Authors Who Have Written Important Works Of Non-Fiction

Author(s) Notable Work
Sarah Kendzior Hiding in Plain Sight
Lori Handrahan Epidemic: America's Trade in Child Rape
Peter Annin The Great Lakes Water Wars
Richard Easton & Eric Frazier GPS Declassified
Sarah Grossman & Tamara Green The Living Kitchen
William Lambers Ending World Hunger

Fascinating Facts About Water

  • The only substance that naturally exists in solid, liquid, and gas form at temperatures normally found on Earth
  • Called the "universal solvent" by scientists because it dissolves so many substances
  • Air pressure affects its boiling point
  • Covers nearly three quarters of the earth's surface
  • 97% is found in the oceans
  • Most of the remaining 3% is unavailable to humans: too far underground, trapped in glaciers and ice caps, or too heavily polluted
  • Less than 1% of water on Earth is available fresh water

Sarah Kendzior Breaks Down Trump’s Strategy of Scandal and Incompetence

The Prevalence Of Global Hunger

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Year Number (in millions) of undernourished people Percentage of undernourished people
2005 947.2 14.5%
2010 822.3 11.8%
2011 814.4 11.6%
2015 785.4 10.6%
2016 796.5 10.7%
2017 811.7 10.8%

8 Great Ways to Stay Healthy

  1. Cook more meals at home
  2. Establish a workout routine
  3. Get a fitness tracker and compete with your friends
  4. Go for a hike now & then
  5. Consider switching to a plant-based diet
  6. Take up yoga and stretch regularly
  7. Establish a regular sleeping pattern
  8. Make a smoothie in the morning

How GPS Works

In Depth

Though some books are written to entertain and tell a story, others are written to inform. Works of non-fiction that call attention to underrepresented social issues can help make important information accessible. In no particular order, here are some writers who use their platform to educate and inform the public about issues that are often difficult to discuss.

First up, at #1, is Sarah Kendzior, whose articles and opinion pieces have been published in The New York Times, Politico, and The Guardian, among other places. Kendzior has been praised for her prescient coverage of the 2016 election and the transformation of the US under the Trump administration. Her academic research on authoritarian states in Central Asia has also brought her into the spotlight.

Kendzior's book, Hiding in Plain Sight, outlines Trump's meteoric rise, interlinking key moments of his life with the degradation of the American political system. It also tells the story of what it's like to be a citizen of an America dominated by a transnational crime syndicate masquerading as a government, and what that entrenched corruption means for future generations.

It also tells the story of what it's like to be a citizen of an America dominated by a transnational crime syndicate masquerading as a government, and what that entrenched corruption means for future generations.

Next on the list, at #2, is Dr. Lori Handrahan, who has over twenty years of humanitarian and human rights work under her belt. She writes about gender-based violence, conflict and post-conflict environments, United Nations reform, and ending child sex abuse. Her work is published widely, from academic journals to major news outlets.

In 2017, Handrahan published her book, Epidemic: America's Trade in Child Rape. In it, she claims that the problem of minor sex abuse and its subsequent cover-up happens right under the country's nose. She calls attention to America's appetite for child pornography, and the young ones who are put at risk. Handrahan intends for this book to be a necessary wake-up call about an uncomfortable subject that too few openly discuss.

Coming in at #3 is Peter Annin. He's the director of the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation, and the author of The Great Lakes Water Wars, which covers the Great Lakes water diversion controversy. He's previously been a reporter at Newsweek, the associate director of the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, and the manager of the University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change Initiative.

He's previously been a reporter at Newsweek, the associate director of the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, and the manager of the University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change Initiative.

For those who love the Great Lakes and seek to understand the politics of water, this book provides a wealth of useful information. It depicts the threats to the lakes while telling the story of how local leaders and citizens came together to protect the waters from diversion, as well as manage their use for the benefit of generations to come.

#4 on the list goes to Richard Easton and Eric Frazier, two non-fiction authors who collaborated on a fascinating book. Easton is the son of a Navy insider whose work helped lay the foundations for GPS technology, while Frazier is a former reporter whose work focuses on scientific innovation.

The two men came together to write GPS Declassified, which examines the development of GPS from its secret, Cold War military roots to its emergence as a worldwide consumer industry. Drawing on previously unexplored documents, Easton and Frazier examine how military rivalries influenced its creation. The authors place the concept and development of GPS within two broader historical contexts: navigation and robotic spaceflight.

The authors place the concept and development of GPS within two broader historical contexts: navigation and robotic spaceflight.

Next up we have #5, another duo of co-authors. Sarah Grossman is a food photographer who's passionate about healthy eating, and Tamara Green is a TV host who turned to food to heal her digestive issues. Both women are chefs and certified nutritionists who aim to help people find health while still eating nourishing and satisfying meals.

The women collaborated on The Living Kitchen, which provides healing recipes intended to support the body during cancer treatment and recovery. This detailed guide helps facilitate understanding of the role nutrition plays during treatment, and recommends 101 foods to include in your diet, as well as ones to avoid and eliminate. Most of the recipes are plant based, gluten free, and dairy free.

Last, but not least, is William Lambers at #6. He's a well-published author, journalist, and historian who has written a wide range of books about a plethora of hard-hitting topics, from hunger to nuclear warfare. He has been called a powerful voice for the most vulnerable, and has dedicated years of his life to advocating for anti-hunger initiatives.

He has been called a powerful voice for the most vulnerable, and has dedicated years of his life to advocating for anti-hunger initiatives.

One of Lambers' most notable books is Ending World Hunger: School Lunches for Kids Around the World. This book features over 50 interviews with officials from the United Nations Food Programme and other charities discussing tactics to fight child hunger. The interviews focus on the impact school meals have for those in developing countries, as well as what individuals can do to help kids in need.