Good books to tell a bigger story

I love books that remind me there's always more to the story, there's more than meets the eye, to not fall for the popularized narrative, the rushed conclusions, the conventional truths that we can rely on for comfort and closure.

These books reinforce my practices to always be alert for "more," to pay attention, to not settle for what would be convenient.

Three of my favorites for this are Dave Cullen's Columbine, Justine van der Leun's We Are Not Such Things, and a current one, The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater.

All are non-fiction. All take us beyond the comfort zone of the tidy, truncated story of what happened, and the lives of the people involved. These books show us the complexity of reality, the intricacies of what really happens, the important backstories, and the different interpretations of the events themselves.

I think we need these reminders all the time. Books that give these lessons are to be treasured. Or better yet, taught.