Recs if you like The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York...

Niche nonfiction, aka micro-histories!

This list was a winner of the Q2 2026 Community Voting event - if you'd like to participate in the Quest, a link is pinned in the comments.

microhistory: the intensive historical investigation of a well defined smaller unit of research (such as an event, community, individual or a settlement); it aspires to "ask large questions in small places"

Nonfiction about macabre and taboo subjects

would suggest not ingesting these pills, plants, and powders, they may prove to be fatal.

Nonfiction books on poison!

nonfiction works on the history and modern day applications of forensic science

examples: forensic anthropology forensic biology forensic ecology forensic entomology forensic medicine forensic pathology forensic psychology

A list of books that fit the prompts for the 2026 Polymath Training Challenge. (Egypt / Sleep, dreams / Astronomy and space exploration / Gastronomy and foods / Interior design, furniture / Chemistry / Mines and mining / Exploration and explorers / Art and nature /Agriculture /Economics) plus the "choose 1" prompts (Microbiome / Chocolate and coffee / Cultural history / Boardgames and role-playing games / Linguistics / Ethology / History of science / Cosmetics / Empathy). Open to suggestions!

This is not a taboo romance list…..well, if you don’t count my weird love for all things poisonous or venomous! A list of non fiction books about the critters that make chemical weapons, nasty toxins that are a bit more human in origin, and people who use chemistry for more nefarious intents!!

Microhistory and PopSci books to find your newest hyperfixation.

Are you bored? Do you need a fun, exciting, easy-to-read and/or random book to ignore your TBR and start reading right away? Reference this list!

Suggestions welcome 🙏

A list of the books that give you so many neat fun facts that will make you the coolest person to talk to at any function 😜

From The Four Humors to Chemotherapy.

Books that can be read on archive.org for free that look interesting - go and search up your tbr, this is only what I want to read so in no way a comprehensive list ☺️🌸 If you see this list after clicking on a book, you’ll know it’s available on archive.org Disclaimer: Some books are so hard to get tho because they are constantly borrowed

For when music just won't cut it and you need a new weird hyperfixation.