Through his contributions to The New Yorker and 38 books, his writing has become a guidepost for narrative nonfiction.

John McPhee is a master of this kind of immersive journalism. “Nomadland” is distinguished from dry accounts of labor issues and retirement insecurity by Bruder’s willingness to live as her subjectsdo. McLean wrote a compelling, detailed narrative of how the mortgage industry, the financial sector and government programs changed how Americans bought homes, eventually leading to the subprime mortgage crisis. “ All the Devils Are Here” by Bethany McLean is a fascinating account of how the conditions were created for this to happen. Many of the subjects of “Nomadland” are in their position because of fallout from the financial crisis of 2008-2009. The result was “ Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.” It is a lyrical work of nonfiction, and landmark work of photojournalism, that vividly documents these lives with dignity and compassion. While Steinbeck’s account of suffering during the Great Depression is fictional, novelist James Agee paired up with photographer Walker Evans in 1936 to document the real everyday lives of impoverished sharecropper families. If “Nomadland” whets your appetite, here are some suggestions for further reading. The plight of these Americans might remind you of the Okies in “ The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, and there are other excellent books that explore similar territory. Bruder buys her own van and ventures out with them, chasing temporary jobs in national parks, Amazon fulfillment centers and beet fields. With their options limited by circumstance, they choose to live in RVs and retrofitted vans as they follow work opportunities across the country. Bruder’s book, which started as a cover story for Harper’s Magazine called “The End of Retirement,” shows us a new 21st century iteration of migrant workers who are often older and retired. Though their stories are often rooted in misfortune, they also display resilience, ingenuity and a sense of community. This year’s One Read selection, “ Nomadland” by Jessica Bruder, explores the lives of people left out of, or let down by, our financial system.

Nomadland book cover