Social commentary books, ranked by your taste

Books with something to say about the world: every book on Boxlist tagged with the social commentary story theme, the same taste attribute as on films and TV. 2,401 books on Boxlist.

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Also in films and TV, and games:

The 100 best rated social commentary books

  1. Illusions

    Illusions

    Fantasy · 1977

    5.0 / 5

  2. Camp Damascus

    Camp Damascus

    Horror · 2023

    5.0 / 5

  3. The Hundred Years' War on Palestine

    The Hundred Years' War on Palestine

    Documentary · 2020

    5.0 / 5

  4. Out of the Crisis

    Out of the Crisis

    Documentary · 1982

    5.0 / 5

  5. To Ride Pegasus

    To Ride Pegasus

    Science fiction · 1973

    5.0 / 5

  6. Nexus

    Nexus

    Documentary · 2024

    5.0 / 5

  7. How to Hide an Empire

    How to Hide an Empire

    Documentary · 2019

    5.0 / 5

  8. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself

    Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself

    Teen · 1977

    5.0 / 5

  9. Rewards and Fairies

    Rewards and Fairies

    Family · 1910

    5.0 / 5

  10. The Scam

    The Scam

    Documentary · 1993

    4.9 / 5

  11. Dear Martin

    Dear Martin

    Drama · 2017

    4.9 / 5

  12. The Jakarta Method

    The Jakarta Method

    Historical · 2020

    4.9 / 5

  13. Neither Trumpets nor Drums

    Neither Trumpets nor Drums

    Documentary · 1992

    4.9 / 5

  14. Dream of the Red Chamber

    Dream of the Red Chamber

    Historical · 1791

    4.9 / 5

  15. The Joys of Motherhood

    The Joys of Motherhood

    Drama · 1979

    4.9 / 5

  16. Woman at Point Zero

    Woman at Point Zero

    Drama · 1975

    4.8 / 5

  17. Melissa

    Melissa

    Family · 2015

    4.8 / 5

  18. A Cowrie of Hope

    A Cowrie of Hope

    Drama · 2000

    4.8 / 5

  19. Neurotribes

    Neurotribes

    Documentary · 2015

    4.8 / 5

  20. French Silk

    French Silk

    Thriller · 1991

    4.8 / 5

  21. JFK and the Unspeakable

    JFK and the Unspeakable

    Documentary · 2008

    4.8 / 5

  22. The Poet X

    The Poet X

    Teen · 2018

    4.8 / 5

  23. House of Stairs

    House of Stairs

    Science fiction · 1974

    4.8 / 5

  24. Petey

    Petey

    Drama · 1998

    4.8 / 5

  25. Riddley Walker

    Riddley Walker

    Science fiction · 1980

    4.8 / 5

  26. The Ancestor's Tale

    The Ancestor's Tale

    Documentary · 2004

    4.8 / 5

  27. Dragonseye

    Dragonseye

    Science fiction · 1996

    4.8 / 5

  28. Disability Visibility

    Disability Visibility

    Biography · 2020

    4.8 / 5

  29. The Mighty Miss Malone

    The Mighty Miss Malone

    Family · 2012

    4.8 / 5

  30. Churchill

    Churchill

    Biography · 2001

    4.8 / 5

  31. Cows, Pigs, Wars, & Witches

    Cows, Pigs, Wars, & Witches

    Documentary · 1974

    4.8 / 5

  32. Nixonland

    Nixonland

    Historical · 2008

    4.8 / 5

  33. Soccernomics

    Soccernomics

    Documentary · 2009

    4.8 / 5

  34. The Power Broker

    The Power Broker

    Biography · 1974

    4.7 / 5

  35. Exhalation

    Exhalation

    Science fiction · 2019

    4.7 / 5

  36. Archenemies

    Archenemies

    Superhero · 2018

    4.7 / 5

  37. Muhammad

    Muhammad

    Biography · 1991

    4.7 / 5

  38. Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

    Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

    Documentary · 2015

    4.7 / 5

  39. Pleasures and Regrets

    Pleasures and Regrets

    Drama · 1896

    4.7 / 5

  40. The Space Merchants

    The Space Merchants

    Science fiction · 1952

    4.7 / 5

  41. Letters from a Father to His Daughter

    Letters from a Father to His Daughter

    Documentary · 1929

    4.7 / 5

  42. The Giver of Stars

    The Giver of Stars

    Historical · 2019

    4.7 / 5

  43. The Street of Crocodiles

    The Street of Crocodiles

    Fantasy · 1934

    4.7 / 5

  44. Wasp

    Wasp

    Science fiction · 1957

    4.7 / 5

  45. Born a Crime

    Born a Crime

    Biography · 2016

    4.6 / 5

  46. Debt

    Debt

    Documentary · 2011

    4.6 / 5

  47. The Big Short

    The Big Short

    Documentary · 2010

    4.6 / 5

  48. Pale Blue Dot

    Pale Blue Dot

    Documentary · 1994

    4.6 / 5

  49. Cosmos

    Cosmos

    Documentary · 1980

    4.6 / 5

  50. Michelle Obama in Her Own Words

    Michelle Obama in Her Own Words

    Biography · 2008

    4.6 / 5

  51. Pimp

    Pimp

    Biography · 1967

    4.6 / 5

  52. Say Nothing

    Say Nothing

    Documentary · 2018

    4.6 / 5

  53. Caste

    Caste

    Political · 2020

    4.6 / 5

  54. A Suitable Boy

    A Suitable Boy

    Drama · 1993

    4.6 / 5

  55. Stamped from the Beginning

    Stamped from the Beginning

    Historical · 2016

    4.6 / 5

  56. Black Like Me

    Black Like Me

    Biography · 1960

    4.6 / 5

  57. Understanding Public Policy

    Understanding Public Policy

    Documentary · 1969

    4.6 / 5

  58. Lilith’s Brood

    Lilith’s Brood

    Science fiction · 2000

    4.6 / 5

  59. Billion Dollar Whale

    Billion Dollar Whale

    Documentary · 2018

    4.6 / 5

  60. The 1619 Project

    The 1619 Project

    Documentary · 2021

    4.6 / 5

  61. The Trouble with Peace

    The Trouble with Peace

    Fantasy · 2020

    4.6 / 5

  62. And the Band Played on

    And the Band Played on

    Journalistic · 1987

    4.6 / 5

  63. Concrete Rose

    Concrete Rose

    Drama · 2021

    4.6 / 5

  64. The Color of Law

    The Color of Law

    Documentary · 2017

    4.6 / 5

  65. The Wretched of the Earth

    The Wretched of the Earth

    Documentary · 1961

    4.6 / 5

  66. World Without End

    World Without End

    Historical · 2007

    4.6 / 5

  67. Washington

    Washington

    Biography · 2010

    4.6 / 5

  68. The Origins of Totalitarianism

    The Origins of Totalitarianism

    Documentary · 1951

    4.6 / 5

  69. Demon Copperhead

    Demon Copperhead

    Drama · 2022

    4.6 / 5

  70. The House of the Dead

    The House of the Dead

    Biography · 1861

    4.6 / 5

  71. The Napoleon of Notting Hill

    The Napoleon of Notting Hill

    Comedy · 1904

    4.6 / 5

  72. The Charm School

    The Charm School

    Science fiction · 2001

    4.6 / 5

  73. The Advancement of Learning

    The Advancement of Learning

    Documentary · 1605

    4.6 / 5

  74. Truman

    Truman

    Biography · 1992

    4.6 / 5

  75. The Philip K. Dick Reader

    The Philip K. Dick Reader

    Science fiction · 1997

    4.6 / 5

  76. From Beirut to Jerusalem

    From Beirut to Jerusalem

    Documentary · 1989

    4.6 / 5

  77. Punished by Rewards

    Punished by Rewards

    Documentary · 1993

    4.6 / 5

  78. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

    The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

    Historical · 2023

    4.6 / 5

  79. Small Island

    Small Island

    Historical · 2004

    4.6 / 5

  80. Caliban and the Witch

    Caliban and the Witch

    Historical · 2004

    4.6 / 5

  81. House of Glass

    House of Glass

    Historical · 1988

    4.6 / 5

  82. Bury Your Dead

    Bury Your Dead

    Mystery · 2010

    4.6 / 5

  83. When They Call You a Terrorist

    When They Call You a Terrorist

    Biography · 2018

    4.6 / 5

  84. How Few Remain

    How Few Remain

    Historical · 1997

    4.6 / 5

  85. The Great Game

    The Great Game

    Historical · 1990

    4.6 / 5

  86. Heimskringla; Lives/Saga of the Norse Kings

    Heimskringla; Lives/Saga of the Norse Kings

    Historical · 1230

    4.6 / 5

  87. Ten Myths About Israel

    Ten Myths About Israel

    Historical · 2017

    4.6 / 5

  88. Schismatrix

    Schismatrix

    Science fiction · 1985

    4.6 / 5

  89. Somewhere Beyond the Sea

    Somewhere Beyond the Sea

    Fantasy · 2024

    4.6 / 5

  90. Night Watch

    Night Watch

    Fantasy · 2002

    4.5 / 5

  91. The Worldly Philosophers

    The Worldly Philosophers

    Documentary · 1953

    4.5 / 5

  92. Making Money

    Making Money

    Fantasy · 2007

    4.5 / 5

  93. Being Mortal

    Being Mortal

    Documentary · 2014

    4.5 / 5

  94. Feet of Clay

    Feet of Clay

    Fantasy · 1996

    4.5 / 5

  95. The Dispossessed

    The Dispossessed

    Science fiction · 1974

    4.5 / 5

  96. Invisible Women

    Invisible Women

    Documentary · 2019

    4.5 / 5

  97. The Fire Next Time

    The Fire Next Time

    Espionage · 1962

    4.5 / 5

  98. Roots

    Roots

    Historical · 1976

    4.5 / 5

  99. The Complete Robot

    The Complete Robot

    Science fiction · 1982

    4.5 / 5

  100. The Shock Doctrine

    The Shock Doctrine

    Political · 2007

    4.5 / 5

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Covers and ratings from Open Library. Ratings are reader scores, not fit.

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