“Find the single anomaly or question that makes your topic interesting, lead with that, and let the background follow once you’ve earned attention.”
Most nonfiction buries the hook under a pile of context. By the time you get to the interesting part, the reader is gone. Lead with the anomaly. Lead with the question. Earn attention before demanding it. Background is dessert, not appetizer. Writers who front-load explanations are writing for themselves, not their audience.