Entertaining nonfiction books that I might learn something from.

blu- · 03-12-2011, 01:33 AM

I'm trying to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and I don't have enough in the latter category. So far I've read:

Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics
How to Win Friends and Influence People
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Secrets of Mental Math

Thanks.

Solitaire1 · 03-12-2011, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blu-

I'm trying to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and I don't have enough in the latter category. So far I've read:

Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics
How to Win Friends and Influence People
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Secrets of Mental Math

Thanks.

One book I recommend is "The Immortal Game" by David Shenk. It is a book about the history of chess, and also covers events and persons related to chess.

wallcraft · 03-12-2011, 02:54 AM

I suggest:

Nassim Nicholas Taleb's The Black Swan, in which he examines the influence of highly improbable and unpredictable events that have massive impact.

Reviel Netz & William Noel: The Archimedes Codex

David Quammen: The Song of the Dodo (to be released March 15 for Kindle)

MickeyC · 03-12-2011, 10:01 AM

I'm about a quarter of the way through At Home by Bill Bryson and, so far, it is very interesting. It's a history of normal things like kitchens, bedrooms and houses in general and much more interesting than you might think. For example, hundreds of years ago, it was customary to eat sitting on a bench rather than in a chair at a table. Consequently, people routinely picked up a wooden board to put their food on then sat on the bench eating off the board. Hence the term, 'room and board'

RolandD · 03-12-2011, 12:31 PM

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

and

The Meme Machine by Susan Blackmore

both explore how ideas and beliefs propagate in society.

carpetmojo · 03-12-2011, 12:57 PM

I've already tipped this in the literary fiction section, but it seems an ideal possible for
you :- Blood Knots by Luke Jennings. On Amazon for Kindle, or epub , cetainly from Smiths and Waterstones in the UK , and I think it's in another format too.

HarryT · 03-12-2011, 01:05 PM

I can honestly recommend EVERYTHING that Bill Bryson's written. He's a fantastic author.

I don't know if biographies interest you at all? If so, an excellent author is Peter Ackroyd. I've read his biographies of Shakespeare and Dickens - both very good indeed.

SeaBookGuy · 03-12-2011, 01:58 PM

I'm going to throw in Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea - I read quite a lot of non-fiction, and this one was easily my "best" for 2010. Stories of six defectors, rotated among the individuals cliff-hanger style regarding the decision to leave and the progress of their escape plans; honest portrayals of exactly what the North Koreans are trying to hide!

(At $9.99, I think they may have underpriced the ebook, but don't tell them that!)

SlowRain · 03-12-2011, 11:57 PM

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but I enjoyed Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-terrorist Team by George Jonas. It's the basis for Spielberg's Munich. It's a fascinating story about international intrigue, assassinations, hit-men, and the effects of such. The beginning is a bit slow, but was an interesting read.

amybobamy · 03-13-2011, 03:34 AM

I recently enjoyed Switch, by Chip Heath. About to read Drive, by Dan Pink. There's a fun video based on one of his TED lectures at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

CazMar · 03-13-2011, 03:42 AM

I really enjoyed "Sailing from Byzantium" by Colin Wells. A very readable account of how much of our culture was preserved in Byzantium,and the effect of this knowledge on so much of Europe, Russia. Not just dry history and full of fascinating characters.

adityadubey · 03-13-2011, 05:16 AM

You could try "The Ascent of Money" by Niall Ferguson. Its a very well written book, which even a layman to finance can easily comprehend. In it he traces the path and form of money from its origin to the present day. It is full of interesting anecdotes and analysis on how Money has influenced all major historical events.

Penforhire · 03-13-2011, 11:40 AM

To intellectuals I always recommend "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" by Douglas Hofstadter. Not an easy read, probably took me months to finish back when, but very satisfying to me.

vegematic · 03-13-2011, 11:50 AM

I just finished "Packing for Mars" by Mary Roach. It's a well researched and very down to earth (irony not intended) look into how to get humans into space and keep them healthy there. There is a fair bit of potty humor so if that sort of thing puts you off you may not enjoy it as much.
-vegematic

DixieGal · 03-13-2011, 11:51 AM

I like history, such as books about the old west mountain men, explorers, etc. Have you considered those?

03-12-2011, 01:33 AM	#1
blu- Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 25968 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: prs 650	Entertaining nonfiction books that I might learn something from. I'm trying to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and I don't have enough in the latter category. So far I've read: Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics How to Win Friends and Influence People A Short History of Nearly Everything Secrets of Mental Math Thanks.

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03-12-2011, 02:54 AM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I suggest: Nassim Nicholas Taleb's The Black Swan, in which he examines the influence of highly improbable and unpredictable events that have massive impact. Reviel Netz & William Noel: The Archimedes Codex David Quammen: The Song of the Dodo (to be released March 15 for Kindle)

03-12-2011, 10:01 AM	#4
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	I'm about a quarter of the way through At Home by Bill Bryson and, so far, it is very interesting. It's a history of normal things like kitchens, bedrooms and houses in general and much more interesting than you might think. For example, hundreds of years ago, it was customary to eat sitting on a bench rather than in a chair at a table. Consequently, people routinely picked up a wooden board to put their food on then sat on the bench eating off the board. Hence the term, 'room and board'

03-12-2011, 12:31 PM	#5
RolandD Fanatic Posts: 561 Karma: 3228980 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Branson, MO, USA Device: Kindle Touch is now my main eReader.	The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell and The Meme Machine by Susan Blackmore both explore how ideas and beliefs propagate in society.

03-12-2011, 12:57 PM	#6
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	I've already tipped this in the literary fiction section, but it seems an ideal possible for you :- Blood Knots by Luke Jennings. On Amazon for Kindle, or epub , cetainly from Smiths and Waterstones in the UK , and I think it's in another format too.

03-12-2011, 01:05 PM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I can honestly recommend EVERYTHING that Bill Bryson's written. He's a fantastic author. I don't know if biographies interest you at all? If so, an excellent author is Peter Ackroyd. I've read his biographies of Shakespeare and Dickens - both very good indeed.

03-12-2011, 01:58 PM	#8
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I'm going to throw in Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea - I read quite a lot of non-fiction, and this one was easily my "best" for 2010. Stories of six defectors, rotated among the individuals cliff-hanger style regarding the decision to leave and the progress of their escape plans; honest portrayals of exactly what the North Koreans are trying to hide! (At $9.99, I think they may have underpriced the ebook, but don't tell them that!)

03-12-2011, 11:57 PM	#9
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but I enjoyed Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-terrorist Team by George Jonas. It's the basis for Spielberg's Munich. It's a fascinating story about international intrigue, assassinations, hit-men, and the effects of such. The beginning is a bit slow, but was an interesting read.

03-13-2011, 03:34 AM	#10
amybobamy Befuddled Neophyte Posts: 49 Karma: 3138 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Nook Color	I recently enjoyed Switch, by Chip Heath. About to read Drive, by Dan Pink. There's a fun video based on one of his TED lectures at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

03-13-2011, 03:42 AM	#11
CazMar Book Geek Posts: 596 Karma: 1499085 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet	I really enjoyed "Sailing from Byzantium" by Colin Wells. A very readable account of how much of our culture was preserved in Byzantium,and the effect of this knowledge on so much of Europe, Russia. Not just dry history and full of fascinating characters.

03-13-2011, 05:16 AM	#12
adityadubey Addict Posts: 209 Karma: 148186 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: London Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Voyage	You could try "The Ascent of Money" by Niall Ferguson. Its a very well written book, which even a layman to finance can easily comprehend. In it he traces the path and form of money from its origin to the present day. It is full of interesting anecdotes and analysis on how Money has influenced all major historical events.

03-13-2011, 11:40 AM	#13
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	To intellectuals I always recommend "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" by Douglas Hofstadter. Not an easy read, probably took me months to finish back when, but very satisfying to me.

03-13-2011, 11:50 AM	#14
vegematic Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Sony PRS350	I just finished "Packing for Mars" by Mary Roach. It's a well researched and very down to earth (irony not intended) look into how to get humans into space and keep them healthy there. There is a fair bit of potty humor so if that sort of thing puts you off you may not enjoy it as much. -vegematic

03-13-2011, 11:51 AM	#15
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I like history, such as books about the old west mountain men, explorers, etc. Have you considered those?