Recommend Non Fiction

KyBunnies · 08-27-2015, 02:05 AM

I am looking for a non fiction book recommendation. I have enjoyed The Price of Thirst, Lost in Shangri-La, & The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I am not a fan of autobiographies, biographies or memoirs.

I know there is someone here that can give me a few ideas to pick from.

Thanks in advance.

HarryT · 08-27-2015, 02:30 AM

Non fiction is of course a huge field! I'd recommend pretty much anything written by Bill Bryson - an extremely witty author. A specific recommendation would be his book "A Short History of Nearly Everything".

meeera · 08-27-2015, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Non fiction is of course a huge field!

It certainly is! To me this is sort of like saying "Recommend to me things to like"

More clues would help a lot.

The only one I've read on your list is Henrietta Lacks, which I thought was extremely good. Some nonfiction I have enjoyed (from very very much to a fair bit), for what it is worth, taking out biographies and memoirs, which I think is a bit of shame, but so it goes:

Stephen Jay Gould's books
Am I Black Enough For You? - Anita Heiss
The Wife Drought - Annabel Crabb
The Language Instinct - Steven Pinker
Carl Sagan's books
Natural Curiosity: Unseen Art of the First Fleet
Nickel and Dimed
Cod and Salt - Mark Kurlansky
Just My Type: A Book About Fonts - Simon Garfield
Sincerely - Marieke Hardy (ed)
The Perfume Lover: A Natural History of Scent - Denyse Beaulieu
Chicks Unravel Time - Deborah Stanish (ed)
The Bill Brysons, as above
Oliver Sacks, particularly The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat
Godel, Escher, Bach

MickeyC · 08-27-2015, 05:36 AM

Go to our Recommendations for Your Favorite Book Genre thread in the Sticky Thread list above and scroll down to the Nonfiction section. Lots of recommendations there.

MickeyC · 08-27-2015, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Non fiction is of course a huge field! I'd recommend pretty much anything written by Bill Bryson - an extremely witty author. A specific recommendation would be his book "A Short History of Nearly Everything".

I'm now reading Bryson's A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail and so far it is excellent.

John K · 08-27-2015, 07:51 AM

From the description of The Price of Thirst, you might like:

“Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies”

“Why the West Rules—for Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future”

“Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed”
This is 600 pages that could have been 300 pages but very interesting.

Lost in Shangri-La brings to my mind:
“The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics”

“China's Wings: War, Intrigue, Romance, and Adventure in the Middle Kingdom During the Golden Age of Flight”
Edit to add: you might find this too much of a biography of American aviation executive William Langhorne Bond.

“Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption”
Edit 2 to add: This could trigger "biography" of Louis Zamperini.

I haven't read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks yet.

Pablo · 08-27-2015, 08:35 AM

Have a look at this thread: Entertaining non-fiction books to learn something from.

NickyWithNook · 08-29-2015, 09:32 PM

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
by William Kamkwamba
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Agree with anything by Bill Bryson
Hiroshima by John Hersey

kennyc · 08-29-2015, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
by William Kamkwamba
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Agree with anything by Bill Bryson
Hiroshima by John Hersey

Yep any of these and anything by Mary Roach or Bill Bryson

I'll add my favorite non-fiction book - The Immense Journey by Loren Eiseley it is a bit dated science-wise (it was written mid 20th century) but reading it is awe inspiring and pure poetry in prose.

cocopuff · 08-31-2015, 10:39 AM

I second A Short History of Nearly Everything, one of my favorite books you can't go wrong with Bryson. Another author in this vein is Tony Horwitz, he was a newspaper write for a long time and has a wonderful writing style, his book on Captain Cook is interesting. In it he describes places/stuff captain cook did and then visits these places himself to see what they are like nowadays. Erik Larsson is also a fantastic author.

kennyc · 08-31-2015, 11:15 AM

And since he was brought to attention by his passing this week....anything by Oliver Sacks!

KyBunnies · 09-01-2015, 06:03 AM

Thanks everyone I have several to finish out the year.

08-27-2015, 02:05 AM	#1
KyBunnies Book & Bunny Crazy Posts: 1,291 Karma: 6468095 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: USA Device: K3 (x2), Fire HD 7-inch (x2), Fire HDX 8.9, Acer Android Tablet	Recommend Non Fiction I am looking for a non fiction book recommendation. I have enjoyed The Price of Thirst, Lost in Shangri-La, & The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I am not a fan of autobiographies, biographies or memoirs. I know there is someone here that can give me a few ideas to pick from. Thanks in advance.

08-27-2015, 07:51 AM	#6
John K Reader Posts: 266 Karma: 13465550 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle DXG, Kobo Forma	From the description of The Price of Thirst, you might like: “Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies” “Why the West Rules—for Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future” “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” This is 600 pages that could have been 300 pages but very interesting. Lost in Shangri-La brings to my mind: “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics” “China's Wings: War, Intrigue, Romance, and Adventure in the Middle Kingdom During the Golden Age of Flight” Edit to add: you might find this too much of a biography of American aviation executive William Langhorne Bond. “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” Edit 2 to add: This could trigger "biography" of Louis Zamperini. I haven't read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks yet. Last edited by John K; 08-27-2015 at 08:25 AM.

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08-27-2015, 02:30 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Non fiction is of course a huge field! I'd recommend pretty much anything written by Bill Bryson - an extremely witty author. A specific recommendation would be his book "A Short History of Nearly Everything".

08-27-2015, 05:36 AM	#4
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Go to our Recommendations for Your Favorite Book Genre thread in the Sticky Thread list above and scroll down to the Nonfiction section. Lots of recommendations there.

08-27-2015, 08:35 AM	#7
Pablo Guru Posts: 972 Karma: 4999999 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Rosario, Argentina Device: SONY PRS-T2, Kindle Paperwhite 11th gen	Have a look at this thread: Entertaining non-fiction books to learn something from.

08-29-2015, 09:32 PM	#8
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: American living in Australia Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Fire, Kindle Pwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach Agree with anything by Bill Bryson Hiroshima by John Hersey

08-31-2015, 10:39 AM	#10
cocopuff Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 366520 Join Date: Aug 2015 Device: Nook Simpletouch Glowlight, Kobo Aura H2O	I second A Short History of Nearly Everything, one of my favorite books you can't go wrong with Bryson. Another author in this vein is Tony Horwitz, he was a newspaper write for a long time and has a wonderful writing style, his book on Captain Cook is interesting. In it he describes places/stuff captain cook did and then visits these places himself to see what they are like nowadays. Erik Larsson is also a fantastic author.

08-31-2015, 11:15 AM	#11
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,897 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	And since he was brought to attention by his passing this week....anything by Oliver Sacks!

09-01-2015, 06:03 AM	#12
KyBunnies Book & Bunny Crazy Posts: 1,291 Karma: 6468095 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: USA Device: K3 (x2), Fire HD 7-inch (x2), Fire HDX 8.9, Acer Android Tablet	Thanks everyone I have several to finish out the year.

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