Entertaining nonfiction books that I might learn something from. - Page 2

edbro · 03-13-2011, 12:52 PM

One of the best books I read last year was In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick. Truly engaging story and I learned quite a bit.

LeoMartin · 03-13-2011, 03:13 PM

I'd recommend Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. It's a fascinating take on why some people succeed and others don't, the main idea being that it isn't a matter of raw talent.

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump is also fascinating. If you can get past his bravado and cockyness, you can learn a lot of very interesting things from it.

bookfiend · 03-13-2011, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegematic

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

She has a few great books. I really enjoyed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. In spite of the topic, it's very entertaining and even funny at times.

Mitch G · 03-15-2011, 03:52 PM

Some suggestions below. Although you might think some of these books sound boring, they really are great books that introduce you all sorts of things beyond just the main topic.

Stiff by Mary Roach: You'll learn all about cadavers.

Disappearing Spoon: You'll learn about the periodic table (much more interesting than it sounds).

Tulipomania by Mike Dash: You'll realize you should have been able to have foreseen the tech and housing bubbles and ensuing crashes (although it's too late).

Batavia's Graveyard by Mike Dash: Although it's about a shipwreck (the Essex recommendation above is excellent, btw), you'll learn quite a bit about culture and economics in the time of the East Indian Trading Company.

Salt by Mark Kurlansky: You'll learn all about salt.

Mitch

DannyT · 03-15-2011, 07:31 PM

I would recommend:

Both collections of essays by David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster and A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again. His writing is challenging but funny, entertaining and touches on some fundamental truths.

The Medium is the Massage by Marshall McLuhan. This stretches the limits of the book form, both visually and intellectually.

I also liked Nothing to Envy and another Granta book, How to Talk About Book's You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard.

All pretty full on reads, but well worth the mental effort.

amybobamy · 03-15-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

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.

I think I purchased two separate copies (one for each apartment I had at the time) and began reading it about eight different times, to no avail.

6charlong · 03-15-2011, 10:55 PM

Three interesting (non-fiction) medical mysteries:

The Monster Under the Microscope, about the discovery of antibiotics.

The Hot Zone, about microbe hunters and the Ebola outbreak in Reston Virginia

The Great Influenza, about the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-1919

wallcraft · 03-15-2011, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Three interesting (non-fiction) medical mysteries:

Another one, I highly recommend:

Anthrax: The Investigation of a Deadly Outbreak by Jeanne Guillemin

I have not read Biohazard by Ken Alibek, which some Amazon reviewers suggest as an alternative. It isn't exactly a medical mystery, but I probably would buy it as an ebook if one was available.

Illinifan · 03-16-2011, 01:39 AM

Another of Taleb's books that is very eye opening is Fooled by Randomness.

A interesting and fun book that I learned more about astronomy while reading is How I Killed Pluto and Why it Had it Coming by Mike Brown.

I am currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and it is a fascinating history of the woman and her cells that have been used in labs across the world for medical research.

snipenekkid · 03-16-2011, 08:13 AM

When I want non-fiction I tend to gravitate toward biographical book as especially those related to science, sports or the discovery/invention/exploration.

I highly recommend Into Africa about the whole Stanly & Livingston relationship and adventure. Of course the other two titles which I recommended in this month's Book Club vote. One about Einstein and the other about Oppenheimer. Also there were a BUNCH of really interesting titles nominated this month all of them were non-fiction which works nicely for ya.

I am really motivated to read the book about Cleopatra as well.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=123871
*

bookfiend · 03-16-2011, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illinifan

I am currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and it is a fascinating history of the woman and her cells that have been used in labs across the world for medical research.

I second the recommendation for this one. It's an eye-opening account, not only of scientific progress and how it often clashes with ethics, but also of the racial barriers Lacks and her family faced within the medical community, both during her treatment and afterwards.

Michael McLovin · 03-16-2011, 10:15 AM

Try any Malcolm Gladwell book.
My personal favorite from him is Blink.

Penforhire · 03-16-2011, 02:59 PM

Okay, I'll suggest something more accessible than my last, Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel." It was a fascinating attempt to explain a very broad sweep of history, why some populations thrived more than others. Some of his theories are hotly debated but it was well researched and presented.

covingtoncat73 · 03-16-2011, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edbro

One of the best books I read last year was In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick. Truly engaging story and I learned quite a bit.

I listened to that on on audio from the library. It was excellent.

I reccomend Before the Dawn by Nicholas Wade, Collapse by Jared Diamond, The World Without Us by Alan Weisman, and 1491 by Charles C. Mann. I found all to be engrossing and educational.

barb2cats · 03-16-2011, 09:17 PM

I recently read The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski, on the evolution of bookshelves and other book storage strategies. He starts with scrolls, and ends just before ebooks. I was fascinated.

03-13-2011, 12:52 PM	#16
edbro Banned Posts: 640 Karma: 4911 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Grapevine, TX Device: iPad4	One of the best books I read last year was *In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex* by Nathaniel Philbrick. Truly engaging story and I learned quite a bit. Last edited by edbro; 03-13-2011 at 03:42 PM.

03-15-2011, 10:55 PM	#22
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	medical mysteries Three interesting (non-fiction) medical mysteries: The Monster Under the Microscope, about the discovery of antibiotics. The Hot Zone, about microbe hunters and the Ebola outbreak in Reston Virginia The Great Influenza, about the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-1919

03-16-2011, 08:13 AM	#25
snipenekkid Banned Posts: 760 Karma: 51034 Join Date: Feb 2009	When I want non-fiction I tend to gravitate toward biographical book as especially those related to science, sports or the discovery/invention/exploration. I highly recommend Into Africa about the whole Stanly & Livingston relationship and adventure. Of course the other two titles which I recommended in this month's Book Club vote. One about Einstein and the other about Oppenheimer. Also there were a BUNCH of really interesting titles nominated this month all of them were non-fiction which works nicely for ya. I am really motivated to read the book about Cleopatra as well. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=123871 * Last edited by snipenekkid; 03-16-2011 at 08:16 AM.

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03-13-2011, 03:13 PM	#17
LeoMartin Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	I'd recommend Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. It's a fascinating take on why some people succeed and others don't, the main idea being that it isn't a matter of raw talent. The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump is also fascinating. If you can get past his bravado and cockyness, you can learn a lot of very interesting things from it.

03-15-2011, 03:52 PM	#19
Mitch G Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 742 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Naperville, IL USA Device: kindle	Some suggestions below. Although you might think some of these books sound boring, they really are great books that introduce you all sorts of things beyond just the main topic. Stiff by Mary Roach: You'll learn all about cadavers. Disappearing Spoon: You'll learn about the periodic table (much more interesting than it sounds). Tulipomania by Mike Dash: You'll realize you should have been able to have foreseen the tech and housing bubbles and ensuing crashes (although it's too late). Batavia's Graveyard by Mike Dash: Although it's about a shipwreck (the Essex recommendation above is excellent, btw), you'll learn quite a bit about culture and economics in the time of the East Indian Trading Company. Salt by Mark Kurlansky: You'll learn all about salt. Mitch

03-15-2011, 07:31 PM	#20
DannyT Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle	I would recommend: Both collections of essays by David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster and A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again. His writing is challenging but funny, entertaining and touches on some fundamental truths. The Medium is the Massage by Marshall McLuhan. This stretches the limits of the book form, both visually and intellectually. I also liked Nothing to Envy and another Granta book, How to Talk About Book's You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard. All pretty full on reads, but well worth the mental effort.

03-16-2011, 01:39 AM	#24
Illinifan Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 210032 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dayton, OH Device: iPad 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch, Sony PRS 300	Another of Taleb's books that is very eye opening is Fooled by Randomness. A interesting and fun book that I learned more about astronomy while reading is How I Killed Pluto and Why it Had it Coming by Mike Brown. I am currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and it is a fascinating history of the woman and her cells that have been used in labs across the world for medical research.

03-16-2011, 10:15 AM	#27
Michael McLovin Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 2504 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Somewhere in Southeast Asia Device: Desktop PC when i'm in the office pretending to work, kindle3	Try any Malcolm Gladwell book. My personal favorite from him is Blink.

03-16-2011, 02:59 PM	#28
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Okay, I'll suggest something more accessible than my last, Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel." It was a fascinating attempt to explain a very broad sweep of history, why some populations thrived more than others. Some of his theories are hotly debated but it was well researched and presented.

03-16-2011, 09:17 PM	#30
barb2cats Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 9076 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Cybook Gen3, Kindle 2, iPhone, VIZIO	I recently read The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski, on the evolution of bookshelves and other book storage strategies. He starts with scrolls, and ends just before ebooks. I was fascinated.