FREE/BARGAIN — Non-Fiction

[issybird]

The Cornell University Press frequently has freebies; this one caught my eye.

Acts of Care: Recovering Women in Late Medieval Health Kindle Edition by Sara Ritche who argues “that women in premodern Europe were both deeply engaged with and highly knowledgeable about health, the body, and therapeutic practices, but their critical role in medieval healthcare has been obscured because scholars have erroneously regarded the evidence of their activities as religious rather than medical.”

https://smile.amazon.com/Acts-Care-R.../dp/B08LMMSPZM

[Little.Egret]

Thanks for this reminder, here's all Cornell IP freebies

https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbook...price-asc-rank


https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?i=stripbo...price-asc-rank

[sufue]

Peril, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, is on sale for $4.99 today as part of the US Kindle Daily Deal, matched at Kobo US.

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098PDDZW3
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B098PDDZW3
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/peril-23

Spoiler:

The transition from President Donald J. Trump to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stands as one of the most dangerous periods in American history.

But as # 1 internationally bestselling author Bob Woodward and acclaimed reporter Robert Costa reveal for the first time, it was far more than just a domestic political crisis.

Woodward and Costa interviewed more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil, resulting in more than 6,000 pages of transcripts—and a spellbinding and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink.

This classic study of Washington takes readers deep inside the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, and the Pentagon and Congress, with vivid, eyewitness accounts of what really happened.

Peril is supplemented throughout with never-before-seen material from secret orders, transcripts of confidential calls, diaries, emails, meeting notes and other personal and government records, making for an unparalleled history.

It is also the first inside look at Biden’s presidency as he faces the challenges of a lifetime: the continuing deadly pandemic and millions of Americans facing soul-crushing economic pain, all the while navigating a bitter and disabling partisan divide, a world rife with threats, and the hovering, dark shadow of the former president.

“We have much to do in this winter of peril,” Biden declared at his inauguration, an event marked by a nerve-wracking security alert and the threat of domestic terrorism.

Peril is the extraordinary story of the end of one presidency and the beginning of another, and represents the culmination of Bob Woodward’s news-making trilogy on the Trump presidency, along with Fear and Rage. And it is the beginning of a collaboration with fellow Washington Post reporter Robert Costa that will remind readers of Woodward’s coverage, with Carl Bernstein, of President Richard M. Nixon’s final days.

[sufue]

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt is getting on for a decade old, but I re-read it a couple of years ago, and it still seemed pretty timely to me. It's £0.99 at Kindle UK today.

Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0076O2VMI
Kindle UK/Smile: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0076O2VMI

Spoiler:

Why can it sometimes feel as though half the population is living in a different moral universe? Why do ideas such as 'fairness' and 'freedom' mean such different things to different people? Why is it so hard to see things from another viewpoint? Why do we come to blows over politics and religion?

Jonathan Haidt reveals that we often find it hard to get along because our minds are hardwired to be moralistic, judgemental and self-righteous. He explores how morality evolved to enable us to form communities, and how moral values are not just about justice and equality - for some people authority, sanctity or loyalty matter more. Morality binds and blinds, but, using his own research, Haidt proves it is possible to liberate ourselves from the disputes that divide good people.

[Critteranne]

"Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss is just $2.99 today!

It's a fun and informative book -- but it has lots of pictures of cover art. So it will be better to read it on a tablet. (Hint: File size: 249,835 KB!)

Think of this as "Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of ’70s and ’80s Horror Fiction" for fans of 1980s and 1990s teen paperbacks (Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley High, etc.). In fact, it's from Quirk Books, the same publisher as "Paperbacks from Hell."

[sufue]

I've always enjoyed reading The Economist to see the news from a non-US viewpoint, even if that viewpoint is usually somewhat loosely aligned. And also just because The Economist's reporters are such awesome writers that they can make pretty much anything and everything interesting....

Now here's a book that purports to do the same thing for US history: History Lessons: How Textbooks from Around the World Portray U.S. History, by Dana Lindaman and Kyle Ward. From looking at the sample, this appears to be pretty much what the title says, and although the sample seems a little disjointed, with maybe not great connection between the various sections, the first few entries were interesting enough for me to buy the book at its current Kindle US sale price of $2.99. I think it'll be one of those books to keep on my phone and read when I'm in line at the store or bank...

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XU7IHC
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003XU7IHC

Spoiler:

A “fascinating” look at what students in Russia, France, Iran, and other nations are taught about America (The New York Times Book Review).

This “timely and important” book (History News Network) gives us a glimpse into classrooms across the globe, where opinions about the United States are first formed.

History Lessons includes selections from textbooks and teaching materials used in Russia, France, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Canada, and others, covering such events as the American Revolution, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Korean War—providing some alternative viewpoints on the history of the United States from the time of the Viking explorers to the post-Cold War era.

By juxtaposing starkly contrasting versions of the historical events we take for granted, History Lessons affords us a sometimes hilarious, often sobering look at what the world thinks about America’s past.

“A brilliant idea.” —Foreign Affairs

[sufue]

David Attenborough's A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future is £0.99 at Kindle UK today. That's a great deal, especially when you consider that it's.....wait for it....the #1 Bestseller in Women's Biographies right now .

Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0892876CX
Kindle UK/Smile: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0892876CX

Spoiler:

See the world. Then make it better.

'I am 94. I've had an extraordinary life. It's only now that I appreciate how extraordinary.

As a young man, I felt I was out there in the wild, experiencing the untouched natural world - but it was an illusion. The tragedy of our time has been happening all around us, barely noticeable from day to day - the loss of our planet's wild places, its biodiversity.

I have been witness to this decline. A Life on Our Planet is my witness statement, and my vision for the future. It is the story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake - and how, if we act now, we can yet put it right.

We have one final chance to create the perfect home for ourselves and restore the wonderful world we inherited.'

All we need is the will to do so.'

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by Critteranne

"Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss is just $2.99 today!

It's a fun and informative book -- but it has lots of pictures of cover art. So it will be better to read it on a tablet. (Hint: File size: 249,835 KB!)

Think of this as "Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of ’70s and ’80s Horror Fiction" for fans of 1980s and 1990s teen paperbacks (Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley High, etc.). In fact, it's from Quirk Books, the same publisher as "Paperbacks from Hell."

It is showing for 1.99 for me today on Kindle

I read this last year and agree it's great. It talks a lot on the history of racism and sexuality when it came to getting these books published in the older days.

[salty-horse]

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe is $3.99 on Amazon.com
This was on my wishlist, after a recommendation from the author Stephanie Feldman, who IIRC described it as an account of how ideologically non-violent people become convinced otherwise.

A stunning, intricate narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions

"Masked intruders dragged Jean McConville, a 38-year-old widow and mother of 10, from her Belfast home in 1972. In this meticulously reported book—as finely paced as a novel—Keefe uses McConville's murder as a prism to tell the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Interviewing people on both sides of the conflict, he transforms the tragic damage and waste of the era into a searing, utterly gripping saga." —New York Times Book Review

Jean McConville's abduction was one of the most notorious episodes of the vicious conflict known as The Troubles. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the I.R.A. was responsible. But in a climate of fear and paranoia, no one would speak of it. In 2003, five years after an accord brought an uneasy peace to Northern Ireland, a set of human bones was discovered on a beach. McConville's children knew it was their mother when they were told a blue safety pin was attached to the dress--with so many kids, she had always kept it handy for diapers or ripped clothes.

Patrick Radden Keefe's mesmerizing book on the bitter conflict in Northern Ireland and its aftermath uses the McConville case as a starting point for the tale of a society wracked by a violent guerrilla war, a war whose consequences have never been reckoned with. The brutal violence seared not only people like the McConville children, but also I.R.A. members embittered by a peace that fell far short of the goal of a united Ireland, and left them wondering whether the killings they committed were not justified acts of war, but simple murders.

From radical and impetuous I.R.A. terrorists such as Dolours Price, who, when she was barely out of her teens, was already planting bombs in London and targeting informers for execution, to the ferocious I.R.A. mastermind known as The Dark, to the spy games and dirty schemes of the British Army, to Gerry Adams, who negotiated the peace but betrayed his hardcore comrades by denying his I.R.A. past--Say Nothing conjures a world of passion, betrayal, vengeance, and anguish.

[Loosheesh]

The Letters of Sylvia Plath Vol 2: 1956-1963 for $1.99 at Amazon US

Spoiler:

The second volume in the definitive, complete collection of the letters of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Sylvia Plath, from the early years of her marriage to Ted Hughes to the final days leading to her suicide in 1963, many never before seen.

One of the most talented and beloved poets, Sylvia Plath continues to fascinate and inspire the modern literary imagination. The tragedy of her untimely death at age thirty, almost fifty-five years ago, has left much unknown about her creative and personal life. In this remarkable second volume of the iconic poet and writer’s collected letters, the full range of Plath’s ambitions, talents, fears, and perspective is made visible through her own powerful words.

As engaging as they are revealing, these remarkable letters cover the years from 1957 to 1963. They detail the last six tumultuous and prolific years of her life, covering her marriage to Ted Hughes, the births of her children Frieda and Nicholas, her early success, including the publication of the classic The Bell Jar, and her ongoing struggle with depression.

The first compendium of its kind to include all of Plath’s letters from this period, The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume 2 offers an intimate portrait of the writing life and mind of one of the most celebrated poets in literary history.

[bartveld]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

The Letters of Sylvia Plath Vol 2: 1956-1963 for $1.99 at Amazon US

Spoiler:

The second volume in the definitive, complete collection of the letters of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Sylvia Plath, from the early years of her marriage to Ted Hughes to the final days leading to her suicide in 1963, many never before seen.

One of the most talented and beloved poets, Sylvia Plath continues to fascinate and inspire the modern literary imagination. The tragedy of her untimely death at age thirty, almost fifty-five years ago, has left much unknown about her creative and personal life. In this remarkable second volume of the iconic poet and writer’s collected letters, the full range of Plath’s ambitions, talents, fears, and perspective is made visible through her own powerful words.

As engaging as they are revealing, these remarkable letters cover the years from 1957 to 1963. They detail the last six tumultuous and prolific years of her life, covering her marriage to Ted Hughes, the births of her children Frieda and Nicholas, her early success, including the publication of the classic The Bell Jar, and her ongoing struggle with depression.

The first compendium of its kind to include all of Plath’s letters from this period, The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume 2 offers an intimate portrait of the writing life and mind of one of the most celebrated poets in literary history.

Thanks for this!

[salty-horse]

Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer is $2.99 on Amazon.com
This is a popular science book that serves as an introduction to the immune system.
It's by the creator of the popular youtube channel Kurzgesagt, not a scientist, so don't expect too much hard science, and maybe too many analogies.
One of the selling points of this book is the artwork, and the ebook format naturally lacks the graphic design of the printed book.

You wake up and feel a tickle in your throat. Your head hurts. You’re mildly annoyed as you get the kids ready for school and dress for work yourself. Meanwhile, an epic war is being fought, just below your skin. Millions are fighting and dying for you to be able to complain as you head out the door.

But most of us never really stop to ask: What even is our immune system?

Second only to the human brain in its complexity, it is one of the oldest and most critical facets of life on Earth. Without it, you would die within days. In Immune, Philipp Dettmer, the brains behind the most popular science channel on YouTube, takes readers on a journey through the fortress of the human body and its defenses. There is a constant battle of staggering scale raging within us, full of stories of invasion, strategy, defeat, and noble self-sacrifice. In fact, in the time you’ve been reading this, your immune system has probably identified and eradicated a cancer cell that started to grow in your body.

Each chapter delves into an element of the immune system, including defenses like antibodies and inflammation as well as threats like bacteria, allergies, and cancer, as Dettmer reveals why boosting your immune system is actually nonsense, how parasites sneak their way past your body’s defenses, how viruses work, and what goes on in your wounds when you cut yourself.

Enlivened by engaging full-color graphics and immersive descriptions, Immune turns one of the most intricate, interconnected, and confusing subjects—immunology—into a gripping adventure through an astonishing alien landscape. Immune is a vital and remarkably fun crash course in what is arguably, and increasingly, the most important system in the body.

[j.p.s]

Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy by David Zucchino is on sale at amazon.com today for $1.99. I have not read it, but it won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YBK3S7V/

[issybird]

A couple of non-fiction books at Amazon caught my eye.

Wasps by Michael Knox Beran is an analysis of Wasp (the people, not the insects) culture in America. This came out just last year, published by S&S, regularly $18.99 but currently $1.99. I read a favorable review in the WaPo.

And one of my favorite books, The Seven Storey Mountain, the classic memoir of his early years, conversion and entrance into a monastery by Thomas Merton, one of the seminal religious writers and thinkers of the 20th century. On sale for $2.99.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy by David Zucchino is on sale at amazon.com today for $1.99. I have not read it, but it won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YBK3S7V/

I read it; it's excellent and eye-opening.