MobileRead Forums
Register Guidelines E-Books Today's Posts Search

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > Reading Recommendations
Reload this Page Your Favorite Essay, Memoir, and/or Creative Non-Fiction

Notices

Reply
Page 2 of 2 1 2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 11-15-2013, 11:04 AM   #16
bfisher
Wizard
bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,638
Karma: 28483498
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ottawa Canada
Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike L View Post
I like that one as well, but I'm not sure if it comes under the heading of essays / memoir. Should we include travel books in that category? (If so, I could nominate all of Bill Bryson's travel works.)

Mike
Yes, I think that the best travel writing has a literary quality, like Theroux's and Bryson's travel books (or Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia, mentioned by barutanseijin) are more like essays or memoirs. Bryson's Neither Here nor There and In a Sunburned Country would be useless as practical travel guides, but are still delicious reading. Eric Newby's work is also like that (ex. A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush). Newby wrote a wonderful short book about his experience as an apprentice seaman on a windjammer carrying wheat from South australia around Cape Horn in 1939, The Last Grain Race - unfortunately not available as an ebook - I would buy it in a second if it was available.

Similiarly Geert Mak's In Europe is far more a series of essays on 20th century European history than on travelling in Europe. Likewise, Hans Magnus Enzensberger's Europe, Europe.
bfisher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2013, 12:49 PM   #17
Mike L
Wizard
Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Mike L ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Mike L's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,479
Karma: 3846231
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfisher View Post
Eric Newby's work is also like that (ex. A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush). Newby wrote a wonderful short book about his experience as an apprentice seaman on a windjammer carrying wheat from South australia around Cape Horn in 1939, The Last Grain Race - unfortunately not available as an ebook - I would buy it in a second if it was available.
We seem to have similar tastes. I've read all of Eric Newby's, and have enjoyed them all.

From Newby, it's only a short step to Patrick Leigh Fermor. Have you read A Time of Gifts?

Regarding The Last Grain Race, if you can bear to read a paper book, you'll find plenty of low-priced copies at Abe Books.

Mike
Mike L is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 11-15-2013, 02:39 PM   #18
bfisher
Wizard
bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bfisher ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,638
Karma: 28483498
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ottawa Canada
Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike L View Post
We seem to have similar tastes. I've read all of Eric Newby's, and have enjoyed them all.

From Newby, it's only a short step to Patrick Leigh Fermor. Have you read A Time of Gifts?

Regarding The Last Grain Race, if you can bear to read a paper book, you'll find plenty of low-priced copies at Abe Books.

Mike
Hi, Mike,

Yes, I do think that our tastes are similar. I've put A Time of Gifts on my TBR. Thanks very much for the suggestion.

Cheers,
Bruce
bfisher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2013, 10:44 PM   #19
Xanthe
Plan B Is Now In Force
Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Xanthe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Xanthe's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,894
Karma: 8086979
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Surebleak
Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike L View Post
I like that one as well, but I'm not sure if it comes under the heading of essays / memoir. Should we include travel books in that category? (If so, I could nominate all of Bill Bryson's travel works.)

Mike
I've always viewed it as a memoir, rather than a travel book.
Xanthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2013, 02:07 AM   #20
cromag
Surfin the alpha waves ~~
cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.cromag ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
cromag's Avatar
 
Posts: 26,308
Karma: 459765791
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New Jersey
Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids
Well, I don't read too many books that fit this category, but the ones I have read have all been outstanding. A couple that stood out right away were:

Early Love and Brook Trout, by James Prosek. I don't think it's even available as an ebook, possibly because the author's many watercolor illustrations might not make the transition well, but used copies are available very inexpensively.

The Siege: A Family's Journey Into the World of an Autistic Child, by Clara Claiborne Park. Again, I think it's only available on paper. I also recommend the follow-up, Exiting Nirvana, which apparently is available as an ebook.
Last edited by cromag; 11-17-2013 at 02:15 AM.
cromag is online now   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 11-19-2013, 09:47 AM   #21
Pulpmeister
Wizard
Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Pulpmeister ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 2,825
Karma: 29145056
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Perth Western Australia
Device: kindle
I too like Bill Bryson's travel books, and I specially enjoyed his one about Australia (Brit and US editions have different titles). Shows it's possible to be very funny, but with genuine affection for the subject. His description of cricket is hilarious. And I'm an Aussie.
Pulpmeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2013, 09:52 AM   #22
kennyc
The Dank Side of the Moon
kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
kennyc's Avatar
 
Posts: 35,901
Karma: 119230421
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
I just put a hold on his latest one at my library -

One Summer: America, 1927. looks interesting.
http://www.amazon.com/One-Summer-Ame...ds=bill+bryson
Last edited by kennyc; 11-19-2013 at 09:55 AM.
kennyc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2013, 07:22 AM   #23
kennyc
The Dank Side of the Moon
kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
kennyc's Avatar
 
Posts: 35,901
Karma: 119230421
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
Unfortunately it is not available on line, but I just re-read "The Book of Knowledge" by Steven Harvey

It was first published in River Teeth - a journal of creative non-fiction I'd highly recommend (available as individual ebook issues from Amazon and elsewhere as well as paper). It was also chosen for this years Best American Essays (2013).

This is an excellent essay/memoir that truly combines all the things embodied in the title of this thread information, memoir, creative presentation and a true sense of wow.

There's a brief part of the essay (beginning) here: http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&typ...3.2.harvey.pdf
kennyc is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 2 of 2 1 2

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
The General Preface Essay AlexBell Writers' Corner 1 07-17-2012 08:34 PM
Free (Kindle/Nook) On Writing Fiction by David Jauss [Creative Self-Help] ATDrake Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) 3 03-17-2012 06:39 PM
favorite historical fiction writers mr.jjm54 Reading Recommendations 25 10-29-2011 09:02 PM
What are your favorite non-fiction books? GatorDeb Reading Recommendations 57 05-08-2010 01:05 PM
Wiki for Creative Fiction Colin Dunstan News 0 09-03-2005 04:11 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:44 PM.

Contact Us - FAQ - Guidelines - Privacy - Top

MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.