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31 December 2007

Book advice... What are some well-written, non-fiction books? →[More:]I have a non native English speaker friend who wants to write better in English, and thinks it will help to read more English language books.

He hates fiction.

He mostly reads new-agey, spirituality stuff and things about getting rich, of the Rich Dad Poor Dad variety. (Hey, it's the American dream, right?)

He said he'd be okay with most non-fiction.

Biographies might be okay, especially if they are about people who were famous or successful.

I mostly read fiction or biographies of no one rich and famous.

Any suggestions?

post by: small_ruminant at: 14:22 | 21 comments

I really enjoyed Seabiscuit. It's kind of American Dream - y. Plus, horsies!

posted by occhiblu 31 December | 14:27

...things about getting rich, of the Rich Dad Poor Dad variety. (Hey, it's the American dream, right?)

I'd recommend Roger Lowenstein's biography of Warren Buffett, it's very good in its own right and it's a good way to counter that Rich Dad Poor Dad garbage.

posted by mullacc 31 December | 14:29

I'm currently reading this. It tells the story not only of a fairly sucessful man, but paints fascinating vignettes of 19th century America. The prose style is excellent.

posted by pieisexactlythree 31 December | 14:31

In the genre of autobiography, I really enjoyed "Personal History," by Katharine Graham when I read it.

posted by Lassie 31 December | 14:36

Almost anything by Jon Krakauer.
Almost anything by Redmond O'Hanlon
Bill Bryson - a Short History of Nearly Everything.

This is actually a bit of a golden age for readable science-oriented non-fiction as well.

posted by rumple 31 December | 14:41

He should definitely read The Elements of Style.

posted by amro 31 December | 14:45

Have you ever read Richard Feynman's autobiographical stories? I adore them, and I think a lot of mecha/mefite people do, but this may not be the sort of thing you have in mind. I guess it occurs to me because he was really good at communicating without condescending, or trying to keep up any particular "appearance" based on his reputation... and your pupil may benefit from a bit of that sort of brilliant silliness in addition to the sort of thing he normally seeks out.

posted by taz 31 December | 14:50

Thank you! These are great.

Except I think The Elements of Style is a needlessly complicated way to think about English.

posted by small_ruminant 31 December | 14:51

Mick Brown's biography of Phil Spector was FASCINATING to me.

posted by BoringPostcards 31 December | 15:20

Chris Offutt's memoir The Same River twice is a masterpiece, and Ben Hamper's Rivethead is a rollicking ride.

posted by jonmc 31 December | 15:27

John McPhee! Anything by John McPhee!

posted by BitterOldPunk 31 December | 15:31

Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. It's nonfiction, and I would think will get bonus points with your potential reader because it's geared towards both business and communication.

posted by drezdn 31 December | 15:42

Second John McPhee. As a plus for a non-native spaker, his topics are sophisticated and will introduce tons of new vocabulary, but his sentences are really clear and direct in construction.

posted by Miko 31 December | 15:51

Richard Dawkins is really good at English if he's into that sort of thing.

posted by dabitch 31 December | 16:44

I'll have to try McPhee again. His sentence constructions irritated the hell out of me, but clearly I read a bad sample.

Most of these others I've never read so I'll check them out- thanks!

posted by small_ruminant 31 December | 16:49

I read Tuva or Bust! (because I like Tuva and there's not much out there on it) and I thought Feynman came across as completely full of himself. (Justifiable or not, it's annoying to read.) Are other Feynman books better?

posted by small_ruminant 31 December | 16:52

Seconding Richard Feynman, and thirding John McPhee. Perhaps La Place de la Concorde Suisse?

posted by Lassie 31 December | 17:08

Apollo by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox. It is a fantastic book, and the best book about the space race I have ever seen. It was out of print for a very long time, but is available again. deadcowdan lent me a copy back in the day, and it was excellent.

posted by King of Prontopia 31 December | 22:17

Thank you, everyone! Even if he's not into these suggestions, I know I am. I am such a book slut.

posted by small_ruminant 31 December | 22:26

I enjoyed Redemption Song: The Definitive Biography of Joe Strummer and White Bicycles, but then I'm silly like that. They are both stories of people who pulled themselves up from obscurity, though, so if you squint a little they fit what you're looking for.

posted by bmarkey 01 January | 00:02

Bill Bryson's a decent enough writer, but he's also hilarious. He has a history book which is outside of his usual travelogues which is very interesting.

posted by plinth 01 January | 00:26

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