MetaChat - I need some new non-fiction books to read

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17 February 2009

I need some new non-fiction books to read What have you read lately that's been good?

post by: ThePinkSuperhero at: 15:54 | 21 comments

What kind of non-fiction do you like? History? Biographies? True crime? Been re-reading some of Louise Dickinson Rich, including her best-known "We Took to the Woods"--great escapist literature. :)

posted by Melismata 17 February | 16:09

Rounding the Horn. . .Just what it says. . .it's very fascinating.

The Great Bridge. . .the difinitive account of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Polk. . .a fairly interesting bio of a little known president.

posted by danf 17 February | 16:14

Biographies, ethnographies, collections of essays, whatever. I tend to read by topic- I find a topic I want to read about, I read lots of books centered around that topic. I've been reading a lot of political stuff lately, but my brain is ready for something new.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 17 February | 16:25

Blue Blood was great. It's a memoir from a NYPD cop.

Yes, I steal my book recommendations from jonmc.

posted by mullacc 17 February | 16:27

Darwin Slept Here.

posted by special-k 17 February | 16:31

The zen of fish: The story of sushi from samurai to supermarket is a good read.

Apart from that, I've been reading lots about the American revolution and a bit about the Iraq war. I'm guessing (correct me if I'm wrong) that you wouldn't really be into that?

posted by gaspode 17 February | 16:35

I just finished Salt: A World History and found it fascinating.

posted by msali 17 February | 16:47

I'm reading Love in a Torn Land. I've been interested for a long time in stories of (or by) women in Middle Eastern countries. I'm glad I stumbled on this one at the library.

posted by deborah 17 February | 17:17

Anything by John McPhee.

posted by dersins 17 February | 17:37

I read Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires cover-to-cover in the DFW airport and on the flight back to California. It's a quick, entertaining read, and since it talks a lot about NYC restaurants, you might get an extra kick out of it.

posted by mudpuppie 17 February | 17:51

I just read this and enjoyed it.

Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens

posted by kellydamnit 17 February | 18:07

I loved Garlic and Sapphires! Read all of Reichl's books, in fact. Mmmm, food. Food books before bedtime are a little dangerous, tehe.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 17 February | 18:54

Interesting and bizarre: Possum Living.

After discussing reasons why you should or shouldn't give up your job, POSSUM LIVING gives you details about the cheapest ways with the best results to buy and maintain your own home, dress well, cope with the law, stay healthy, and keep up a middle-class facade--whether you live in the city, in the suburbs, or in a small town. In a delightful, straightforward style, Dolly Freed explains how to be lazy, proud, miserly, and honest, live well, and enjoy leisure.

posted by Stewriffic 17 February | 19:16

Force of Nature by Laird Hamilton

posted by matteo 17 February | 19:25

Musicophilia. Fascinating, but as a person whose life is steeped with music, it's given me a whole new set of things of which to be scared.
If you haven't read any Bill Bryson, do. It's all pretty good.
An African in Greenland

The Lady and the Monk

The Tao is Silent

posted by plinth 17 February | 20:05

Hey mullacc, I have jonmc's copy of Blue Blood, which fell apart while I was reading it one afternoon on the E train. Geat book, though old paperback copies might be a bit fragile.

Best (auto)biography I've read in ages: History of My Life by Giacomo Casanova; yes, I keep going on about it in these pages, but that's because it's so incredible.

Try Colin Thubron's Shadow of the Silk Road; read the linked review to see if you'll like it.

Or for a change of pace try Kate Ascher's The Works: Anatomy of a City.

Or try a book of Joan Didion essays (she's great at non-fiction).

I have more suggestions but I'm feeling deeply lazy right now. I'll try again later.

And on preview, "An African in Greenland" is an absolutely terriffic read, tops, 100% yeah!

posted by Hugh Janus 17 February | 20:19

"The Forsaken" by Tim Tzouliadis is the best non-fiction book I've read in years. Stayed with me for a long time afterward, astonishing stuff.

posted by guinness416 17 February | 21:44

Uh, Hugh, my copy of Blue Blood is hardcover and sitting on our lliving room floor near the TV. Just so you know.

posted by jonmc 17 February | 23:14

The Three of Us

posted by mlis 17 February | 23:38

Charlie Wilson's War

posted by brujita 18 February | 00:18

Damn, jonmc, I was thinking of Close Pursuit. NYPD, Schmen-YPD, yadda yadda.

posted by Hugh Janus 18 February | 01:09

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