Non-Fiction Book Recommendations

[Penny4yourthoughts]

I have really enjoyed reading all of Casey Watson's books. She and her husband are foster parents to some of the most challenging kids. Each one of her books is a wonderful recount of her experience with a different child, and in some cases children.

[hopeingod]

Lost in Shangri-la by Mitchell Zuckoff.

I purchased this book as a Kindle download. First, I wish to address the problem with Kindle not having provided, in that download, every sentence in the book. Once I reached the end of a page, especially if the last sentence was partially completed, on the next page there wasn't the remainder of that incomplete sentence, but an entirely new sentence or paragraph. Overall, the download must have missed about 300 partial sentences, since the book was around 317 Kindle pages in length. I really think I ought to get my money back but don't know where to go to ask for it. I'll try searching for a Kindle link marked "refund."

As for the content of the documentary, there was a lot of fluff, filler, and unnecessary information placed into it to add to the size of the book, adding little to the quality of the manuscript. Be aware, the moment a person is introduced, the reader is in for a lengthy biography of that person, sometimes well into an entire chapter.

I wanted to keep abreast of the survivors, how they were enduring, etc., not all that other stuff. The history of New Guinea's previous visitors, I skipped over almost entirely. The future of that island, however, did hold my interest, since, after the rescue and consequent fame of the survivors, others wanted to experience being in the presence of the primitives. And so many, obviously, set off to be with them, as well as to search for the wreckage which is not easily reached.

All that was sent down to the survivors and rescuers who parachuted to their aid seemed a bit much, especially all that was meant for Margaret Hastings, the lone female survivor. So many toiletries and clothes she received that it seemed she was surely considered the most important of the trio. For instance, female sanitary napkins were so plentiful that they were put to other uses, such as to pad the shoulders of those who carried bags with straps. Also within the aircraft's kits was proof of the dark days of medical knowledge in the 1940s, as the military thought it very important for the survivors to have plenty of cigarettes on hand. Matches were used as money for poker games, which Margaret knew little of since she was a bridge player, not a gambler.

More than enough guns and ammunition were also dropped, as there remained in the minds of those outside the jungle thoughts that all natives were not particularly friendly. They knew nothing of the location where the party awaited their rescue. About all that the armory was used for was for the fun of scaring the natives. The sizable clearing used as a rescue pad was formerly used by warring tribes as a battleground, and while the newcomers were there, tribal battles were put on hold.

Imagine, while searching for a place to be spotted by overhead planes, the one spot accidentally found from which to be seen was in a sweet potato patch. Odd that the survivors didn't think to satisfy their hunger by eating a handful of those potatoes immediately, but they didn't, to my surprise.

The book was well written, but, as I already mentioned, it contained insignificant information, as well as some pretty shaky moments. The unfolding of the rescue events was presented well, including the sense of fear that the tow line would break, or that the rescue plane would not be capable of reaching an altitude capable of passing the glider over the mountains.

As with all famous wartime personalities, the US Army used Margaret Hastings during bond selling campaigns to help defray the cost of war, just as they did following the efforts of the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. So, in the end, whatever was spent for rescue, was well returned in donations, something the government, in those days, was reasonably good at -- turning a public event into profit.

The medical team rightfully was given the honor of the first exit with Ms. Hastings. They well deserved it for their capable efforts in saving gangrenous limbs. Maybe lazy, underused military officers will think twice next time before they choose their distractions. Not all that seems harmless, is. It's best to stay put, where it is safe.

-- 13 Apr 2014, 13:56 --

I recently read a nonfiction book titled "Russian Roulette: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin's Plot for Global Revolution" by Giles Milton. I received the book the book through NetGalley and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book.

The book tells the history of the Russian Revolution around 1917 and the role that British spies played in thwarting that revolution. The author gives a good amount of background information to the reader before jumping into the action, allowing an uninformed reader to understand the backstory involved.

The authors writing style is really quite pleasant. The author writes in a style that is informative while still being understandable and enjoyable to read. There were times where I felt that I wasn't even reading a nonfiction book but was rather reading an incredibly detailed historical fiction novel.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in history, especially Russian History. This book is definitely one of the better nonfiction books that I have read recently and I will be searching out more works by this author..

Russian Roulette sounds very interesting, as I am a history buff whose war section grows in the dark. It is another book to add to my list. Thanks for the introduction.
David

[crazyreader12]

Geisha sounds like a good book.I will have to put it on my books to read. Thanks for the review.

[DavidBoudreau]

Life lessons learn by James Altucher who is a self made millionaire, father, business owner, web designer and much more. Explains a variety of struggle (sometimes a bit extreme) he had to through in his life. Also talks about a modern way of understanding today's marketplace and solution to strive in our indivualist society. Extremely honest, refreshing and easy to read. If you have ever been or still are confuse about your future I would urge you to read it . It personally inspired me to start writting my very first book at the age of 21.

[brianstorm]

The struggle by brian storm

[kat6496]

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a fantastic read! Rebecca did an amazing job with the research she did (over a decade's worth) and it was written so that anyone could understand it. I would never have chosen to read this book on my own if it weren't randomly selected in the reading group I started. I can't stand reading medical/scientific books for the jargon they use, but I completely understood this. It was also a great mix of the scientific/medical and the Lackses personal story together. The way the author put herself in the story of her experiences discovering the information and meeting the family was also great. This is in my top 10 for all-time favorite books I've ever read so far. It is a must read!!

everafter09, I agree that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was fantastic! I get so mad now every time there is a list of the women who contributed most in the world (and lists like that) because no one really knows how her cells are the basis of everything!

[David Dawson]

Two completely different recommendations: The Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano is 500 years of South American history compressed into a few hundred pages. It's compelling told and persuasively argued, and is not going to do much for your inner patriot if you're British or American. For anyone with a taste for 19th Century literature, I can't really recommend Hazlitt highly enough; he writes beautifully and has quite a modern sensibility. Plus, as he's an essayist, most of his work comes in easily digestible chunks.

[84ayrtonsenna]

I recently came across a relatively new book on Amazon called "The Simple Truth: The Meaning of Your Life" by S.Jones

(Anyone heard of this author before??), which takes a different approach. The book is only available on Kindle (not paperback) which is a shame as I prefer reading "real" books (Anyone agree?). This is how the author describes the book;

"What is the meaning of life? What is your belief? The same burning question has been baffling humanity for thousands of years. The truth is, the answer is simple, but very important. One must shy away from developing a scientific or religious answer, but a more personal answer. An answer which I hope will empower your life, no matter what your age or situation in life."

At first I was a bit disappointed as to how short the book is, but when I read it all, it made me think, and literally nod in agreement! Most of the book is written to prove 1 main point - How to live a happy life.

The author gives an example of his own life, sayings and a story about a stranded bird (funnily moving!).

To fully understand what the author means, I read it twice. I must confess, It has changed me a bit, not dramatically, but my daily way of life has changed!

Has anyone else read this book? Has it had an effect on you too?

[moderntimes]

Just finished a superb bio, "Julius Caesar" by the American historian Philip Freeman. This is a relatively new biography and is filled with erudite scholarship and yet it reads like a novel! I highly recommend this.

I'd place it on about a 90% (nearly as good as) the best bio of Caesar ever, "Caesar: Life of a Colossus" by the Brit historian Adrian Goldsworthy. The Goldsworthy book is quite a bit longer and more in depth, especially regarding Caesar's military campaigns (Goldsworthy is also an expert on warfare).

Anyone interested in Julius Caesar will do well to acquire these excellent books.

[Alle Wells]

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

In the vein of "The Diary of Anne Frank", Malala presents an honest account of life besieged by constant terrorism and military force. Here, the fears of everyday people forced to live under Taliban rule are revealed and dealt with.

Malala shows us that the quest for world peace will lead to an enlightened existence for everyone. This young woman is destined for greatness. She deserves every award presented to her. I loved this young girl's spunk and endurance! She is an inspiration to young women around the world. Her story reveals everyday life in the middle east in addition to many facts about our own country's involvement in that region.

[David Dawson]

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

In the vein of "The Diary of Anne Frank", Malala presents an honest account of life besieged by constant terrorism and military force. Here, the fears of everyday people forced to live under Taliban rule are revealed and dealt with.

Malala shows us that the quest for world peace will lead to an enlightened existence for everyone. This young woman is destined for greatness. She deserves every award presented to her. I loved this young girl's spunk and endurance! She is an inspiration to young women around the world. Her story reveals everyday life in the middle east in addition to many facts about our own country's involvement in that region.

And, since you mention it, The Diary of Anne Frank is pretty much compulsory as far as non-fiction goes.

[Elizabeth Rogers 47]

[quote="SmartShopp3r"]Thanks Bowlie, will give Bad News a shot. Have a good feeling about it.[/


I've been looking for information about the explosion in Halifax since I traveled there some years ago. It was such a huge disaster, I cannot understand why more hasn't been written on the subject. I will check it out.

[Sdschultz]

Unbroken
Bomb, the making & stealing of the Atomic Bomb
Immortal Life of Heneritta Lacks

[florajavier]

Divorced, beheaded, survived, divorced, beheaded, died. The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser is a treat. It reads like a work of fiction in a sense that it is neither static nor dry. You would want to keep on reading. Besides, it is really a very fascinating piece of history, not just for the sex and rock-and-roll part of it; but also for the profound effects of Henry VIII's relationships, most especially with Anne Boleyn that gave us the Anglican church and the 50-year reign of Queen Elizabeth.

[benji]

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People By Stephen Covey. It puts into words every innate sense I've ever had about life and not understood in an understandable, helpful way.