I was never a huge non-fiction reader, and still am not. I do, though, think it's important to expand your literary repertoire once in awhile, not to mention learn some true shit. So for this week's Top Ten Tuesday, I've decided to list ten non-fiction books that would even interest (hopefully) someone not interested in the genre.
1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: I couldn't put down this story of the woman behind the famous cells that have been bought and sold to cure a number of diseases around the world.
2. Into Thin Air by John Krakauer: Another page-turner! After reading this I thought for just a tiny moment that maybe I too could climb Mount Everest.
3. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver: While this isn't exactly a nail-biter, I do think it's a really informative read. If anything, it will force you to think about where you get your food.
4. Wild by Cheryl Strayed: I'm not a huge fan of Strayed herself (I went to one of her readings once... between that and her voice in the book something just rubbed me the wrong way) but I will say her story is interesting. I'm a sucker for endurance stories, what can I say?
5. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer: Like the Kingsolver book, this too will make you think about your food. You may not be ready to think this much in-depth, though. I read it when I quit eating meat for awhile (I've been eating poultry again since January, but only make sure to buy the good stuff) and it really supported everything I stood for.
6. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall: It doesn't matter if you're a runner or not- this book about ultra-marathoners is inspiring and fascinating.
7. Spark by John Ratey: I read this several years ago when I was getting really serious about regular exercise and found it incredibly motivating. Ratey will make you want to put on your shoes and move your ass from the first few pages. Besides the normal diatribe about cardiovascular health he also focuses a great deal on how movement can positively impact the brain.
8. Another Day in the Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik: Firlik talks about what it's like being a female neurosurgeon in her memoir.
9. Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It by Kelly Gallagher: While this book is definitely geared more towards educators, I think that all of us in the reading community should have a vested interest in students become passionate readers.
10. The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett, and Amanda Pressner: Three women quit their jobs and take their life savings to travel the globe.
Great list! I don't read as much nonfiction as I would like to, and when I do it's usually history/political/travel-related so I'll be sure to check out some of the titles on your list, expand my horizons in that genre ;)
ReplyDeleteI am not a non-fiction reader either but this list interested me. I'll save it for when I feel like reading non fiction :)
ReplyDeleteOooh, totally agree with Henrietta Lacks, Into Thin Air and Katrina Firlik (although I really enjoyed the latter it also proved to me that neurosurgery is nooooot for me).
ReplyDeleteI have never really read any exercise books: never seen the point, really. But Spark sounds like something I might try, especially since I've been trying (and succeeding in some degree) to be more physically active.
Readicide and Eating Animals also sound good, I might try them as well!
Cool list, I haven't read any of those books either!
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Doris @ OABR
Great idea for a list- I usually shy away from non-fiction. I have only read #1 on your list, though #10 really looks good!
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be the only one to say I read a lot of non-fiction. And I do it not because I want to, but because it's needed for professional development in my field. It's funny, I've read so many of what I refer to as "scary food" (a "hot button" - I hate that phrase - issue in the horticultural sciences) books that I've decided that we're simply all screwed. There's no saving us.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of Readicide or The Lost Girls, but they definitely sound like books I would like. I've just started back up listening to audiobooks and non-fiction is one of the genres I particularly enjoy in that format -- will have to check my library for some of these (audiobooks are just too darn expensive to buy!)
ReplyDeleteI just finished a GREAT non-fiction book. One Summer by Bill Bryson. It is about the summer of 1927 in America. I love history and Bryson's style, so I just couldn't put it down. Another one of my favorite nonfiction books is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
ReplyDeleteI have fallen in love with nonfiction this year. Someone asked me on instagram for my top 5 books this year, and I had to push myself to include some fiction. It just seems like writers are really getting the memo that nonfiction that reads like fiction is a crowd pleaser.
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