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winglo
Deerslayer
USA
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 Posted - July 27 2007 : 7:01:21 PM
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I don't particularly like reading fiction books. But, I am looking for some good non-fiction to read. Any suggestions? I have a wide interest range, so any ideas are welcome. . .history, forensic science, biographies, medical forensics, current events, . . .I just hate wasting time by starting a book and finding that it just isn't well-written. I could browse around the library or bookstore, but I thought I'd ask for suggestions first.
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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
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 Posted - July 28 2007 : 09:24:22 AM
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| History: 1776 by David McCullough. Anything written by him is absolutely breathtakingly written. If you've never been interested in the way our country got started... you will be after reading this one. |
"It is more deeply stirring to my blood than any imaginings could possibly have been." |
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richfed
Sachem
USA
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Posted - July 28 2007 : 10:08:28 AM
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One of my favorite non-fiction reads [and that's pretty much all I read] is "Son of the Morning Star," by Evan S. Connell. It is a finely woven tale of the events and people surrounding Little Bighorn.
If you are a Civil War aficionado, anything by Stephen Sears will definitely engage you.
And, yes, agreed ... "1776" is a masterpiece! |
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Fitzhugh Williams
Mohicanland Statesman
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July 17 2005
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Posted - July 28 2007 : 10:50:00 AM
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| Crucible Of War by Fred Anderson |
"Les deux pieds contre la muraille et la tete sous le robinet" |
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Obediah
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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August 16 2006
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Posted - July 28 2007 : 12:02:04 PM
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And speaking of "The Late Unpleasantness," Shelby Foote's wonderful trilogy The Civil War is well worth the time.
Wait a minute, you mean the Harry Potter books are fiction??!!   |
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RedFraggle
Mohicanite
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Posted - July 28 2007 : 12:28:58 PM
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If you want an interesting read about gender studies and social relations in Colonial America, Thomas A. Foster's Sex and the Eighteenth-Century Man is a good read. A lot of first-hand accounts of (at the time) titillating trials and newspaper articles. A good analysis of what it meant to be "a man" in 18th c. America. I read the entire thing in pretty much one sitting, which is probably just more evidence that I'm a huge nerd. 
A short, excellent book is Simon Winchester's The Professor and the Madman. The subtitle is A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. It's a true story about the really rather remarkable composition of the OED, much of which was originally compiled by an American Civil War veteran serving a life sentence for murder in an insanity ward(!). |
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winglo
Deerslayer
USA
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Posted - July 29 2007 : 1:35:22 PM
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Thanks for the input. I'll definitely check these books out.
Hey, Obi, I like the new "Geezers Rawk" logo. How old do you have to be to be a geezer? Or do you just know when you're one? |
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Obediah
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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August 16 2006
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Posted - July 29 2007 : 3:39:58 PM
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Re, geezer qualifying age: Shhhhh, it's a secret!
If anyone is interested in making their own spiffy-looking signature -- here's the link, www.flamingtext.com. |
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winglo
Deerslayer
USA
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July 13 2007
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Posted - August 01 2007 : 1:56:45 PM
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quote:
A short, excellent book is Simon Winchester's The Professor and the Madman. The subtitle is A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. It's a true story about the really rather remarkable composition of the OED, much of which was originally compiled by an American Civil War veteran serving a life sentence for murder in an insanity ward(!).
Red, I picked up this book yesterday. It's a good read so far. I wish I had a life where I could read it all in one sitting. But, that was my former life before I had a daughter. |
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Obediah
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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Posted - August 01 2007 : 2:56:35 PM
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A book that can bring tears to your eyes: Flags of Our Fathers. 
Much better than the movie! |
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Dances with Beagles
Colonial Settler
USA
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May 19 2002
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Posted - August 05 2007 : 2:26:53 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
I don't particularly like reading fiction books. But, I am looking for some good non-fiction to read. Any suggestions? I have a wide interest range, so any ideas are welcome. . .history, forensic science, biographies, medical forensics, current events, . . .I just hate wasting time by starting a book and finding that it just isn't well-written. I could browse around the library or bookstore, but I thought I'd ask for suggestions first.
I just finished "Shadow Divers" by Robert Kurson. I could not put it down! It is non-fiction, has history, adventure, drama, biographies, etc. It is the story of two divers trying to identify the wreck of a U-boat from WWII which sank off the coast of New Jersey. I highly recommend it, and not just because it happens in NJ !!!
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winglo
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USA
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Posted - August 05 2007 : 4:43:07 PM
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| Dances with Beagles, That sounds like my kind of book. . .it has a little of everything. Thanks for the suggestion. New Jersey's o.k., too. They have a nice shore. I live outside Philadelphia, so can appreciate your state! |
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RedFraggle
Mohicanite
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Posted - August 08 2007 : 7:49:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
Red, I picked up this book yesterday. It's a good read so far. . . .
Apologies if it turns out not to be your style of book. I found it very interesting, one of the only books I was ever assigned to read that I actually liked.
If you want a negative recommendation, never never never pick up a book called Mawson's Will. It's an amazingly boring account of a group of explorers lost in Antarctica---description after description of weather patterns and compass directions, interspersed with disgusting details like how to boil dead sled dogs' toenails to make an edible goo.  Not a very good read, if you ask me! |
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winglo
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Posted - August 26 2007 : 7:06:35 PM
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Hey, Red. I finished The Professor and the Madman this afternoon. It was pretty good. I (obviously) didn't read it without putting it down, but when I was reading it, I had a hard time knowing when to stop and go to bed. So, I'm just reading along finding the insights into the friendship between Murray and Minor very interesting, reading about Minor's dips into insanity (I knew it was schizophrenia right from the start) and suddenly this chapter comes along with his self-mutilation. What a shocker! I totally didn't expect it and was even more surprised by what he did! Kept it interesting. It's a good and a sad story at the same time.
So, knowing that this was an assigned book for you, I am wondering what your doctorate is going to be in? English or something related? Thanks for the recommendation. |
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RedFraggle
Mohicanite
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Posted - August 26 2007 : 9:32:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
) . . . and suddenly this chapter comes along with his self-mutilation. What a shocker! I totally didn't expect it and was even more surprised by what he did! Kept it interesting. It's a good and a sad story at the same time.
So, knowing that this was an assigned book for you, I am wondering what your doctorate is going to be in? English or something related? Thanks for the recommendation.
When I first read the book that chapter was a definite for me! Totally unpredictable and, what's worse, entirely true.
Now, to answer your question. First, I guess I should say that I read Prof. and the Madman as part of an undergrad honors seminar that had a different book assigned each week. It was the only book from the whole class that I enjoyed!
Now: fast forward through six years of grad school, and I'm working on a PhD in classical languages and literature. My areas of interest include Greek tragedy, Latin elegy, and the ancient novel. Can you say ?
And what will I do with this (totally impractical) degree?  Hopefully get a job as a professor and teach the languages to other people. And if I can't find a job? I have a running joke with my sisters that I'll turn to writing trashy romance novels set in the ancient world.  |
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winglo
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Posted - August 27 2007 : 5:17:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by RedFraggle
Now: fast forward through six years of grad school, and I'm working on a PhD in classical languages and literature. My areas of interest include Greek tragedy, Latin elegy, and the ancient novel.
And what will I do with this (totally impractical) degree? Hopefully get a job as a professor and teach the languages to other people. And if I can't find a job? I have a running joke with my sisters that I'll turn to writing trashy romance novels set in the ancient world.
Wow! That's some PhD. You must be close to finishing if you have six years of grad school under your belt. . .like writing your dissertation or something. I hope you're doing all this before you have kids. I'm looking at another graduate degree, but it's 1000% harder when you have to keep in mind the needs of a child, too. However, my mind is nothing like yours. I am a math and science person, although I love modern languages. I used to sit in required lit classes as an undergrad and wonder what in the world those lit majors were talking about. I thought, "I didn't see that in the story." Keep up the good work. I find your posts thoughtful and enlightening, so I'm sure you'll do well.
My husband is a full time graduate school professor and the bad news is, you'll make more money writing those trashy novels than teaching! But, loving what you do is more important than money (most of the time!) |
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RedFraggle
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Posted - August 28 2007 : 2:22:40 PM
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Well, I would be writing my dissertation now, Winglo, but I changed graduate programs after two years and the new school made me start all over.  So I probably still have another year or so.
But, YES, I'm doing this all before I have kids. Thank goodness! I have a friend who is trying to get through grad school with a kid and it's no fun for him or his wife, especially because he's an archaeologist and spends every summer out of the country while his wife tries to juggle the baby and a job. Yikes!
And, sadly, I know I'll never make money teaching.  My husband is a high school teacher and, while he definitely earns more than I do on my graduate stipend, it ain't much! I do love teaching, though. I find it very rewarding when I can see little light bulbs flicker on over students' heads  , or when I can make my students chuckle by making a total fool of myself in front of the class. (Yes, I do this regularly.) I think a large part of teaching is keeping the students entertained, anyway . . . at least in a college classroom, where students don't have to be there if they don't want to! |
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Obediah
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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August 16 2006
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Posted - August 29 2007 : 12:00:41 AM
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| My friend, as I'm sure you're already aware, money ain't everything. Most high-paying jobs come with a big hunk of stress, and that's a killer, period. I'm living proof of that... |
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winglo
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Posted - August 29 2007 : 2:29:49 PM
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| I picked up 1776 yesterday. Hope its as good as you say! |
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Light of the Moon
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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December 18 2004
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Posted - August 29 2007 : 2:58:00 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
I picked up 1776 yesterday. Hope its as good as you say!
If not you can try Poe or Shakespeare or some other ancient writer!
I love to read Poe at Halloween parties or by a fall camp fire! Gives people the willies everytime!
That's when the real fun begins!!!  heh-heh |
I live in my own little world - but that's okay, they know me here! |
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winglo
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Posted - August 29 2007 : 3:32:35 PM
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| Thank-you, Light. I have read both of them, when required, but, as the title of this thread indicates, I am looking for non-fiction book recommendations, as I don't really enjoy reading fiction. Both Poe and Shakespeare wrote fiction--unless there's something written out there that I've never heard about. Any good non-fiction books that you've read lately? |
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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
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Posted - August 29 2007 : 3:42:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
I picked up 1776 yesterday. Hope its as good as you say!
Well, it is always difficult to recommend books to others, as tastes are so different. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Winglo. At the very least, I think you can appreciate the beauty of McCullough's writing style. And if you do agree with me on that one, you might want to try his "John Adams." I have not read it yet, but intend to. |
"It is more deeply stirring to my blood than any imaginings could possibly have been." |
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Light of the Moon
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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Posted - September 01 2007 : 1:00:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
Thank-you, Light. I have read both of them, when required, but, as the title of this thread indicates, I am looking for non-fiction book recommendations, as I don't really enjoy reading fiction. Both Poe and Shakespeare wrote fiction--unless there's something written out there that I've never heard about. Any good non-fiction books that you've read lately?
Yeah, I know they're fiction. Just wanted to toss them out there.
A humorous non-fiction book that I recently read was "A Walk In The Woods." It's a novel about a Geezer's hike throught the Appalachain Trail. Written by Bill Bryson.
Some of the stuff he did was hysterical! One of the things he did earlier in the book reminded me of Obi.
He left some chatty know it all woman from Florida behind by hitch hiking to get away from her. LMAO! Only to run into her again days later because a blizzard hit and they got stranded in a hicktown. Too funny. I won't say anymore for the sake of not ruining it should you decide to read it.
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I live in my own little world - but that's okay, they know me here! |
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winglo
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Posted - September 01 2007 : 1:31:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Light of the Moon
It's a novel about a Geezer's hike throught the Appalachain Trail. Written by Bill Bryson.
Some of the stuff he did was hysterical! One of the things he did earlier in the book reminded me of Obi.
Sounds like it might be interesting, except I'm not sure I want to read something that might remind me of Obi! |
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Obediah
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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Posted - September 01 2007 : 1:38:14 PM
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You just can't stop thinking about me and you know it!  |
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Light of the Moon
Mohicanland Statesman
USA
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Posted - September 01 2007 : 8:08:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
quote:
Originally posted by Light of the Moon
It's a novel about a Geezer's hike throught the Appalachain Trail. Written by Bill Bryson.
Some of the stuff he did was hysterical! One of the things he did earlier in the book reminded me of Obi.
Sounds like it might be interesting, except I'm not sure I want to read something that might remind me of Obi!
LOL. I can sympathize. He does tend to grow on ya' doesn't he.
Just teasin you Geezer! You know we love you! |
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Recommendation for Non-Fiction?
