I need some good non-fiction books to read. Memoirs are good, but not celebrity ones. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

It depends on where you are and what your resources are.

I've been living in non-English speaking countries for a couple of years now, & books in English are hard to come by.

www.guttenbergproject.com (I'm pretty sure that's the correct address) is an ok source for free e-books of all types, as long as you don't mind them being OLD!

If you have some spare cash to pay for e-books, try amazon.com.

If you've got loads of money, then I strongly recommend Borders! Even in New Zealand, Borders is the best bookstore in town!

YIKES! I've just read your question in a different way.
"Hand Me Down" by Lee Bon Heur (don't trust my spelling of the author's name..search the title..it's an old book & a New zealand story, but it's pretty damned special. If you can get it, do so!)

Have you read 'Desert Flower'?

What kind of non-fiction are you in to?

OH, OH, OH! You really must read "The Vagina Monologues"! All true stories, some humorous, some tear-jerkingly tragic! It's an amazing book, & an incredible stage show!

Answer 2

One of the best memoirs I've ever read is The Girl With The White Flag by Tomika Higa. I'd also recommend In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke. A brand new (2006) non-fiction book I'd recommend is Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of The Japanese Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made A Difference by Joanne Oppenheim.

My nonfiction recommendations for 2005 (mostly YA since that's my subject area) include The Diary Of Ma Yan: The Struggles and Hopes of A Chinese Schoolgirl by Ma Yan. Another Holocaust title is Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Two light scientific reads are Guinea Pig Scientists by Mel Boring and Invisible Allies by Jeanette Farrell.

Answer 3

Stolen Lives via Malika Oukfir: real tale approximately approximately an entire relatives (young toddlers, grandma, and so on.) who're held as political prisoners for 20 years. I assure you will continually remember about this e book. Into skinny Air via Jon Krakauer: real tale of a team of climbers attempting to realize the top of Mt. Everest. some make it some do no longer... the story is written via between the survivors. The Seven conduct of fantastically powerful human beings via Steven Covey: that's a style of uncommon self help books that has extremely helped! The principals are elementary and interior the 1st financial disaster, the author extremely says "that's no longer something you do no longer already understand." the assumption being that treating human beings a undeniable way (with appreciate & kindness) is that if fact be told a organic component to our pshyche - we basically could desire to be reminded at times. i will certainly say this e book has replaced the way I view myself and the international... completely and for the greater proper.

Answer 4

I'm old. So I'd recommend "Pepys' Diaries", "Vivienne's Diary", Henry Miller's "Colossus of Marousi" and "Tropic of Cancer", and "Tropic of Capricorn". George Orwell's essays and memoirs. Davies' "Diary of a Supertramp". Joshua Slocum "Sailing round the World". Once you avoid modern so-called celebrities, there's a swag of marvels from the past, and they all illuminate the ephemeral present.

Answer 5

Glass Castle bu Jeannette Walls

Answer 6

Pablo Picasso by Norman Mailer

Answer 7

Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation" books are excellent. Quick, interesting reads.

Answer 8

I just read "Three Weeks with My Brother" by Nicolas Sparks. He tells of his life, his family, love, loss and differences. He begins in present tense then goes into past tense with pictures of him and his family. I had read the Notebook and many other of his books, and you can see where he draws upon his family for characters and how he began to write. For me it made me reflect on my own life, my sisters and how precious life and time is. It's a quick read but one that made me laugh, cry and learn something about myself.

Answer 9

I just read a really good summer book. It's fasy reading & a great story. I found it on this hilarious guy's website at:

http://thekidfrombrooklyn.com/seashell.asp

It's called "Summer at Seashell Harbor" & it's about a group of teenagers' adventures during their summer vacation. Cool stuff.

Answer 10

I recommend The Pinochet File. It's completely true and full of interesting, atrocious, and incredible things that the govts of Chile and the USA did. Lots of history and pictures of declassified documents.