Favorite Non-Fiction Books

[Tim McG]

[i was inspired by Paul Secor.]

A short list:

Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer

You Gotta Daints With Them What Brung Ya, Molly Ivins

Miles Davis, Quincy Troup

Actually, I prefer non-fiction works over fiction.

What are some of your favorites?

Edited May 7, 2013 by GoodSpeak

[erwbol]

Actually, I prefer non-fiction works over fiction.

What are some of your favorites?

So do I. As far as books about Jazz musicians go, Robin D. G. Kelley's Thelonious Monk, The Life and Times of an American Original is a favourite.

Edited May 7, 2013 by erwbol

[Guy Berger]

Simon Sebag Montefiore, Court of the Red Tsar

Manias Panics and Crashes, Charles P. Kindleberger

Richard Evans's three-volume history of Nazi Germany

Mark Kishlansky's history of Stuart-era Britain

An interesting one I read recently (annotated edition recommended) is Edward Levefre's thinly disguised biography of Jesse Livermore, Reminscences of a Stock Operator

And I am currently enjoying Ira Katznelson's Fear Itself (a history of Congressional politics during the New Deal & WW2 era)

Edited May 8, 2013 by Guy

[Tim McG]

Here are a few more titles;

Teacher Man, Frank McCourt

A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney, Andy Rooney

Instant Replay, Jerry Kramer

The Umpire Strikes Back, Ron Luciano

Fatherhood, Bill Cosby

Trumpet Kings, Scott Yanow

In Our Humble Opinion, Tom and Ray Maglozzi

Be Bop, Scott DeVeaux

Not Making This Up, Dave Berry

Brain Droppings, George Carlin

Edited May 8, 2013 by GoodSpeak

[jlhoots]

Patti Smith: Just Kids

I also very much enjoyed the Leonard Cohen bio., I'm Your Man.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Well, I DO like fiction - but if I'm going to read a story someone's made up, I prefer fantasy and science fiction - something REALLY made up. For non-fiction some I reread again and again are

Music

John Broven - Record makers and breakers; voices of the independent R&R pioneers

Anthony Heilbut - The gospel sound

R J Smith - The great black way - LA in the 1940s

Arnold Shaw - Honkers and shouters

Nelson George - The death of Rhythm & Blues

African history

Basil Davidson - A history of West Africa 1000-1800

Basil Davidson - The black man's burden; Africa and the curse of the nation-state

Max Rodenbeck - Cairo; the city victorious

General history

Eric Hobsbawm - The age of revolution

Eric Hobsbawm - The age of capital

Eric Hobsbawm - The age of empire

Eric Hobsbawm - The age of extremes

Economics

John Kenneth Galbraith - The great crash 1929

John Kenneth Galbraith - Money; whence it came and where it went

MG

[paul secor]

I read more fiction than non-fiction, but here are a few non-fiction favorites:

52 McGs.: The Best Obituaries from Legendary New York Times Writer Robert McG Thomas Jr. - If obituaries interest you, you have to read these.

Guy Davenport: The Geography of the Imagination - Mr. Davenport's learning and interests range far beyond mine, but every time I open this book and read an essay, I find myself fascinated - even if I'm often lost. A book to spend a lifetime with.

Thad Carhart: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier - The author discovers a shop whose owner is dedicated to restoring pianos in his Paris neighborhood. Things move from there and the author's life changes. A small but fascinating memoir.

Brian Whitaker: Notes and Queries Vols. 1 & 2 (There are further volumes, but I only have the first two.) Queries sent by readers of The Guardian in England and answers to those queries sent by other readers. Sample questions:

Why do the British drive on the left and other countries on the right?
Why precisely 78, 45, 33, and 16? (rpm - for records)

How can I weight my head?

Who was the first April Fool?

Does scratching your head really help?

Answers (sometimes of a sort) are provided.

Bud Freeman: You Don't Look Like a Musician - Anecdotes and sketches from a writer who was also a pretty fair musician.

Edited May 8, 2013 by paul secor

[Tim McG]

BTW...does anybody have a recommendation for a good non-fiction book?

I'm looking for a good page-turner for a Summer read.

Tanx!

Edited May 17, 2013 by GoodSpeak

[jlhoots]

BTW...does anybody have a recommendation for a good non-fiction book?

I'm looking for a good page-turner for a Summer read.

Tanx!

Gwynne: Empire Of The Summer Moon

Don't know how much of it is true, but it's a compelling read.

[BruceH]

BTW...does anybody have a recommendation for a good non-fiction book?

I'm looking for a good page-turner for a Summer read.

Tanx!

I think I can recommend The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts. I'm about halfway through right now; a real page-turner; can't wait to see how it comes out.

[Tim McG]

Thanks, Guys.

Bruce, the good guys win.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

And now for something completely different

Michael Edwardes - The orchid house: splendours and miseries of the kingdom of Oudh 1927-1857

The runup to the Indian Mutiny.

MG

[A Lark Ascending]

A good few years since I read it - but it's astounding.

[Chuck Nessa]

Brian Rust: Jazz Records 1897-1942, Volume 1 A-K

Brian Rust: Jazz Records 1897-1942, Volume 2 Kar-Z

[Guy Berger]

BTW...does anybody have a recommendation for a good non-fiction book?

I'm looking for a good page-turner for a Summer read.

Tanx!

I think I can recommend The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts. I'm about halfway through right now; a real page-turner; can't wait to see how it comes out.

Bruce's snark aside, I agree with him, it's a very good book.

[kinuta]

A good few years since I read it - but it's astounding.

I was impressed too, certainly a must read imo.

Currently rereading this great biography in fits and starts. The background information to how the films were conceived and made is very interesting.

The Storm Of War was also engrossing, as was Max Hasting's All Hell Let Loose

Edited May 18, 2013 by kinuta