Help me spend my book tokens

[chicaguapa]

I have £25 to spend. I don't want to buy novels as I read those on my kindle. So looking for suggestions for interesting non-fiction books. I'll go into Waterstones eventually and have a browse but I'm open to anything really. So any recommendations?

[64PooLane]

What sort of non-fiction have you enjoyed in the past? It's such a wide category. Historical narrative sort of stuff? Popular science?

[chicaguapa]

I like books about language, culture, travel, history. Less science, economics, politics or technology because I don't understand them.

[Sadik]

Prisoners of Geography is a wonderful book, and you definitely benefit from a physical copy because there are lots of maps. It is kind of about politics, but really about how geography causes the world to be the way it is.
The Silk Road is another excellent read and again I suspect probably best as a physical book (though I listened to it on audio).
I'm not sure if it counts as culture (!) but lots of us on the 50 books thread seemed to enjoy The Dark Net by Jamie Bartlett.

[chicaguapa]

Those recommendations are just the kind I'm looking for! The maps book is perfect! I love maps. Would you recommend it on paperback or hardback?

Who is the Silk Road by, as there seem to be a few of them with that title?

The Dark Net sounds interesting. I'll check out the thread and see what you're all saying about it.

Thank you.

[waycat]

I like books about language, culture, travel, history

I would highly recommend the two books by the BBC Security correspondent, Frank Gardner: Blood & Sand and Far Horizons.

You may know that he was shot several times while reporting from Saudi Arabia, leaving him paraplegic and in a wheel chair.

Both books are wonderful reads - I've read them both twice, and have gained a whole wealth of knowledge in all the areas you expressed interest in. You won't be disappointed.

[Sadik]

The Silk Roads is by Peter Frankopan - sorry, had forgotten the 's'.
I read Prisoners of Geography in paperback, but I've been told the hardback edition is lovely.

[chicaguapa]

Thank you! Fab recommendations.

I downloaded a sample of all of them to see what they were like. I have reserved Prisoners of Geography and The Silk Roads at Waterstones (so I get the online price but can pay in book tokens in store). I have added the Blood and Sands book to my Kindle wishlist as I think that book would be ok to read on there.

Another one I've reserved, which was recommended to me in RL, is 1000 Years of Annoying the French.

[Sadik]

Hope you enjoy them :)