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Original poster

Recommend me a book where I'll learn something...

30 replies

fiestabelle1 · 24/08/2016 12:45

Have downloaded a few samples in the past few days and nothings grabbing me. Like fiction but like to learn something at the same time. Set in another country, time period, or with a background subject that i dont know anything about. Happy to try any genre, help me find something to get my mojo back! Best books are the ones that make me want to go away and read more about a place/time/event.

OP posts:
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CoteDAzur · 31/08/2016 00:07

This Thing Of Darkness - Charles Darwin's 5-year voyage aboard the survey brig The Beagle, where he explores the world shortly before he publishes Origin of Species. Fascinating.

The Worst Journey in the World - The story of Scott's deadly 1910–1913 British Antarctic Expedition, written by one of the survivors.

Into Thin Air - A personal account of the disastrous 1997 Everest expedition.

An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth - Great book. You'll learn a lot and not just about space flight.

The Man Who Couldn't Stop - Interesting insight into OCD.

Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven - This book is maybe 10% about Bach's life and 90% about his music. Fascinating and best read while listening to the pieces it talks about on YouTube.

Measuring The World - Brilliant book about Gauss, arguably the greatest mathematician in the world.

HopeClearwater · 30/08/2016 23:57

Early William Boyd - all fiction but you learn stuff along the way. An Ice-Cream War is set in the war in German East Africa. I had no idea how it had affected that part of the world. Brazzaville Beach is set in the Congo (though this is never overtly stated) and you'll learn about chimp behaviour and higher maths. The Blue Afternoon is set in the Philippines (if memory serves) and is very interesting about the development of surgical techniques. Boyd generally does his research pretty well. Great reads.

TheImprobableGirl · 28/08/2016 16:44

I like the Dan brown books for interesting facts, particularly inferno which I (think!) is his latest...

Also I second laline Paull and the bees, told from the viewpoint of a bee!

RoseHarper · 25/08/2016 09:55

Fantastic, name changed OP here. Am away to download lots of samples to my kindle, exactly the type of books im after.

BikeRunSki · 25/08/2016 06:57

H for Hawk - autobiographical account of a girl training a goshawk. Lots of references to the history of falconery. Surprisingly fascinating.

Do No Harm - memoirs of a brain surgeon. Lots of personal reflection and discussion of ethics, as well as actual brain surgery. Fascinating and very easy to read.

KoalaDownUnder · 25/08/2016 06:41

The Brain That Changes Itself
The Brain's Way of Healing

Both by Norman Doidge.

Non-fiction about neuroplasticity, full of fascinating case studies.

JemimaMuddledUp · 25/08/2016 06:31

Eight Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel.

SkydivingFerret · 24/08/2016 21:54

The bees by (i think ) laline paull is an interesting book

Jaimx86 · 24/08/2016 21:54

I really really enjoyed
Heavenly Hirani's School of Laughing Yoga, set in Mombai. One of the best books I read this year.

LearningHowToFly · 24/08/2016 21:53

I'll agree with the people who suggested Bill Bryson, not fiction but he writes in such a brilliant way you'll be laughing out loud and learning something. I really like his book A Short History of Nearly Everything.

standingonlego · 24/08/2016 21:52

The disappearing spoon by Sam Kean. All about the chemical elements, a great and entertaining read

www.amazon.co.uk/Disappearing-Spoon-other-tales-Periodic/dp/0552777501

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 24/08/2016 21:47

Speaking of Bryson, 'A History of the World' and his Shakespeare one, although personally I far prefer his earlier travel writing.

'Inside Hitler's Bunker' by Joachim Fest.

lifeisaconundrumattimes · 24/08/2016 21:44

Guernica! Can't remember who it's by but it's a fantastic novel. Set in Spain and essentially a love story but very well written and deep.

Kalispera · 24/08/2016 21:42

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande; it's about how we could change the system by which elderly people receive care.

Or Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks; you'll learn a lot about the First World War. And it's just amazing to boot.

Flanderspigeonmurderer · 24/08/2016 21:40

*interesting

Flanderspigeonmurderer · 24/08/2016 21:39

One summer 1927 by Bill Bryson, very integrating read.

annandale · 24/08/2016 21:35

Stasiland - about East Germany
On Being Mortal
The Noonday Demon - about depression
The Emperor of all Maladies - about cancer
Between Silk and Cyanide - about the SOE

Cheerful, eh. Stasiland is the easiest read, between silk the funniest. The others I've only managed parts of but they are all good.

storynanny · 24/08/2016 21:31

I'm reading "The silk merchants daughter" and learning more about Vietnam in the 1950's

tripfiction · 24/08/2016 21:29

Oh, I have just read Eva Sleeps by Francesca Melandri and it was amazing fiction that tells of the mid 20th Century struggles (so quite recent) between Austria and Italy over the Alto Adige/South Tyrol region. I definitely learnt about a period of history through great fiction: www.tripfiction.com/epic-novel-set-mainly-in-the-south-tyrol/

Original poster
fiestabelle1 · 24/08/2016 21:04

Some great recommendations, thank you.

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 24/08/2016 20:25

'Arthur and George' is brilliant. 'Flaubert's Parrot' good too, although I don't like Barnes' other stuff.

EnglebertSlaptyback · 24/08/2016 18:59

Sophie's world was a real eye opener!

DoItTooJulia · 24/08/2016 18:56

Nothing To Envy

And The Signature of All Things is interesting, but maybe not quite what your after?

Arthur and George Julian Barnes. Very accurate by all accounts and fascinating too as someone fairly local to where s lot of the action takes place. Apparently the train timings are faithful! Weird fact!

TinklyLittleLaugh · 24/08/2016 18:55

My spelling has gone to pot today.
Skallagrigg

TinklyLittleLaugh · 24/08/2016 18:51

Skalligrig by William Horwood. Out of print but you can get it on amazon. Brilliant, brilliant book about disability and the enduring power of love.

The Dispossed, mentioned upthread is great too.

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