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Original poster

Random non-fiction titles

37 replies

YesYesAllGood · 23/03/2024 22:56

Hello,

I'm interested in reading non-fiction on topics I don't necessarily know anything about. Would anyone have recommendations of fascinating books?

Topic is genuinely unimportant (actually, the more obscure the better!) as long as it:

  1. Assumes no prior knowledge of the subject and
  2. Is written in such an engaging way that anyone could enjoy it?

Thank you!

OP posts:
SevenSeasOfRhye · 24/03/2024 19:51

I was gripped by this:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-radium-girls/kate-moore/9781471153884

OooScotland · 24/03/2024 19:28

‘Four Sisters’ by Helen Rappaport.

Its a biography of the four Romanov Grand Duchesses, daughters of the last Tsar of Russia. Considering that little notice was taken of them as individuals during their lifetimes this book tells all there is to know, in a very engaging way without veering off into conjecture. Very sad towards the end, obviously, but wonderful all the same.

MissyB1 · 24/03/2024 19:26

Pashazade · 24/03/2024 12:00

Just finished
Under the Banner of Heaven, totally fascinating about murder in FLDS community
Daughters of Britannia, all about ambassador's wives, amazing women
Chocolate Wars, history of Cadburys & chocolate manufacturers

We’ve just finish watching Under the banner of heaven on TV, fascinating!

Readingallthetime · 24/03/2024 19:23

These four are brilliant:

Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law.

Wifedom, by Anna Funder.

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Start Up by John Carreyrou

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow (about the investigation into Harvey Weinstein, truly shocking).

I'm about to read Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages told from the point of view of its women. By Janina Ramirez.

Pashazade · 24/03/2024 12:00

Just finished
Under the Banner of Heaven, totally fascinating about murder in FLDS community
Daughters of Britannia, all about ambassador's wives, amazing women
Chocolate Wars, history of Cadburys & chocolate manufacturers

Original poster
YesYesAllGood · 24/03/2024 11:34

Thanks, everyone! I've added all these titles to my to-read list.

My recommendations would be:

The Madman's Library: the Greatest Curiosities of Literature by Edward Brooke-Hitching
The Choice by Edith Eger
The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East by Rebecca Lowe
Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the 80s Changed Hollywood Forever by Nick de Semlyen
The Bookseller's Tale by Martin Latham
Utopian Dreams by Tobias Jones

OP posts:
Rocknrollstar · 24/03/2024 09:23

Madeleine Albright’s Fascism - a history of the 20th century which is very readable.

jollyhollyday · 24/03/2024 09:17

I have found all of Tim Marshall's books fascinating- geopolitical and how the geography of countries have shaped how they rule and how things have changed over the years
Much more interesting than I can try and explain sorry 😛

Original poster
YesYesAllGood · 24/03/2024 09:02

Thank you so much for these suggestions! I'll have a look at these now!

OP posts:
Blackcountryexile · 24/03/2024 00:10

I enjoyed The Life Project by Helen Pearson about longitudinal studies.
The See Through House by Shelley Kline. Living in a unique house designed by her father, a textile designer.

Dazedandconfusedma · 23/03/2024 23:58

King Leopold’s Ghost - about Belgium’s colonisation of the Congo. Gripping, brilliant and horrifying

The Knife Man - about John Hunter, a father of surgery and very, very colourful character.

Wedlock - an heiress in Georgian England married a horrible man, it was the gossip fodder of the day.

Empire of Pain - about the Sackler family and the opioid crisis in the US.

all of the books are SO GOOD. I recommend very very highly!