Non fiction book recommendations for DH who rarely reads?

[Mimx]

We’ve got a couple of weeks booked away this summer, a rural retreat in the UK. Well try and get out and about as much as we can, but inevitably may be spending more time inside than our normal holidays abroad. The DCs and I have got fairly chunky reading lists planned, but DH isn’t much of a reader - he will do so happily if he finds something he likes, but struggles to find his kind of book. And he will nag the rest of us to be up and doing something if he hasn’t got his own book on the go!

He prefers non-fiction. Books he’s liked in the last year or so are the Simon Reeve autobiography/travel book, Peter Crouches books, John Simpson autobiography (old book!), F1 book Driven, The Mixer (history of football tactics), and Moondust (about the moon landing astronauts). He loves sport, but mainstream biographies of sports people are not his thing.

Anyone got suggestions? TIA!

An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth?

Some Bill Bryson?

Invisible Women - best non fiction book I read last year.

If he liked the Simon Reeve book, he might like Walking the Nile by Levinson Wood. Or Blood River by Tim Butcher.

Bill Bryson is a good recommendation. I did like A Walk in the Woods by him which is a journal of him hiking the Appalachian Trail in the US.

Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick is good. It is about the whaling ship Essex that was sunk by a whale. Some of the survivors were picked up by a ship which had Herman Melville on board and their story inspired his book Moby Dick.

Ooh yes - In the Heart of the Sea is brilliant.

I think I have all the Bill Brysons, he must have tried one before, but I think A Walk in the Woods is probably the best shout to steer him towards, that was the first one I read. Will have a look at the others. I’ve not read Invisible Women yet so might get that myself. Will have a look at the others, thanks!

They're not recent, but two non-fiction books I've really enjoyed and read again and again are Lisa Clayton - At the mercy of the sea At the Mercy of the Sea https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0752802089/ref=cmswwrcppapiii3T5aFb6Q2PPKH, The Cloud Garden: A True Story of Adventure, Survival, and Extreme Horticulture https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1592284302/ref=cmswwrcppapiii1S5aFbYN34HAX

What about the ant Middleton books
Got them for DH who's not a big reader either.
It's about his life and missions in the SAS.
We love the program too.

Just thought of a few more that I thought were great.

Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall

The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

John Simpson wrote at least three books, so you could get one of the sequels?

A bit old now but -
Touching the Void
The Perfect Storm
Moneyball
There's a biography of Basil d'Oliveira which I found amazing. Not a standard biography at all.

Touching the Void is a great one. Also, 'Into Thin Air' about Everest.

Brilliant Orange by David Winner the neurotic genius of Dutch football
Tor by Uli Hesse a history of German Football
I loved both of these but Tor was my favourite

Also how about The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe

I was going to suggest Levison Wood too. If he likes books about walking The Places In Between by Rory Stewart and To The River by Olivia Laing are good ones, and for a more general take on the topic Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit is superb.

Krakatoa by Simon Winchester

My DH who is a slow and irregular reader was really absorbed and loved Blood Knots by Luke Jennings. It is superficially about fishing .

DH liked Left Foot Forward by Garry Nelson, its about a journeyman footballer .

I was just talking about this book on another thread and I remember the OP’s question.

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall about a tribe in South America who are astonishing runners. It’s a fascinating book. McDougall wrote another book called Natural Born Heroes, which I’ve not read, but which sounds equally as interesting. And I’m not a runner.

Came on to make same recommendations as @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Also it’s a fiction book but The Martian. Fictional story about someone being left behind on Mars but has a lot of technical type descriptions which might appeal

Born to Run by Chris McDougall? I and everyone I've given it to has loved it (not a runner among us)!

String Theory by David Foster Wallace is brilliant it's a collection of his writing on tennis. It's not 'normal' sports journalism by any stretch he was a magnificently talented writer in all kinds of subject areas, but had a real passion for tennis.

Not sport, but how about something by David Sedaris... When You Are Engulfed in Flames is one of my favourites. Collection of essays and writings on his life, often very funny.

Bossypants by Tina Fey? Not everyone's cup of tea but I recommend it a lot; it's interesting, well-written and could be good for a laugh.

The Chimp Paradox by Prof. Steve Peters is also interesting; a popular psychology book about how our brains have a built in 'chimp' that influences our behaviour by its (sometimes unhelpful) reactions.

Bill Bryson certainly - The Body a guide for occupants is excellent.

Oh great, lots more thank you. He’s chosen Born to Run and An Astronauts Guide to Life on Earth so far, and the Tor football book is free with Kindle unlimited at the moment so have downloaded that. String Theory sounds good too, will have a look, and at the other suggestions too. Thank you - I might just get some peace on holiday after all!

The Return by Hashim Matar is amazing. It’s the story of his search for his father who went missing during the Qaddafi regime. Very moving.