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Original poster

Gripping non-fiction recommendations

26 replies

Mothership4two · 15/12/2023 19:46

Any recommendations for an interesting either non-fiction book or fiction based on a real story for a well travelled and open minded 50 yo man? Preferably not about war or conflict due to his job. He is a reader. I do remember that he enjoyed Mr Pip when it came out years and years ago. Thank you!

OP posts:
Riverlee · 15/12/2023 19:48

Biography of favourite sportsman, tv star etc?@

MissBattleaxe · 15/12/2023 19:52

I personally loved Alan Rickmans diaries but you'd probably have to be a fan.

Original poster
Mothership4two · 15/12/2023 19:52

Would definitely not be interested in a TV star. He likes sports but not massively and doubt he'd want to read about a sports personality. Thank you for the thought!

OP posts:
RevolutionaryBiscuitsOfItaly · 15/12/2023 21:06

I thought The Earth Transformed looked interesting for my relative that's interested in history and geography. https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-earth-transformed/peter-frankopan/9781526622563 It's had some good reviews, but I've not read it yet myself.

samqueens · 15/12/2023 22:38

Educated by Tania Westover

I challenge anyone of any age/gender/set of interests not to find it a wonderful read (unless you’re totally uninterested in people and the human condition!)

samqueens · 15/12/2023 22:39

Also Obama’s summer reading lists are great for inspiration!

myphoneisbroken · 15/12/2023 22:41

Friday Night Lights is an oldie but goodie - yes about sport but a gripping read for anyone

catscalledbeanz · 15/12/2023 23:07

Educated is a beautiful heartbreaking book! A great recommendation.

I came on to say wavewalker - true story about growing up on a yacht making an around the world tour. It's another eye opening and beautifully written piece

RumNotRun · 15/12/2023 23:15

If he likes history The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak is really good and unusual.

whatsappdoc · 15/12/2023 23:22

This Thing of Darkness is a cracking read about Captain Fitzroy and Charles Darwin on their amazing voyage aboard HMS Beagle.

Time40 · 15/12/2023 23:40

Skyfaring, which is about what it's like to work as an airline pilot. It's fascinating, and beautifully written.

Stargazing, by Peter Hill - about his experience of working as a lighthouse keeper on remote islands in Scotland when he was a young man in the 70s. Very interesting, and funny, too.

NewspaperTaxis · 15/12/2023 23:45

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow is a gripping account by the journalist about his attempts to report on Harvey Weinstein's transgressions. Reads like a thriller. It's not just about Weinstein in the same way The Day of the Jackal is not really about Algerian separatists.

PaddingtonBunny · 15/12/2023 23:48

My most gripping read ever was Endurance- Shakleton’s amazing voyage by Alfred Lansing. But that’s very well known.

I also loved Touching the Void and all the Benedict Allen books.

on the popular science side I really like Hans Rosling’s Factfulness.

eandz13 · 15/12/2023 23:49

Against the Ice, written by Ejnar Mikkelsen. Absolutely epic.

FizzingAda · 16/12/2023 09:07

The Running Hare by John Stempel Lewis
A farmer and nature writer who took one of his fields out of chemical management for a year, and the creatures and plants that returned. How things used to be done, are done now. Beautiful lyrical writing.
it was serialised on r4 and read by Bernard Hill.

Scout2016 · 16/12/2023 17:15

Full Tilt by Dervla Murphy
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh

Also enjoyed The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Friend loved This Thing Of Darkness which is based on real things I think.

Just given different friend The Story of Jane about underground abortion services and support women provided each other in US pre Woe v Wade

Wednesday6 · 16/12/2023 23:56

I really enjoyed Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari but he probably already read it? Maybe his other book Homo Deus? Not as good but interesting anyway.

Wednesday6 · 16/12/2023 23:57

Thinking fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman is very thought provoking and genuinely can improve your thinking

Sherrystrull · 17/12/2023 00:01

myphoneisbroken · 15/12/2023 22:41

Friday Night Lights is an oldie but goodie - yes about sport but a gripping read for anyone

Love this book

Pallisers · 17/12/2023 00:03

A Fortune-Teller Told Me: Earthbound Travels in the Far East by Tiziano Terzani
An italian journalist who was told by a fortune-teller that he would be in a plane-crash in the next year. So for the next year he only took assignments (in Asia) where he could get there by train/ship/car and he visited a fortune-teller in every place he went. It was fascinating.

Far From The Tree by Andrew Solomon. Fascinating series of essays about different situations where a child is different from the parents - whether through deafness/schizophrenia/downs/criminal activity

I think Nicked and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich is excellent too.

coolmum123 · 17/12/2023 00:19

Red Notice by Bill Browder is an account of a Hedge fund manager uncovering corruption in Putin's govt. It is gripping and reads like a thriller. Although it's about finance you don't have to know technicalities. Brilliant book.

determinedtomakethiswork · 17/12/2023 00:54

samqueens · 15/12/2023 22:39

Also Obama’s summer reading lists are great for inspiration!

That sounds interesting!

LovelaceBiggWither · 17/12/2023 01:08

The Wager by David Grann is amazing. Absolutely gripping.