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Eminently Readable Non-fiction
The best non-fiction can be just as engrossing as fiction--especially when it's peopled with vivid characters, interesting subjects and excellent writing.
Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library - Don Borchert (020.92)
Written by a long-time California library staffer, this gives a pretty good depiction of what it's like to work in the public library these days. Great stories, some poignant, some nervewracking, some hilarious.
The Dog Dialed 911 : A Book of Lists from The Smoking Gun - William Bastone ... [et. al] (031.02)
Fantastically hilarious and embarrassing book including stuff culled from the archives of the Smoking Gun. Says more about modern American society than anything else I've seen in ages. And is FAR more entertaining! I would definitely give it to space aliens who landed and wanted into about America.
But Enough About Me: A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous - Jancee Dunn (071.3092)
Jancee intersperses her tales of growing up with big hair in a mildly wacky family in New Jersey with instructive, but hilarious and interesting, essays on interviewing celebrities from her experience as an interviewer for Rolling Stone. Totally un-self-conscious and completely, laugh-out-loud, read-to-anyone-nearby funny.
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Ellis Island: Ghosts of Freedom - Steven Wilkes (304.873)
Absolutely fascinating book of photographs taken over a several year period at the long-abandoned hospital at Ellis Island, where new immigrants were housed if they did not pass the medical test. The photographer used no artificial lighting and no retouching in any way and the photographs are amazingly beautiful. At the end of the book, he provides a fascinating look at the conditions under which each photograph was taken, including stories of rather haunting experiences.
Kick Me: Adventures in Adolescence - Paul Feig (305.235)
Excruciating and hilarious memoir of growing up as a geek, by one of the creators of the fabulous television series Freaks and Geeks. So good, so embarrassing, so funny.
It's the Little Things - Lena Williams (305.800973)
Everyone should read this highly personal non-fiction written by a black female journalist about the interactions between blacks and whites. From hair flipping by whites, to inappropriate use of first names to making way for others on the sidewalk, a lot of things that whites may take as bad manners are regarded as white privilege by blacks.
Buried in the Bitter Waters: The Hidden History of Racial Cleansing in America - Elliot Jaspin (305.896073)
Well-written and researched history of various incidents where blacks were forced out of small towns. Amazing and horrifying, especially given that all of these events occurred within the last hundred years. Good to read if you're feeling a little complacent about race relations in America.
The Sex Life of Cannibals - J. Maarten Troost (306.099681)
Troost and his girlfriend move to a very small island in the South Pacific. Culture shock doesn't begin to describe their experience on this tiny island, where customs are strange, food (except for fish) and reading material is scarce, and bacterial infections are a way of life. Troost's dry sense of humor keeps things light and hilarious.
Call of the Mall - Paco Underhill (306.30973)
Focuses on the social and cultural history of the mall, and is great reading for any pop culture enthusiast.
Saturday Night - Susan Orlean (306.4)
Essays on how different Americans spend Saturday Night. Orlean has a wonderful gift for describing characters and places and situations. Don't miss the essay about zydeco dance organizer Jane Champagne--a character who should have her own mystery series. No one is better than Susan Orlean at exploring cultures and observing people. See also The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup (920.02) and My Kind of Place (910.4)
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Superstud: Or How I Became a 24-Year-Old Virgin - Paul Feig (306.708351)
Feig's tales of his (lack of) sexual misadventures is absolutely hilarious. And excruciating. An excellent companion piece to the movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Around the World in 80 Dates - Jennifer Cox (306.730842)
Ms. Cox, travel writer based in London, gets her friends to set up dates for her across the world. 80 dates in all. Cox has a very subtle and dry sense of humor, which makes this book quite endearing.
The Year of Yes - Maria Dahvana Headley (306.8153)
Maria, who is blessed to be much in demand in the dating world, starts at NYU and discovers her dating taste is not what it should be. So she decides to spend a year saying yes to anyone who asks her out. The consequences are completely hilarious. She's very funny in a quiet, self-deprecating way and has a love for New York City that makes this book a special treat for Manhattan lovers.
Who Are You People? - Shari Caudron (306.973)
Subtitled "A Personal Journey into the Heart of Fanatical Passion in America", this is a funny, charming series of essays wherein the author, in search of how people get passionate about their hobbies and such, visits and profiles a number of fan groups. Exploring groups from Josh Groban fans to Barbie collectors, from pigeon racers and Mayberry fans to furries, this book has a sweet wit, and the author bears a resemblance to a slightly more emotionally involved Susan Orlean.
City: Rediscovering the Center - William H. Whyte (307.76)
Exploring every aspect of city life--from pedestrian behavior on the street to skyways to plazas and parks to sun and shadows--this is a fascinating sociological analysis of city life and planning. You're guaranteed never to look at city streets the same way again.
Green With Envy: Why Keeping Up with the Joneses is Keeping Us in Debt - Shira Boss (332.024)
Fascinating non-fiction book about the emotions surrounding money and what we perceive to be other's money. The book starts out with a story about the author's envy of her neighbor, moves on to tell the story of senators' financial situations, and introduces us to a sensible couple who move to a gated community and, essentially, lose it completely.
Candyfreak - Steve Almond (338.476641)
Very good personal essay/informative nonfiction book about, yes, candy. Would it be too clichéd to say it was sweet? It was. Like the best candy, it was sweet, nostalgic and kind of forgettable.
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The State Boys Rebellion - Michael D'Antonio (362.1968)
Amazing non-fiction about the Fernald State School for the Feebleminded, where boys of low IQ and boys in unfortunate circumstances were locked away and treated awfully, included having radiation testing without their knowledge. Well written and gripping.
Truth and Beauty: A Friendship - Ann Patchett (362.196994)
Memoir in which Patchett writes about her longtime friendship with poet and author Lucy Grealy. They became friends at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and supported each other through friends, lovers, books, and more. But, Grealy, who had more than a little self-destructive streak, eventually became quite hard to be friends with, and this book is an interesting exploration of friendship, depression, and along the way, writing.
The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls (362.82092)
In this gripping memoir, Walls takes the reader through her unconventional childhood, spent in often unbelievable poverty. Fascinating, unsentimental and impossible to put down.
The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson (364.1523)
Absorbing parallel tales of the building of the 1892 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the serial killer who preyed on the visitors to the fair. Richly and beautifully described.
Never Enough - Joe McGinniss (364.1523)
True crime about a rich, successful investment banker and his wife, who has an affair and ends up murdering her husband. Compellingly written look at a pretty messed up family, and the lives of the rich and tawdry.
The Birthday Party: A Memoir of Survival - Stanley N. Alpert (364.154092)
From the cover: "On January 21, 1998, federal prosecutor Stanley Alpert was kidnapped off the streets of Manhattan. This is the story of what happened next . . ." Amazing memoir, unbelievably riveting and wonderfully written. Impossible to put down.
In His Sights: A True Story of Love and Obsession - Kate Brennan (364.155509)
Really interesting story about a woman who meets a man with some serious issues, falls in love, has a trying relationship, and breaks up with him. The second half of the book describes his relentless stalking she experienced from him. Her experience is pretty horrifying, but she tells it without a great deal of self-pity.
Columbine - Dave Cullen (373.78882)
Amazingly researched and written non-fiction book on the Columbine killings. The media coverage and the police coverups are astonishing, as well as the myths that still live on about the tragedy. Quite excellent reading.
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Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities - Alexandra Robbins (378.19856)
Robbins follows four girls through their first year of pledging at sororities at a (probably) Southern university. Although not much is news here (apparently, sororities are hotbeds of binge drinking, cruel behavior and racism), this is an entertaining, gripping read.
Summer at Tiffany - Marjorie Hart (381.141092)
Charming slip of a memoir about a woman who spent a summer during college working at Tiffany in New York. Lovely look at life in New York during wartime, quite evocative of the period. She was in Times Square on V-J Day!
Answering 911 - Caroline Burau (384.64)
Really interesting book about an ex-drug addict who gets a job at a 911 dispatch center in the St. Paul suburbs. A little writerly, but lots of interesting stories, and engagingly written.
The Star Machine - Jeanine Basinger (384.809794)
Interesting exploration of how the star machine functioned in Hollywood's golden age--who it worked for, who it didn't, and the effect it had on their careers.
Two For the Road - Jane and Michael Stern (394.120973)
Subtitled: "Our Love Affair with American Food." The Sterns talk about how they got started reviewing restaurants across the country, and their experiences doing so. Lovely and unpretentious, Jane and Michael's adventures on the road are by turns delightful and horrifying, but always hilarious.
Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct - P.M. Forni (395)
Forni strips away all the trimmings of etiquette and manners, and brings it down to the basic truths of civility. His rules are wonderful, and I think the world would be a better place if everyone read this book and lived by these rules.
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The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks - Susan Casey (597.33)
Amazing nonfiction about the Farallone Islands off the coast of California and the eccentric scientists who study the great white sharks and birds in residence there. Compelling story about a truly unique geographical place.
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Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things - Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee (616.85227)
Fascinating look not just at the world of compulsive hoarding, but at the attachments we have to our stuff. Explores the roots of hoarding, including OCD and other obsession disorders and includes some amazing horror stories.
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think - Brian Wansink (616.852606)
An interesting scientific look at how people fool themselves about what they're eating and how much. The author is part of a team that does fascinating sociological experiments about how people eat. Interesting AND very useful as far as assessing one's own eating patterns.
Tender at the Bone: Growing up at the Table; Comfort Me With Apples: More Adventures at the Table; and , and Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise – Ruth Reichl (641.5092)
A trio of biographies by the food writer. The first is a lovely family memoir, the second is about her beginnings as a food writer and her romantic relationships, and the third is about her work as the New York Times food critic. All delightful, but the first and third are the most enjoyable.
The Soul of a Chef - Michael Ruhlman (641.5092)
I heart Michael Ruhlman, and not just because he's cute. He wrote a book called The Making of a Chef, about his journey through the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) program. In this three-part book, Ruhlman follows a group of students taking the Master Chef course at the CIA, hangs out in the kitchen with Michael Symon of Cleveland's Lola, and tells the story of Thomas Keller of French Laundry (who grew up in Palm Beach). Ruhlman has the gift of not making himself part of the story, except to tell the story in an interesting, compelling, cleanly written way.
Free Gift with Purchase - Jean Godfrey-June (646.7)
Delightful memoir by a surprisingly self-deprecating beauty editor. Great for any reader of fashion magazines--provides fascinating insight into the inside world of magazines and the work of a beauty editor in a way that no chick lit ever did.
Hotel Babylon – Anonymous and Imogen Edwards-Jones (647.45)
A frothy, soapy biography of a five-star British hotel, framed over the span of 24 hours. Very inside and gossipy. Great fun.
Service Included - Phoebe Damrosch (647.95092)
Engaging and very readable behind-the-scenes glimpse at the world of four-star dining, courtesy of Damrosch's experiences working on the wait staff at Thomas Keller's Manhattan restaurant Per Se.
Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, and Dismissed - Annabelle Gurwitch (650.10207)
A fun quick read with stories from mostly show-biz personalities about their experiences getting fired. Lots of fun stories with standouts being Gurwitch's story about being fired by Woody Allen (the impetus for the shows, the book, and the film), Fisher Stevens's experience guest starring on Friends, and Tate Donovan's experience being fired from the film of Torch Song Trilogy (then watching it being filmed outside of his apartment. Ouch.)
Why We Buy - Paco Underhill (658.834)
Underhill writes with a chatty, conversational tone that make his books a delight to read. Fascinating and practical insights on the way people shop.
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Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota - Chuck Klosterman (781.66)
This stream-of-conscious memoir/music guide is full of fun 80s memories. NOTE: Stop at page 226 before it turns into a self-pitying exploration of his alcoholism.
Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man's Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut - Rob Sheffield (781.66092)
A collection of reminiscences framed around various pop songs of the 1980s. Charming and funny, with some very good writing on music and its effect on us.
The Happiest Corpse I've Ever Seen : The Last Twenty-Five Years of the Broadway Musical - Ethan Mordden (782.1)
His latest in a series of historical overviews of musical theater is, like the rest, opinionated and witty, and delightful reading for the musical fan.
Put on a Happy Face - Charles Strouse (782.14092)
Lovely memoir by Broadway and film composer Strouse, who has seen it all in his years on Broadway. Wonderfully told--like sitting in a room with Strouse and hearing all his most interesting stories.
Colored Lights: Forty Years of Words and Music, Show Biz, Collaboration, and All That Jazz - John Kander and Fred Ebb as told to Greg Lawrence (782.140922)
A series of conversations between Kander and Ebb about their work in musical theater, with small asides from Liza Minnelli and Hal Prince. Very insightful into the musical writing process, plus a little deliciously snarky about some performers.
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood - Peter Biskind (791.43)
Look at American film in the 1970s. Filled with fascinating stories and insightful interviews.
If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B-Movie Actor - Bruce Campbell (791.43)
Told with Campbell's self-deprecating sense of humor, this book really shows what it's like to be a workingman actor.
100 Great Film Performances You Should Remember--But Probably Don't - John DiLeo (791.43)
The author outlines each performances (from gesture to expressions to line delivery) in great detail, with great enthusiasm. It's like going to the movies with DiLeo himself, and great fun.
I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie - Roger Ebert (791.43)
Fun collection of bad movie reviews. Nothing's more fun than reading about bad movies.
The Great Movies - Roger Ebert (791.4375)
Ebert's take on the great movies is an enjoyable read. Ebert gives lots of interesting tidbits about each film and provides context for each film within film history.
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You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation -Susannah Gora (791.430233)
Compelling look at the making of the John Hughes movies, from writing to promotion. Full of tons of crazy trivia about the films--who almost played which role, etc.
With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant - Richard E. Grant (791.43)
Fascinating look at the working actor's life told through the very witty Grant's diaries.
A Star is Found - Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins (791.43)
Written by two casting directors in Hollywood, this is a gossipy, fun non-fiction about how films get cast and how important casting is to the movie business. They don't name names ALL of the time, but they do it enough to make it a very fun read.
Tab Hunter Confidential - Tab Hunter with Eddie Muller (791.43)
A smooth, engaging autobiography with an incredibly natural and humble tone. The story follows Tab from his youth, to his life as a teen idol, to life as a working actor, to cult classic and elder statesman, sort of. He delves fully and realistically into all parts of his life, including his romances with women, and his homosexuality, and describes all of his affairs with admirable discretion. A lovely look at old Hollywood.
Best In Show: The Films of Christopher Guest and Company - John Kenneth Muir (791.43)
Interesting look behind the scenes of the Guest productions. Interviews with actors and a wealth of info about the movies give real insight into how these movies are created, and why they're so darned good. A delight to read for any Guest enthusiast.
A Year at the Movies - Kevin Murphy (791.43)
Or as the cover reads: Mystery Science Theater 3000's Kevin Murphy. Murphy went to a movie every day for a year in places as varied as New Zealand, Mexico and Edina.
Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese - Mike Nelson (791.43)
More fun writing about bad movies.
The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards - Steve Pond (791.43)
Dishy look at the production behind the last fifteen years of the Academy Awards broadcasts. Fascinating glimpses of the personalities involved, from producers to stars. Very fun for anyone who enjoys watching the Oscars each year, and answers the questions of 'why the heck did they do THAT?'.
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Blockbuster - Tom Shone (791.43)
Written by a dry and witty Brit, this book is a response Easy Riders, Raging Bulls and how he claimed the movie industry was ruined by the big blockbuster films. Shone takes a chronological look at the blockbuster and makes the point that maybe there's nothing wrong with fun, popular movies.
Rebels on the Backlot: Six Maverick Directors and How They Conquered the Hollywood Studio System - Sharon Waxman (791.43)
Fascinating exploration of six 1990s-era directors and their work. Loved the backstage peeks, plus the dilemmas between producers and studio heads and the directors and their casts. And it's not often that Quentin Tarantino comes off as the sanest director around.
Making It On Broadway – David Wienir (792.02)
Instead, it's a gripping and completely realistic look at the not-so-glamorous side of acting on Broadway—from dirty dressing rooms to audition nightmares to co-actor relations. Really interesting and sure to make any actor give his dreams of Broadway stardom at least a second thought.
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson - Robert Hofler (792.092)
Painstakingly researched (well documented, anyway) biography of the Hollywood agent who discovered, among others, Rock Hudson, Troy Donohue, Tab Hunter, John Saxon, etc. Fascinating look at old-school Hollywood.
Broadway Babylon - Boze Hadleigh (792.09747)
More like a primer to Broadway than a babylonish collection. Interesting essays on all sort of Broadway luminaries, and fabulous quotes on Broadway in all its forms. Great fun reading, excellent for the theater enthusiast.
Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear (793.809)
History of illusionists that covers primarily the mid-1800s to the early part of the 20th century. Written by a creator of stage and film illusions, the author explains the illusions created in a clear, simple way and provides an amazing look at a bygone era.
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The Late Bloomer's Revolution: A Memoir - Amy Cohen (808.225)
Memoir about a 37 year old woman who feels her life is passing her by. Cohen has a gift for a lovely turn of phrase and her documenting of everyday life and relationships is vivid and quietly funny.
The Biographer's Craft - Milton Lomask (808.6692)
Incredibly well-written and succinct, Lomask takes the reader through every step of "writing a life", as he puts it. Using examples from his own work, as well as other well-written biographers, he goes through every step of the process, from choosing a subject to research tips to the writing style to types of biographies to copyright and handling notes.
84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff (808.86)
A series of letters between Hanff and the proprietor of the London bookshop of the title. Charming for any lover of books. Also check out Q's Legacy, a sequel.
On Writing - Stephen King (813.54)
Half autobiography, half writing guide. The only writing book I've ever actually finished. Great insight into the life and writing style of a popular author.
The Secret Life of the Lonely Doll: The Search for Dare Wright - Jean Nathan (813.54)
Thorough and compelling biography of the woman who wrote the creepy and depressing Lonely Doll books.
How Reading Changed My Life - Anna Quindlen (813.54)
Author and columnist Quindlen's excellent essay on reading. Includes reading lists as well.
Holidays on Ice - David Sedaris (813.54)
David Sedaris has made his fortune on writing hilarious essays about his childhood, family, relationships and life. See Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked and Barrel Fever as well. This one collects his best holiday essays including The Santaland Diaries.
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Crackpot - John Waters (814.54)
Absolutely hilarious personal essays. Includes “101 Things I Hate," “101 Things I Love,” and the essay that "Hairspray" is based on: "Ladies and Gentlemen . . . The Nicest Kids in Town!"
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader - Anne Fadiman (814.54)
Charming essays on reading, books and life.
Mama Makes Up Her Mind - Bailey White (814.54)
Dry and witty essays about Bailey’s eccentric family and life in the South. Followed by the equally charming Sleeping at the Starlight Café.
Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone - Beth Lisick (818.5409)
Despite the "I bet I can get a book out this" premise, Lisick's book about spending a year learning from the top self-help pros was most enjoyable. The standout was her cruise with Richard Simmons.
Why is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?: and Other Questions I Wish I Never Had to Ask - Jancee Dunn (814.6)
These essays on family and friends are laugh out loud funny, and poignant. I suspect that Jancee and I might be the same person, which of course, just makes me love her more.
Don’t Tell the Grown-ups - Alison Lurie (820.9)
Subtitled: The Subversive Nature of Children’s Literature. You’ll never look at Peter Pan or Kate Greenaway the same way again.
Imagined London: A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City - Anna Quindlen (820.99421)
Great little book about London as seen through its fictional denizens as well as its real-life ones. Great fun, Quindlen. Now write one about New York City!
Never Hit a Jellyfish with a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges (828.9202)
A collection of "how to" essays that Browning wrote for the Guardian, filled with comic gems. He has a very funny, dry sense of humor.
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The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon - David Grann (918.11046)
In 1925, Percy Fawcett went into the Amazon to find a lost civilization and never came out. Grann explores the mystery and the many who followed Fawcett over the years. Powerfully depicts the utter wildness of the jungle and the mystery of lost civilizations.
The Circus Fire - Stewart O'Nan (974.63)
In 1944, a massive fire broke out at a circus in Hartford. Simply written and incredibly evocative, this book is a fascinating portrait of wartime America as well as of humanity.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt (975.8724)
Reads like pulpy, but literary, fiction. (Terrible movie, by the way, but great soundtrack.)
One Dead in Attic - Chris Rose (976.3)
A collection of columns by the New Orleans Times-Picayune writer about the aftermath of Katrina in his adopted hometown. Highly personal and emotional and mesmerizing, and full of affection for his city. A little hard to read, because it's so overwhelming, but wonderful.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio - Terry Ryan (977.114043)
Very sweet story of a mother with ten kids who helps support her family by winning contests of word skill for various household products. Pleasantly diverting.
Under a Flaming Sky - Daniel James Brown (977.662)
Wonderfully written, researched and documented and deeply personal book on the Hinckley fires. Unbelievably absorbing, it's one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read.
The Indifferent Stars Above - Daniel James Brown (978.02092)
Subtitled "The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride", this well researched and written book explores the Donner Party tragedy in full, glorious, horrifying detail.
The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalache - Gary Krist (979.757704)
Well-told and incredibly well-documented book, which follows the disaster of the title, where a passenger train in February 1910 was going over the Cascade Mountains and got stopped by huge snowfalls, and eventually resulted in the disastrous avalanche of the title.
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Updated 7/31/11
Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email carly[at]carlytown.com.
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