[Lady Bliss]

Hi folks! It’s been a good while since I last picked up a good non-fiction book, but I do enjoy them. I usually gravitate towards the sciences and histories. Does anyone have anything they would like to recommend or discuss? I’d also be open to a group read.

[Gorefest]

It would be a toss-up between the God Delusion and the Very hungry Caterpillar.

[Lady Bliss]

I found The Very Hungry Caterpillar highly compelling.

[the broken]

Paris 1919 by Margaret Macmillan. It's a long one, but she's a historian that also knows how to write.

[Tsundoku]

Tom Holland (no, not that one) - In The Shadow Of The Sword.
A look at what led to the creation of Islam and a critical examination of much of the origin of the sacred texts etc. Don't read if you still think the fatwa on Salman Rushdie was justified.

Agree or disagree as you want on the scholarship and conclusions, but it's a fascinating read.

https://en.wikipedia...the_Sword_(book)

Also, not quite non-fiction but more an imagined "fleshing out" of the actual people and events in Rome from Marius to Augustus - Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series is utterly brilliant.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 17 January 2024 - 01:11 PM

[Lady Bliss]

I placed an order for Sapiens last night. Looking forward to getting into it.

[polishgenius]

Gorefest, on 16 January 2024 - 10:55 PM, said:

It would be a toss-up between the God Delusion and the Very hungry Caterpillar.

One of those is a childish, shallow and predictable book, and the other is about a caterpillar.

[Tiste Simeon]

My recommendation for a non fiction book would be "How Fascism Works" by Jason Stanley. It is a terrifying and yet completely fascinating break down of the components that allow fascism to take place with parallels with certain modern politicians...

In a somewhat related vein I also enjoyed "Why do We get the Wrong Politicians" by Isabel Harman. It's a British book and focuses on the British parliamentary and local political scenes. Very interesting.

Finally, one that is possibly more of interest just to me rather than most of you is one called "Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest Religion" by Rebecca McLaughlin. She is a Christian herself and, like me, is quite concerned by a lot of what is considered fine in much of Christian culture. As I said she is a Christian so she attempts to answer these questions - no doubt one's own views on life may mean you disagree or get annoyed by some of the things I'm there but it is a really interesting look at some of the issues that, let's face it, the church has not dealt with too well in the past (or present).

[Lady Bliss]

Does anyone know of a book on genetics that is readable for someone without a PHD?

[amphibian]

Lady Bliss, on 27 February 2024 - 10:37 PM, said:

Does anyone know of a book on genetics that is readable for someone without a PHD?

My friend wrote one and it's really good at not being dry.

Origin, a Genetic History of the Americas by Dr Jennifer Raff.

https://www.hachette...15/?lens=twelve

[Lady Bliss]

Ooooo that looks good! Thanks!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Lady Bliss, on 17 January 2024 - 03:45 PM, said:

I placed an order for Sapiens last night. Looking forward to getting into it.

Out of curiosity, did you read it LB?

I'm asking because my dad has passed on his copy for me to read, and I'm wary of it. I've heard good things elsewhere but my dad seems to have taken from it a confirmation of his Daily Mail-esque view of "what's wrong with the world" (his favourite at the moment is quoting "money is made up" as if that's a suitable response to the cost of living crisis, for example) and I can't judge if that's him or the book, or both. Would be interested to hear from someone else who's read it!

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 09 April 2024 - 08:41 AM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Apologies for double post, but...

My copy of Paul Cooper's Fall of Civilizations arrived today. It's the book based on his podcast of the same name (which I highly recommend if podcasts are your thing) looking at the reasons many ancient civilizations rose and fell, and particularly looking for the similarities of circumstances.

He's very engaging as a podcast host so I'm hoping for the same in written form. Shall report back