Cataclysm: The First World War As Political Tragedy, which attempts to explain why the war started and went on as it did, despite there being no clear reason for either, and no apparent advantage to the states involved in doing so.
Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World, which is what it says: a history of the world from the perspective of its languages. How did the successor states of the western Roman empire end up speaking Latin-derived languages, whereas in the east both Latin and Greek virtually vanished? How is it the trajectories of Egyptian and Chinese so similar, yet how have they ended up in such different conditions? Why did the Assyrian empire end up using Akkadian as their language of empire? Why did English, Spanish, French and Portuguese colonies end up speaking those languages, yet the Dutch colonies did not? And so on.
Anything by Oliver Sacks, but if you like music, especially Musicophilia:“Neurologist and professor Sacks, best known for his books Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, dedicates his latest effort to the relationship between music and unusual brain disorders.”
If you’re into politics and tend toward the liberal side, you might like The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power. It hits on a lot of 20th century American political history, a bit of American religious history, and it’s overall a well-written, entertaining read. I just finished reading it for a book club and it definitely generated a lively discussion!
That sounds pretty interesting, my fear is that it’s above my level. I’m a history buff/major and yet I know nothing of languages. Hell, I barely speak English. Would I still be interested in the book?
The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream
American Colossus: The Triumph of Capitalism, 1865-1900
American Dreams: The United States Since 1945
The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin
Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence
The Money Men: Capitalism, Democracy, and the Hundred Years’ War Over the American Dollar
And since you are a history buff, don’t miss General U.S. Grant’s “Memoirs”. Most sources I’ve read rank this as probably the best memoir ever writtem by a soldier. A fascinating and very readable book.
And the story of how Grant came to write this book, and his race with cancer to finish it, shows what a great character he was.
I think my spring and summer reading lists have just been decided. Lots of selections to read which are exactly in my range of interest. Arigato fellow Dopers.
Some great recommendations here, thanks fellas - based on first glances, I’m always interested in tales of exploration so things like Fatal Shore, White Nile and The Lost City of Z are right up my alley, also quite interested in biographies of the greats (the last one I read was Alexander by Robin Lane Fox, good stuff) so Lincoln is certainly worth a look.
Already own and read it - that’s what made me buy Berlin: Stalingrad 2, Electric Boogaloo.
Also sort of skimmed G, G & S very briefly at a bookshop, but it looked far too…general from my first impressions. Watched the documentary on it though and it was intriguing stuff, so I perhaps should give it another shot.
Two of the best exploration books I’ve read were written by a little-known Jesuit by the name of Bernard Hubbard. He was nicknamed “The Glacier Priest” by fellow climbers in Austria. Hubbard explored the southwestern part of Alaska in the 1920s and 30s and wrote two books, which read like adventure novels, but are his true experiences. One is called “Mush, You Malemutes”, and the other is “Cradle of the Storms”. If you can find copies, I can’t recommend them highly enough. His accounts of climbing volcanoes and hiking into the Valley of 10,000 Smokes are incredible.
Another good one is “The Darkest Jungle”, by Todd Balf, about an exploration party in the Darien Gap of Central America.
And of course there is Undaunted Courage, Stephen Ambrose’s excellent book about Lewis and Clark.
Great stuff, thanks Chefguy - I’m a big fan of Ambrose (Band of Brothers and Wild Blue in particular), so his take on Lewis & Clarke is certainly worth a look.
I’d recommend “Hackers” by Stephen Levy, a really engrossing account of how the home computer came into being, focussing on the people and groups that created them. The Stanford Model Railroading Club and the West Coast Homebrew Computing Club had a lot to do with how early computing happened. You’ll learn about the real Bill Gates there. (I’ve also read “Engines of the Mind” and “Birth of A New Machine” – neither is nearly as engrossing or informative as “Hackers.” Birth of a New Machine is REALLY over-rated.)
The man does himself no favors by filling the first two hundred pages with plants and he makes a stretch here and there to make his ‘historical inevitability’ case but this book is important and a must read.
If you’re at all interested in law enforcement there’s My Father’s Gun, a history of the NYPD recounted by the brother, son, and grandson of flatfoots. The General Slocum fire is in there, as is a drug bust related to the French Connection.
Richard Preston’s non-fiction is marvelous… reads like a novel and I’ve come to care so much about the real people he profiles, that I follow their names in the news.
The favorite of his is The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story, about hemmorhagic fever viruses, particularly Ebola. The story of how Ebola Zaire mutated in a Virginia animal research quarantine facility is more frightening than any Stephen King book you’d ever want to read.
I read The Demon in the Freezerright as the U.S. was invading Iraq and it freaked me the hell out.
First Light on astronomers and astronomy was fascinating in a “I can’t put it down” way, and I’m not even an astronomy buff.
The Wild Trees was a little slower to catch my imagination, but grew into a compelling read. I didn’t think I’d be interested in the recreational climbers of redwood trees, but it turns out they are documenting ecosystems that were never imagined to have existed.
