Looking for books to knock me out.
April 4, 2011 12:31 PM Subscribe
Please recommend some books that give a similar experience to reading the New Yorker.
I like reading the New Yorker. I read every New Yorker cover to cover.* I particularly like reading the New Yorker right before bed to lull myself to sleep. I've never found anything else that is so perfect for bedtime reading. I'd like to find nonfiction books that have a similar effect on me.
I think that reading the New Yorker at bedtime works so well for me because the articles are well-written, interesting, and cover diverse topics, so I learn a lot. But at the same time, the articles are typically not too upsetting and slightly dry, so that the magazine is easy to put down when I get sleepy. I tend to find the long articles (features?) more interesting than the criticism, but I'm open to reading criticism as well.
I'd like to find good books to read that have these general characteristics. They should be nonfiction, well written, and interesting, but not too upsetting or suspenseful. I don't want to limit suggestions to book-length expansions of actual New Yorker articles or collections of magazine writing - I'm open to a very broad range of suggestions that include well written journalism, science writing, criticism, or historical writing.
Note that I'm specifically looking for nonfiction - I stopped reading fiction right before bed because it's too engaging and will keep me up all night wanting to know how the story ends.
This question is related, but I am casting a wider net.
*with the exception of Peter Schejdahl's art reviews, which I find super annoying.
I like reading the New Yorker. I read every New Yorker cover to cover.* I particularly like reading the New Yorker right before bed to lull myself to sleep. I've never found anything else that is so perfect for bedtime reading. I'd like to find nonfiction books that have a similar effect on me.
I think that reading the New Yorker at bedtime works so well for me because the articles are well-written, interesting, and cover diverse topics, so I learn a lot. But at the same time, the articles are typically not too upsetting and slightly dry, so that the magazine is easy to put down when I get sleepy. I tend to find the long articles (features?) more interesting than the criticism, but I'm open to reading criticism as well.
I'd like to find good books to read that have these general characteristics. They should be nonfiction, well written, and interesting, but not too upsetting or suspenseful. I don't want to limit suggestions to book-length expansions of actual New Yorker articles or collections of magazine writing - I'm open to a very broad range of suggestions that include well written journalism, science writing, criticism, or historical writing.
Note that I'm specifically looking for nonfiction - I stopped reading fiction right before bed because it's too engaging and will keep me up all night wanting to know how the story ends.
This question is related, but I am casting a wider net.
*with the exception of Peter Schejdahl's art reviews, which I find super annoying.
I recently read The Trees in My Forest, which is interesting, well-written (and illustrated), and won't keep you up.
posted by domnit at 12:58 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by domnit at 12:58 PM on April 4, 2011
What the Dog Saw leaps to mind. Bicycle Diaries keeps putting me to sleep. A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again and Consider the Lobster I find more challenging and considerably more entertaining, which may not be what you're looking for.
posted by headless at 1:00 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by headless at 1:00 PM on April 4, 2011
I love the New Yorker too. While there is a "New Yorker" style, it is pretty broad.
Anything smart but accessible fits the bill. Here are the first few books that I thought of when reading your question:
Low Life by Luc Sante
Salt, by Mark Kurlansky
Downtown by Pete Hamill
posted by abirae at 1:06 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Anything smart but accessible fits the bill. Here are the first few books that I thought of when reading your question:
Low Life by Luc Sante
Salt, by Mark Kurlansky
Downtown by Pete Hamill
posted by abirae at 1:06 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
A lot of the writers for the New Yorker have also written books.
Adding Joseph Mitchell (Up in the Old Hotel, especially, has what you're looking for), A.J. Leibling, John McPhee, Edward Hoagland, Alec Wilkinson, Verlyn Klinkenborg and St. Clair McKelway to the other New Yorker alums mentioned here.
posted by ryanshepard at 1:33 PM on April 4, 2011
Adding Joseph Mitchell (Up in the Old Hotel, especially, has what you're looking for), A.J. Leibling, John McPhee, Edward Hoagland, Alec Wilkinson, Verlyn Klinkenborg and St. Clair McKelway to the other New Yorker alums mentioned here.
posted by ryanshepard at 1:33 PM on April 4, 2011
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Discover Your Inner Economist by Tyler Cowen
Neither of those is the type of cheap self-help or get-rich-quick book you might expect based on the title. They're both Malcolm Gladwell-ish, but better than Malcolm Gladwell.
posted by John Cohen at 1:35 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Discover Your Inner Economist by Tyler Cowen
Neither of those is the type of cheap self-help or get-rich-quick book you might expect based on the title. They're both Malcolm Gladwell-ish, but better than Malcolm Gladwell.
posted by John Cohen at 1:35 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
You might like the annual "The Best American..." series, which includes things like science writing. (See the "customers who bought this item also bought..." section for similar choices.)
posted by lakeroon at 1:57 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by lakeroon at 1:57 PM on April 4, 2011
See also Atul Gawande and Oliver Sacks.
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:58 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:58 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seconding John McPhee! Another New Yorker writer with *many* books to his credit, most of which consist of long articles.
posted by Kat Allison at 2:00 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by Kat Allison at 2:00 PM on April 4, 2011
Janet Malcolm. Most of her books consist of material previously published in The New Yorker.
posted by jayder at 2:14 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by jayder at 2:14 PM on April 4, 2011
Going primarily on the "put you to sleep" part of your question, I was able to use The Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes as literary Ambien for about a year.
Oooh, lookie, there's an updated edition.
(And I have the same problem you do with fiction, particularly mysteries or suspense thrillers.)
posted by 100watts at 2:57 PM on April 4, 2011
Oooh, lookie, there's an updated edition.
(And I have the same problem you do with fiction, particularly mysteries or suspense thrillers.)
posted by 100watts at 2:57 PM on April 4, 2011
I'd recommend the Best American Essays and the Best American Non-required Reading series(es).
They are also helpful for going to bed because you can say "Ok, when I finish this story, I am done and I have to turn out the light."
posted by rmless at 3:39 PM on April 4, 2011
They are also helpful for going to bed because you can say "Ok, when I finish this story, I am done and I have to turn out the light."
posted by rmless at 3:39 PM on April 4, 2011
novels by W.G Sebald (try Austerlitz, or Rings of Saturn). They mix both fact and fiction. You learn things. You feel like you're being taken on a journey by a smart and passionate guide. Can be quirky and emotional, but sometimes also journalistic.
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 4:45 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 4:45 PM on April 4, 2011
I heartily concur with the recommendations above, and want to add The New Kings of Nonfiction.
posted by Shebear at 4:48 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Shebear at 4:48 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
I am seconding the New Kings of Nonfiction and also adding My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead.
posted by Viola at 4:51 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by Viola at 4:51 PM on April 4, 2011
You might also want to check out The Believer Magazine, which has a book of essays called "Read Hard".
posted by The River Ivel at 5:17 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by The River Ivel at 5:17 PM on April 4, 2011
Pauline Kael's film reviews are fantastic. You can buy books of 'em.
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:22 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:22 PM on April 4, 2011
Eighteen answers and no one's brought up Joe Mitchell? Wow, how quickly writers are forgotten. He worked for The New Yorker for 58 years (though he wrote for them for considerably fewer, but that's another story.) While he still had his fastball, Mitchell was the quintessential New Yorker profile writer. Many of his best pieces are in Up in the Old Hotel.
posted by mojohand at 6:08 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by mojohand at 6:08 PM on April 4, 2011
I recommended a John McPhee book to my dad several years ago. I've forgotten which one, but it was probably Coming into the Country or Looking for a Ship. He liked it so much he went out and bought everything the man has ever published.
I've mentioned here before that I believe another one of McPhee's books, The Curve of Binding Energy, has the perfect title.
posted by Bruce H. at 7:29 PM on April 4, 2011
I've mentioned here before that I believe another one of McPhee's books, The Curve of Binding Energy, has the perfect title.
posted by Bruce H. at 7:29 PM on April 4, 2011
Reporting is a fantastic collection of David Remnick's longer pieces from the New Yorker, covering everything from New Orleans to Israeli politics to Mike Tyson. I came away from each one fascinated by a new topic I had no interest in before.
The only problem is that, depending on how long you've been reading the New Yorker, you may have read some or all of it before.
posted by dixiecupdrinking at 8:01 PM on April 4, 2011
The only problem is that, depending on how long you've been reading the New Yorker, you may have read some or all of it before.
posted by dixiecupdrinking at 8:01 PM on April 4, 2011
Response by poster: Wow, lots of suggestions! Thanks everyone. It will take me a little while to mark best answers as I go through these and see which ones look like they'll hit the spot.
Probably I should have clarified, I'm less interested in things that have already been published in the New Yorker because I've already read them.
posted by medusa at 7:28 AM on April 5, 2011
Probably I should have clarified, I'm less interested in things that have already been published in the New Yorker because I've already read them.
posted by medusa at 7:28 AM on April 5, 2011
Nthing John McPhee, and adding Sue Hubbell. Her A Country Year and A Book of Bees are wonderful.
posted by kristi at 2:28 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by kristi at 2:28 PM on April 6, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
David Owen (disclaimer: a family friend)
Calvin Trillin
Malcolm Gladwell
Etc.
posted by dfriedman at 12:56 PM on April 4, 2011 [1 favorite]