74 posts tagged with Non-fiction.
Displaying 1 through 50 of 74. Subscribe:

"Democracy in America", but for other countries?

I've always loved de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, and a large part of the appeal (to me) is his perspective as a non-American and his attempt to be detached & non-judgmental. Can you recommend equivalents for other countries? 19th or 20th century books where someone visited from a third country and wrote about the politics and national character in a respectful/non-colonizing manner? [more inside]
posted by ZaphodB on Oct 15, 2021 - 12 answers

Fiction or Non-Fiction Experiences Crossing the Mediterranean Sea

I'm looking for fiction or creative non-fic recs on crossing the Med Sea to seek a better life. [more inside]
posted by moiraine on Sep 1, 2021 - 5 answers

What are some highly regarded books that have faded into obscurity?

I'm interested in non-fiction books written maybe between 1970-2000. For example, I just picked up The Unconscious Civilization, which won awards and popular acclaim in its time, but which I've never heard anyone refer to in the past 20 years. (and which has a total of 27 reviews on Amazon) [more inside]
posted by mikek on Oct 4, 2020 - 42 answers

Recommend some frameworks for non-fiction writing?

I find that having mental frameworks when writing non-fiction content makes the job of writing so much easier. For the most part, I use the time-honored “who, what, where, when, whey and how”. It has always helped disintegrate writer's block. [more inside]
posted by jacobean on Jul 5, 2020 - 5 answers

Illustrated non-fiction books, illustrate me some more?

I really enjoyed some non-fiction titles as illustrated, graphic novels, even as manga. I am talking about this, or this, even these. These are just some of the ones I am most familiar with, but I wonder what else is out there. What are your recommended or favorite non-fiction illustrated books?
posted by sol2k on Jun 5, 2020 - 12 answers

Are there non-fiction pocket paperbacks out there?

I love big, coffee-table books like what DK produces. But I'm running out of room in my apartment and looking ahead to summer (even with social distancing), so I'm trying to find non-fiction books that literally fit in my pocket. [more inside]
posted by Flying Saucer on May 16, 2020 - 15 answers

Books for the middle aged

I am middle aged. I am looking for books with middle aged characters or about this stage of life. [more inside]
posted by 2 cats in the yard on Oct 30, 2019 - 35 answers

Give me stories about failure!

My search can be summed up in this tweet thread. [more inside]
posted by hot_monster on Jul 2, 2018 - 15 answers

Help with Messaging

I am about to launch a book. It has a largely liberal audience which I think will be excited to read about something they love. But I believe it also has a largely conservative counter-audience, or, a group of people who also follow it but don't like it and want it to go away. First, is it unreasonable to try to market the book to both audiences? [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on May 22, 2018 - 4 answers

Non-fiction reading for the agnostic soul

This year I've gotten into reading non-fiction, self help, memoirs type books. I am interested in recommendations of non-fiction books. I have been living under a rock, so please recommend super popular things. I am a feminist, liberal, agnostic looking for engaging reads. They could be from other backgrounds if they are uplifting, engaging, and/or thought provoking. Best reads of the year for me so far are: Designing your life; How full is your bucket; Let's take the long way home. Please recommend me more non-fiction to feed my soul.
posted by Kalmya on Feb 15, 2018 - 15 answers

“I love the idea of us reading together, have you any books in mind?”

What books read together made a difference for you and your partner? [more inside]
posted by brokeaspoke on Nov 2, 2017 - 11 answers

Recommendations on Dark/black comedy literature

Some people cope with difficult life events with cat photos but I prefer reading parody, satire, non-fiction/fictional accounts of terrible events written in an entertaining manner. [more inside]
posted by chrono_rabbit on Sep 8, 2017 - 20 answers

Your incredibly absorbing summer reads: omnivore edition

I need to distract myself from thoughts of the impending apocalypse and am looking for recommendations for books that you just couldn't put down. My tastes lean towards crime (true and fiction), psychological thrillers, mystery, politics, psychology etc. but I am pretty much open to anything these days, as long as it keeps me off Facebook and CNN. [more inside]
posted by rpfields on Aug 13, 2017 - 24 answers

Recommend non-fictional works based on legal cases

I'm interested in reading non-fiction books for a change and I would like to read about interesting/memorable legal cases in articles, blogs, and books. [more inside]
posted by chrono_rabbit on Jul 28, 2017 - 22 answers

Interesting, recent non-fiction that is available on Kindle

I used to be a big reader of non-fiction, but I haven't read much lately because I've been too busy. I'd like to change that. I'm out of the loop, though - I don't know what new, interesting, or important non-fiction has been released within the last few years. The big requirement: It has to be available on Kindle. I'm in an area where I can't order physical books. [more inside]
posted by Kutsuwamushi on Jun 4, 2017 - 16 answers

Best non-fiction books about witches

I'm looking for readable, if not informative, non-fiction books about witches. [more inside]
posted by gc on Dec 4, 2016 - 19 answers

Optimizing book reading

I'm looking for tips on how to become a better reader. [more inside]
posted by aeighty on Sep 23, 2016 - 24 answers

Lost "say this, not that" book

I saw pictures of a book on tumblr that was filled with suggestions for improvements on common condolences. For example, instead of saying, "Everything happens for a reason," try, "You must be disappointed that it didn't work out." Help me find this book, please! [more inside]
posted by Snarl Furillo on Aug 10, 2016 - 2 answers

Seeking great subject-matter introductions for a voraciously curious kid

My ten-year old son wants to understand everything. He is a voracious reader and doesn't confine himself to kids books. He loves reading the newspaper (NYTimes, Boston Globe), fiction, and non-fiction books. He's old enough to really learn things by reading. Agatha Christie is fun, but he's ready for more than that. He's full of questions about society, politics, science, economics. I'd like to get him some books that will expand his mind, begin answering his questions, and show him how the world fits together. [more inside]
posted by alms on Jul 1, 2016 - 43 answers

Good long-form resources for debunking conspiracy theories?

I'm soon to mentor a friend through a period of personal reflective study. An area I'd like to touch on is that he persistently clings to conspiracy theories, such as those of Leonard Horowitz. It is not my place to impose my own beliefs, but as he has limited exposure to contrasting material I would like him to balance these views with the "other side" and draw his own conclusions. [more inside]
posted by tzb on Oct 1, 2014 - 7 answers

How do I amass a book collection in this day and age?

I've always wanted to wind up with a large collection of books like my parents have. However, when I can find constantly updated information on the internet and I check out fiction from the library, I can rarely convince myself there's a good reason to actually BUY a book. What books should I be buying? Some snowflakes inside. [more inside]
posted by majesty_snowbird on Jul 17, 2014 - 30 answers

Psychology preceding avoidable accidents and catastrophes

Please point me towards more non-fiction accounts of fatalities that may have been avoidable had the people involved made different decisions earlier on. In particular I am looking for accounts that provide detail about these earlier decisions so the reader can perhaps surmise where the “tipping point” was reached. [more inside]
posted by tr0ubley on May 9, 2014 - 39 answers

Books that allude to books that do not exist.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the title character is negatively influenced by a "poison" book that is mentioned repeatedly in the text but never named. "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius," the short story by Jorge Luis Borges, mentions several nonexistent books including a mysteriously altered encyclopedia and a History of the Land Called Uqbar. I am looking for more fictional references in novels or stories to other books that do not exist. Help, please? [more inside]
posted by BlueJae on Apr 11, 2014 - 58 answers

Can you recommend any foreboding, surreal texts?

I'm looking for fiction and non-fiction texts (video, audio, and books) that take what is ostensibly a very real situation and find a surreal perspective. I'm not looking for the fantastic though, but more of a foreboding tone/atmosphere. You know, when a narrative seemingly grounded in reality has an unreal, genuinely unsettling undercurrent. Examples below. [more inside]
posted by Quilford on Mar 5, 2014 - 49 answers

Audiobook Q & A, subject matter irrelevant

I like to listen to audiobooks before I fall asleep. I would like to find audiobooks with a question and answer format. Can you help? [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso on Mar 4, 2014 - 6 answers

What if we don't need to read anymore? Futurist recommendations...

What fiction, non-fiction, or academic works on a "post-literate" world can you recommend? Has anyone written about a world where the most successful and powerful don't necessarily posses the ability to read or write as we know it? [more inside]
posted by GPF on Mar 3, 2014 - 9 answers

Non-Fiction books about and/or set in Portland, Oregon

I recently found out about Fugitives and Refugees by Chuck Palahniuk and am very excited to read it. Does anyone know of any similar non-fiction books about and/or based in Portland, OR? I found this link on askmefi: http://ask.metafilter.com/120019/Books-about-southern-Washington but no others listed seem to be non-fiction or set in Portland specifically. I've spent a good portion of my life in New York and love how Joseph Mitchell, Philip Lopate, & Thomas Wolfe (fiction, yes, but written in a very non-fiction style) write about NYC and am looking for similar writers.
posted by herrC on Jul 9, 2013 - 5 answers

Recommend a non-fiction author who has a style like Anthony Bourdain?

Recommend a non-fiction author who has a style like Anthony Bourdain? [more inside]
posted by jacobean on Jun 17, 2013 - 14 answers

Non-fiction about the Great Outdoors

I've recently discovered that I love reading non-fiction about the Great Outdoors and the things that happen there. I'm talking about books like 'Touching the Void' by Joe Simpson, and Jon Krakauer's books 'Into Thin Air' and 'Into the Wild'. It doesn't necessarily have to be about disasters and tragedies: I really loved this recent FPP about the Alaskan Iditarod. I want to read (but haven't yet) 'Into the Silence: the Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest'. Please recommend me other books in this vein?
posted by meronym on May 2, 2013 - 35 answers

Non-fiction recs SVP

I am a reader of fiction. I read a lot, and I read all sorts of fiction genres. I do not, however, read non-fiction because the couple of times I tried to I found them desperately dull. I am sure that can’t be the reality for all non-fiction books… right? Teach me something interesting and make me learn to like non-fiction please. Specific requests inside... [more inside]
posted by PuppetMcSockerson on Dec 18, 2012 - 83 answers

in search of lost time book

What was this book I read? Published in last 10 years, it had something like an explanation in layman's terms of the physics of time & why time is perceived by our consciousness as a flow. Can't recall much more than that I'm afraid.
posted by canoehead on Oct 29, 2012 - 9 answers

How A went from thinking B to C

Please recommend stories about mental battles. Specifically, people overcoming deep-seated fears or beliefs. [more inside]
posted by fix on May 3, 2012 - 7 answers

Order my zombie.

I have three folders on my Kindle.. Fiction, Non-fiction and Reference. Where do I place 'The Zombie Survival Guide'?
posted by Frasermoo on Dec 29, 2011 - 25 answers

not quite undergrad, not quite grad, but feeling a research binge

How do I turn my current (quite positive) experience with community work into (a) anthropological research pre-grad or (b) non-fiction writing? Or, how do you conduct research outside of the academy? [more inside]
posted by elephantsvanish on Dec 21, 2011 - 5 answers

Fun non-fiction?

I love non-fiction, but a lot of it is either annoyingly precise or too worthy. I'm looking for fun entertaining bedtime reading that won't tax the mind too much. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by cdenman on Sep 10, 2011 - 39 answers

Fingers on the pulse - give me your "zeitgeistiest" non-fiction picks

Help me put together a list of the most zeitgeist-y, readable and accomplished "big idea" non-fiction books of recent years. [more inside]
posted by oneaday on Aug 15, 2011 - 31 answers

Advice book from different perspectives?

Can anyone recommend some non-fiction advice books where many authors write their perspective on similar situations or difficulties in life? [more inside]
posted by fantasticninety on Jul 17, 2011 - 3 answers

Looking for family-focused memoirs

I'm reading (and really enjoying) The Glass Castle, and my wife and are about to have our first kid. What other memoirs or non-fiction books should I read that focus on parenting, raising kids in unorthodox ways, or just plain unique families?
posted by nitsuj on Jul 14, 2011 - 20 answers

What's the closest UK equivalent to the New Yorker?

What is the best forum in the United Kingdom for lengthy, in-depth narrative journalism, as exemplified in the United States by the New Yorker? I am aware of the New Statesman, the Spectator, and Prospect, but in my limited experience these seem more narrowly focused on current affairs and politics.
posted by EtTuHealy on Jul 4, 2011 - 8 answers

Outstanding profiles of scientists? Narrative science journalism?

So, I'm looking for well-written profiles of scientists or other outstanding examples of "narrative science journalism". [more inside]
posted by earthwormsleg on Jun 30, 2011 - 24 answers

Coming of age in the Atomic age

What are your favorite mid-century memoirs? [more inside]
posted by twinight on Apr 22, 2011 - 18 answers

Good resources for learning about new and upcoming non-fiction about the internet?

What are some good resources for finding out about recent/new/upcoming non-fiction books that discuss the web or the internet? [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jan 7, 2011 - 20 answers

Book suggestions?

I'm looking for some good, meaty non-fiction to read over Christmas break while I'm home from grad school. Something with difficult ideas, yet readable and contemporary, and taking a fairly "big picture" view of a particular field. Any suggestions? Examples below. [more inside]
posted by decoherence on Dec 12, 2010 - 46 answers

Please recommend current political non-fiction

I need help picking out a book as a Christmas gift for my husband. I'm looking for fascinating current non-fiction about the inner workings of American politics. Husband is a staunch Democrat. Many thanks!
posted by Dragonness on Dec 8, 2010 - 10 answers

Introductory Book to WWI

I am look for a gentle and concise history of WWI. As well as possibly another book that focuses on life in the trenches.
posted by captainscared on Jul 11, 2010 - 20 answers

Tell me what fiction I should read

Fiction for someone who prefers non-fiction. Suggestions? [more inside]
posted by ishotjr on Jun 10, 2010 - 35 answers

Parentheses are not the answer

Help! What's the most convincing non-fiction you've ever read? [more inside]
posted by mondaygreens on Jun 10, 2010 - 36 answers

Help my treadmill time fly by

I spend most mornings before work with 45 minutes on the treadmill at my gym. To pass the time and not stare at the damn TV bank, I read. Help me find the best quality, most creative, intelligent, and engaging short-form non-fiction reading on the internet. Help me strengthen my mind as I strengthen my heart and not get captured by the boob tubes in my line of sight. [specifics inside] [more inside]
posted by cross_impact on May 28, 2010 - 14 answers

Extreme Sports Books

Any good books about extreme sports? [more inside]
posted by alextprice on Apr 13, 2010 - 8 answers

What are some great books/movies about Hawaii?

What are some great books/movies about Hawaii? [more inside]
posted by bullitt 5 on Mar 10, 2010 - 18 answers

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