Book Recomendations

Anyone got any good non-fiction book recommendations? I've recently polished off Michael Pollan's "How to change your mind" and David SinClair's "Why we age and why we don't have to." Pollan's book was all about psychedelic drugs, and was frankly quite boring. SinClair's book was great and I highly recommend it. So now I'm looking for my next book.

I'm currently listening to Food: A cultural culinary history. It's pretty good although the part about the Americas and Japanese cultural history had me pausing and ranting.

Factfulness by Hans Rosling is very very good and helps put things into perspective.

If you haven't read The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt, you NEED TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. It is a slog, but it is worth your time.

Empire of the summer moon

History of the Comanche people, lots of Texas history.

Mo

Thanks Kattelen, I'm familiar with Haidt, and have really enjoyed his stuff in the past. I have not read that book though. As of right now, it's my leading contender for the next book!

And I know what you're talking about with Pollan. I've tried to like his work but I just can't. Too many errors. Too many times going against other research and having his own agenda leaves me arguing with a book and wanting to throw it across the room. He's the only author I've actually returned his stuff because he made me too mad.

Genius Foods if you are into health and food.


Just finished "Valley Forge" and "Pioneers"


Just started "Frontier Rebels: The Fight for Independence in the American West"

Anything by Richard Marcinko... Rogue Warrior, Red Cell, Green Team etc...

sometimes when I hit a reading lull I like to go back to the classics. Dune, To Kill a Mockingbird

Easily read in a day. Lots of wisdom in this book

How to argue and win every time Gerry Spence

I would encourage every person on this forum that sticks their head in the sand and never looks at the world around them to read it. You may not agree with someone else all the time but you should at least be able to walk in their shoes momentarily.

For total relaxation I like Louis L'Amour. One of his best, to me, was Last of the Breed.

I'm Currently reading this

anything John Steinbeck
i ordered 5 of them
& they are all great

Just started this one.

I’m currently reading this:

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143122029/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_T7mNDbMYJX8X7

Because you appear to enjoy data, data analysis, drawing various conclusions thru data analysis and evaluating conclusions others have drawn from their analysis of data...I would recommend Malcolm Gladwell books. Ever read this one?

"For more than 150 years, the hills and cedar breaks of west central Texas was populated by a tight society of fiercely independent country folk known as "The Cedar Choppers." They were Scottish, Irish and Welsh migrants from Appalachia who scratched out a way of life in the hard scrabble of the hill country, making a living by cutting and selling cedar logs.
Who are these people? And where did they go?
Roberts set out to answer those questions and more in his new book."

In my experience, the Appalachian folks I’ve known seem to have an unparalleled work ethic sewn into their DNA. I may check out this book. Thanks for posting it!

A Crime a Day

Death be not Proud by John Gunther

If you want to understand global politics, this book is great. Why all the conflict in the Middle East? Why has Africa had such a difficult time getting untracked? Why does Putin take such a hard line on the Ukraine/Crimea? This book attempts to outline it all. Very interesting.

I am for sure a light weight reader compared to this crowd.

But on this level the most challenging one I have read is the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. It was so dry I went through two bottles of bourbon before I finished it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Worst_Hard_Time


story of the dustbowl and the folks who stayed and toughed it out..


MO

Don’t need to read that. My grandparents had lots of stories

I just reread a lot of Stephen Ambrose books.

D Day
Citizen Soldier
Band of Brothers
Pegasus Bridge
The Wild Blue (who knew George McGovern was a Bad***)

Old but good.

Some of the best Naval writing I have seen, really puts you in the middle of some of the fiercest fights in US Naval history.

The worst of days. About the dust bowl in western Oklahoma.

great

I ordered a copy.
For you I would recommend Sea of Thunder by Evan Thomas.