Recommend me some cool books (non-fiction please!!!)

[callydrias]

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Hmm, it seems my taste in nonfiction may be driven by the need to read books with subtitles.

[Yeti]

I loved A Walk In the Woods, and all Bryson's stuff for that matter. I have been thinking about buying Freakonomics for some time. Will check out the rest now.

[WDC]

Try legs McNeil Please Kill Me- an oral history of Punk

Or The Other Hollywood- an oral history of the 1970's porn Industry

I have not read either but my sister worked for the author for a while last year and siad they were both very good.

[Superfluous Man]

OK, so it's not exactly non-fiction, but Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is a pretty interesting read. It intertwines the drama surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's fair (and its design/construction, an amazing feat at the time) with the fictionalized account of a real-life serial killer who was at large during that time.

Edit: Freakonomics was also a pretty fun read.

[Jonny]

Fast food nation.

This book is very interesting and not too bad a read. If you want to know where the food comes from, read this.

Warning: You may never want to eat fast food again after reading this, especially from taco bell...(I would assume you don't eat much fast food anyways though)

[StevieG]

"Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson is an account of the Chicago World's Fair with a focus on two men that made it the backdrop for their life's work: architect Daniel Burnham who was repsonsible for building the exposition, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who found victims and anonymity in the bustle of the expo and Chicago in general.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
I am enjoying "the selfish gene" by richard dawkins.

[/ QUOTE ]
This definitely, and if you like it, try the Blind Watchmaker by Dawkins too.

[Lmn55d]

The Selfish Gene is one of my favorite books. I've read a bunch of Dawkins' other books as well (I study evolutionary biology). The Blind Watchmaker is another good one of his to read.

[TheWorstPlayer]

Presidential biographies in general, Truman specifically. I know you're English but they are still REALLY cool people with REALLY cool stories.

Also books about South Africa like My Traitor's Heart and Country of my Skull. Really scary, but really interesting.

Edit: OK, I read the thread and see you're not too interested in history. In that case, I recommend "Why Things Bite Back: The Science and Technology of Unintended Consequences". Very awesome book about how a lot of technological advances have actually hurt lifestyle and comfort instead of helped.

[callydrias]

[ QUOTE ]
I loved A Walk In the Woods, and all Bryson's stuff for that matter. I have been thinking about buying Freakonomics for some time. Will check out the rest now.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never read anything else by Bryson, although I've heard good things. I read another Jon Krakauer book, but I can't remember what it was. I think it was good though. Into the Wild maybe? Anything by Sagan gets my vote as well. Oh yeah, read David Sedaris too.

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