Adult Nonfiction Book Favorites
This is not really a diabetes post. Here are some favorite nonfiction books I've read over the last few years. These are the books that came to mind as my favorites today; if I were to compile the list tomorow it would look different. All of these books are favorites both because they are well written and compelling reads as well as because they are relevant to my understanding of myself and the world around me.
Reading The Lines: A Fresh Look At the Hebrew Bible by Pamela Tamarkin Reiss (2002)- This book contains exegesis of five parts of the bible, written by a nonreligious Jewish woman with an attempt to see the bible as coming from God.
Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce by Stanley Weintraub (2001)- Did you know that soldiers in WWI refused to fight? True story.
They Came in Chains: Americans From Africa by J. Saunders Redding (1950)- Well worth reading, a comprehensive history of slavery and race relations in the Americas from the 17th through the early 20th centuries. The author is African American.
A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became the World's Greatest Traveler by Jason Roberts (2007) - This book is just fun and easy reading- would be good if it were fiction. It's about an early 19th century British man who went all around the globe. He developed arthritis at age 12 and became suddenly blind at age 20- probably from JRA. He learned to get around by echolocation. He wrote guidebooks. Very interesting.
Slave in a Box: The Strange Career of Aunt Jemima by M.M.Manring (1998)- The story of the Aunt Jemima advertisement scheme, with a lot of background. Fascinating. I once did a report on this in class- got an A.
Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research into Homosexuality by Simon LeVay (1996)- Slightly out of date by this point, but a useful primer into research on homosexuality.
I Know You're Out There: Private Longings, Public Humiliations, and Other Tales From the Personals by Michael Beaumier (2006)- This book showcases a lot of the subcultures that I live in. It's Chicago. It's queer and it's straight, it's disabled and non. It's even got a diabetic chef. Funny and fun reading.
Blind Rage: Letters to Helen Keller by Georgina Kleege (2006)- 40% real Helen Keller, 10% fictional Helen Keller, 20% political thoughts, and 30% autobiography, this book makes a 100% good read.
Too Late To Die Young: Nearly True Tales From a Life by Harriet McBryde Johnson (2005)- Harriet McBryde Johnson was one of the best influence my disabled teenage self got. She's the one who organized protests of the MDA telethon. She died fifteen months ago. I cried. This book is a series of essays that are about things she did, including some available online.
Anatomy of the Law by Lon Luvois Fuller (1968)- The best introduction to law that I've read yet.
The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of the Earthworm by Amy Stewart (2004)- This is the book that prompted me to learn more about where my food comes from. I didn't like how much Stewart writes about Darwin- but excluding that, this is an excellant read. Learn about worms, learn about compost, learn about organic and non-organic crops and learn about waste managment. Good book all around.
Bittersweet: Diabetes, Insulin, and the Transformation of an Illness by Chris Feudtner (2003)- This is the source of most of my knowledge about the history of diabetes. Lots of well told stories, a good read for any diabetic who wants to know what if. It is weak on international stuff. There are good pictures in here.
Over My Head: A Doctor's Own Story of Head Injury From the Inside Looking Out by Claudia L. Osborn (1998)- When I read this book, I was dealing with a fairly new difficulties with my memory and this book hit hard. Osborn was hit by a car and the consequence was brain damage. This is a story about recovery and acclimation and learning to live without a lot of memory.
Songs of the Gorilla Nation:My Journey Through Autism by Dawn Prince-Hughes (2004)- Two thirds autobiography, one third gorilla, one third lesbian, and one third autism (they overlap). I like it.
My Pet Virus: The True Story of a Rebel Without a Cure by Shawn Decker (2006)- A hemophiliac with HIV writes an autobiography. I dunno why, I just liked this book.
Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert (2007)- I grew up in libraries and my librarians were my mothers (don't tell my mother I said that). This book is not exactly about my libraries because it's a Californian librarian writing, but it captures a lot of the dynamics that surrounded the libraries I grew up in too.
Reading The Lines: A Fresh Look At the Hebrew Bible by Pamela Tamarkin Reiss (2002)- This book contains exegesis of five parts of the bible, written by a nonreligious Jewish woman with an attempt to see the bible as coming from God.
Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce by Stanley Weintraub (2001)- Did you know that soldiers in WWI refused to fight? True story.
They Came in Chains: Americans From Africa by J. Saunders Redding (1950)- Well worth reading, a comprehensive history of slavery and race relations in the Americas from the 17th through the early 20th centuries. The author is African American.
A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became the World's Greatest Traveler by Jason Roberts (2007) - This book is just fun and easy reading- would be good if it were fiction. It's about an early 19th century British man who went all around the globe. He developed arthritis at age 12 and became suddenly blind at age 20- probably from JRA. He learned to get around by echolocation. He wrote guidebooks. Very interesting.
Slave in a Box: The Strange Career of Aunt Jemima by M.M.Manring (1998)- The story of the Aunt Jemima advertisement scheme, with a lot of background. Fascinating. I once did a report on this in class- got an A.
Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research into Homosexuality by Simon LeVay (1996)- Slightly out of date by this point, but a useful primer into research on homosexuality.
I Know You're Out There: Private Longings, Public Humiliations, and Other Tales From the Personals by Michael Beaumier (2006)- This book showcases a lot of the subcultures that I live in. It's Chicago. It's queer and it's straight, it's disabled and non. It's even got a diabetic chef. Funny and fun reading.
Blind Rage: Letters to Helen Keller by Georgina Kleege (2006)- 40% real Helen Keller, 10% fictional Helen Keller, 20% political thoughts, and 30% autobiography, this book makes a 100% good read.
Too Late To Die Young: Nearly True Tales From a Life by Harriet McBryde Johnson (2005)- Harriet McBryde Johnson was one of the best influence my disabled teenage self got. She's the one who organized protests of the MDA telethon. She died fifteen months ago. I cried. This book is a series of essays that are about things she did, including some available online.
Anatomy of the Law by Lon Luvois Fuller (1968)- The best introduction to law that I've read yet.
The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of the Earthworm by Amy Stewart (2004)- This is the book that prompted me to learn more about where my food comes from. I didn't like how much Stewart writes about Darwin- but excluding that, this is an excellant read. Learn about worms, learn about compost, learn about organic and non-organic crops and learn about waste managment. Good book all around.
Bittersweet: Diabetes, Insulin, and the Transformation of an Illness by Chris Feudtner (2003)- This is the source of most of my knowledge about the history of diabetes. Lots of well told stories, a good read for any diabetic who wants to know what if. It is weak on international stuff. There are good pictures in here.
Over My Head: A Doctor's Own Story of Head Injury From the Inside Looking Out by Claudia L. Osborn (1998)- When I read this book, I was dealing with a fairly new difficulties with my memory and this book hit hard. Osborn was hit by a car and the consequence was brain damage. This is a story about recovery and acclimation and learning to live without a lot of memory.
Songs of the Gorilla Nation:My Journey Through Autism by Dawn Prince-Hughes (2004)- Two thirds autobiography, one third gorilla, one third lesbian, and one third autism (they overlap). I like it.
My Pet Virus: The True Story of a Rebel Without a Cure by Shawn Decker (2006)- A hemophiliac with HIV writes an autobiography. I dunno why, I just liked this book.
Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert (2007)- I grew up in libraries and my librarians were my mothers (don't tell my mother I said that). This book is not exactly about my libraries because it's a Californian librarian writing, but it captures a lot of the dynamics that surrounded the libraries I grew up in too.