In the last few weeks, I've been reading some great non-fiction. I've pretty much given up on fiction now, except for historical fiction; the stories are often trite and/or depressing. Real life is weirder and wilder. The first book I'm going to recommend is one I don't have a cover photo of, since I've returned it - it has a lot of people waiting for it. "The Oregon trail" by Rinker Buck is a great mix of true-life challenge, when the author decides to re-travel and re-discover the trail taken by the pioneers from Kansas to Oregon, and history. He makes detours into all sorts of areas, from the breeding of the mule to the modern myth-making of the trail,especially by the Mormon historians. His brother Nick, a rip-shit or bust kind of guy, and a very experienced teamster, comes along as Trail Hand, and part of the enjoyment of this book is the contrast between the characters of the risk-taking Nick and the more careful urbanite Rinker.
"The devil in the White City" is about the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, and the extraordinary difficulties of building this "White City" on the shores of Lake Michigan. Along with the main story is another story, of the mass-murderer H. H. Holmes and his sinister plans for practically everyone he came in contact with.
I haven't read the rest of these books yet, but they all seem promising.
What was Muhammad the man really like? What inspired him to become the first Muslim and the founder of one of the world's greatest religions and cultures?
When Tara Austen Weaver buys a run-down property, she begins a story of rehabilitation and renewal that will enrich the lives of her whole family.
After having watched the movie "Queen Margot" this attracted me - the story of the relationship between mother-and-daughter queens.
"Courtiers - the secret history of Kensington Palace" - hopefully lots of arcane eighteenth century historical bits here
Written by the head gardener at Versailles - historical and gardening themes - should be interesting.
And no doubt this will start off another trip to Italy!
Oooh. Some gems there.
ReplyDeleteI have recently finished Leondardo's Brain which was a sometimes difficult, sometimes a bit dubious, examination about how and why Leonardo achieved so much - across science, art, music... Intriguing.
I'll look out for it.
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