Chapter 46 - I Didn't Know That

As you know, I enjoy all sorts of books, both fiction and non-fiction. Although my go to's are almost always historical fiction or straight history, I dabble in almost every genre. If a book can teach me something I am all in - even if I don't necessarily believe or even understand everything it proposes. I've read a lot of non-fiction books this year on a wide range of subjects and each one has taught me something.

Here some from my grab bag of non-fiction books this year.

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari - This is a big thick book with vestiges of anthropology, history, and evolution thrown in. While many books about mankind start with either scientific or historical beginnings, Harari's focus is the start of human cognition. At 578 pages it is not for the faint of heart nor can you sit down and read it straight through but the book is good and thought provoking with graphs and charts included.

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell - I became a fan of Gladwell when I read his first book Blink, so when I learned about this one I was definitely intrigued. In this book, the author examines our interactions with people we don't know by citing modern and historical examples of how we don't seem to get communication right. This is a book that will stay with me for a while. I am already thinking about when I will reread it.

Do Dead People Watch You Shower? by Concetta Bertoldi - Bertoldi is a medium who discovered her "gift" as a child. She communicates with dead people and according to her they talk to her via voices in her head. Okay, so while that sounds kind of crazy, her customers, of which she has many famous ones, all validate her communications. This book was fascinating as she responds to various questions she has received from the public over her many years of work. So, if you believe that spirits are among us - read the book.

The Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep. Cep tells the story of a minister in Alabama accused of murdering five members of his family for the insurance money. He escaped justice for many years until a family member shot him dead at the funeral for his last victim. Harper Lee went to Alabama for the trial, thinking she could write about this like Capote wrote In Cold Blood. It was a book she never wrote. This is a fascinating story.

Life in the Third Reich: Daily Life in Nazi Germany 1933-1945 by Paul Roland - Have you ever wondered about the people in Germany during World War II. What was life like for them? How could they remain oblivious to what was going on around them? What did they actually know about what was happening in their country? In this book, the author attempts to answer these questions by first hand accounts of the people who were there. If you are a student of history, this book is a must read.

Have you been reading non-fiction? If you have anything to recommend let me know.