My Non-Fiction Recommendations

So, I recently realized that I haven't reviewed any non-fiction yet on this blog. I feel that that's a little unfair to non-fiction, because I've read some excellent pieces of non-fiction in my life. The reason I haven't written about non-fiction yet is that I haven't really read any non-fiction in a while. So, I've decided to give you a list of what I think is really, really good non-fiction. Granted, all of it's been about historical events/figures, but if you're interested in that sort of stuff, I've got some great recommendations for you.

1) The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough - I originally read this book for a class and it was a great experience. This was a great book, with the readability of a novel and an especial emphasis on the stories of the survivors. It covered more than just the actual event of the flood and the most interesting part of the book was the section on the aftermath, which assessed weather or not the flood was a man made event. If you're interested in the history of natural disasters, this is a must read.

2) Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne - I read this book a while ago, but really enjoyed it. It is a framed narrative about the rise and the fall of the Comanche empire. Since I knew virtually nothing about the Comanches before reading the book, it was really eye-opening for me. The book followed the story of Comanche chief Quannah Parker while also retelling anecdotes from Comanche history.

3) Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose - This book, the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition, was sort of my introduction to 'readable' non-fiction. It was beautifully written, though it perhaps romanticised the expedition and the opening of the American west. All and all, though I think it is a book that every American should read at some point; it is the story of our country. 

4)  Juniata, River of Sorrows by Dennis P. McIlnay - I'm not going to lie, I only read half of this book. Though I read it cover to cover, I skipped every other chapter of Juniata because the historical narrative was interspersed with long, detailed fishing narratives. I'm sure that it's very good if you're into fishing, but I'm not, so I skipped that stuff. The non-fishing bits of the book trace the history of human settlement along the Juniata river, focusing specifically on the conflicts arose in the early days of European settlement. As a resident of Pennsylvania, it's hard to think of the western part of my state as the 'frontier', but, at one point, it was. That's an odd thought for me and a simply fascinating piece of history to explore. 

5) Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz - First off, I would like to say that this was perhaps the funniest, most puzzling piece of non-fiction I have ever read. The book follows Horwitz's journey as he attempts to unravel America's obsession with, as he terms it, our unfinished civil war. Personally, I believe that civil war is a deeply traumatic event for any nation, regardless of the outcome, and, even now - almost 150 years later, we are still dealing with the wounds of the American Civil War. It was good to see someone recognize this. This book is a strange, entertaining, uniquely American Odyssey that mixes history with psychology and the ever evolving historical memory.  

6) On Writing by Stephen King - I threw this book into the mix because I realized that, thus far, I had only suggested works relating to history. However, regardless, I really enjoyed this book. On Writing is part how-to book, part memoir, that is really one writer's perception of what it means to be a writer. As a writer, I found it extremely useful and as a person, I found it fascinating. I've never been much of a reader of King's novels, which have the regrettable tendency to terrify me, but I definitely have a lot of respect for the volume of work he has produced and his popularity. 

Anyway, I hope these suggestions are helpful. I know that sometimes, non-fiction can be a little boring, so hopefully you'll enjoy these books.

Just readin'