Recommendations sought: Books, nonfiction

[vakkotaur]

For the last few months I've been reading the various books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. They're rather entertaining and Pratchett manages to make a few points that apply to the real world. I've finished with all the Discworld books so far published, as far as I know. Right now I'm going through Good Omens, a book co-authored by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I'm taking my time about it, but expect I'll finish it in a week or so and then I'll be done with Pratchett for a while.

I also want to get away from fiction for a bit. Any recommendations for non-fiction? The one big restriction is that I will be specifically avoiding any overtly political text, at least anything within the last decade or so. I know I'm leaving the field fairly wide open, that's intentional.

So, what book(s) should I look into and why?

Comments

[willowisp.livejournal.com]

If you're interested in languages, I'd recommend The Mother Tongue by <mumble mutter book's still packed>. There are some inaccuracies in there, or perhaps in the wider canon, which is what makes language so interesting and frustrating.

[ginafae.livejournal.com]

Guns Germs and Steel.

WONDERFUL non-fiction. About archeology, anthropology, with a little evolution stuff thrown in. Much goodness.

[aedifica]

High Tide in Tucson, by Barbara Kingsolver. It's a book of essays, and I like it even better than her fiction. It does get somewhat political in places, but not the "who should you vote for" sort, more the "think about how you live your life" kind.

Though it isn't non-fiction (as far as I know, at least), I recommend The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It's heavily Christian-based, of course, but it was very interesting (and thought-provoking) to read it as a non-Christian, to see what I agreed with, what I didn't, and why.

Oh, Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Friedman (I think) is another non-fiction piece. The title is a bit of a misnomer, it's really "who wrote the Decalogue, and a few other Old Testament books I feel like throwing in?" I read it last semester for a class and I was disappointed by the lack of scholarly rigor, but since it is intended for a lay audience I can see that - it's written very much in popular style. It was definitely fun to read, since I'm interested in the subject (don't know if you are).

Lately I've been reading things with titles like Essentials of Athletic Training and Biology... of course, in between textbooks I've reread the Hitchhiker's Guide series, and some Pratchett too.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I'll even consider textbooks, if anyone thinks they're particularly good for the subject. I'm especially interested in any of what I call Class II (http://www.livejournal.com/users/vakkotaur/7503.html) books.

As for interests, I almost listed some, but decided not to. I'm looking for something new and maybe I'll find out that something is more interesting than I expected. If not, well, at least I'll know.

eep - Decalogue!

[aedifica]

I shall now hang my head in shame. [Bad religious studies major, bad!] I said "Decalogue," which (I just looked it up) is the Ten Commandments. What I meant was the Pentateuch. eep, eep, eep. I was trying to call it something other than "the Books of Moses," which for some reason was all I could think of (I think I blame the Black Velvet Band, for that song they were singing at Fest about them).

I think I ought to have some class II books to recommend, then - I'll have to check my shelves and my brain when I get home.

Note to self

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

"Games People Play" by Eric Berne, MD. A book on Transactional Analysis...

[timmowarner.livejournal.com]

I can't recommend GODEL ESCHER BACH: AN ETERNAL GOLDEN BRAID by Douglas Hofstadter enough!

Here's a review that gives a pretty good description. Probably less rambling than the one I gave you.

http://www.forum2.org/tal/books/geb.html

Re: eep - Decalogue!

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

"I think I blame the Black Velvet Band, for that song they were singing at Fest about them"

That wouldn't be a song about the five constipated men of the Bible, would it?

Re: eep - Decalogue!

[aedifica]

ja, genau!

= yes, exactly. (In case you happen to be one of those non-German speakers I keep hearing about.) :-)

For anyone reading who isn't familiar with this wonderful song:

There were five (five!) constipated men in the Bible, in the Bible
There were five (five!) constipated men in the Holy Books of Moses

Now the first (first!) constipated man his name was Cain, he wasn't Abel

The second.... Noah, he built the ark

The third.... Moses, he took two tablets

The fourth.... Joshua, he blew the walls down

The fifth.... Solomon, he sat for forty years

:>

Re: eep - Decalogue!

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

Non-German speakers? Nein, ich verstehe Deutsch! I learned it when I lived for nine months in der Schweiz.

And yup, that's the same song I heard performed by Yo & Ho, the pirate comedians at the Minnesota RenFest... except the way they sang it, the second constipated man was Baal; he couldn't move his ass. :}