Nonfiction November discussion

So we've all got the list, now how will you go about interpreting them? What are some ideas you have? Suggestions?

Here's just a quick general list I thought of.

For secret, one of the easiest that comes to mind is superheroes. You know, since there superheroes have secret identities. There are loads of books on the subject

With border, that one can be pretty easy such as the borders of countries, state lines, etc

element; the easiest that come to mind are the elements of Earth, Wind, Water, Fire. And of course the periodic table elements.

And lastly record; journals, notes for the record , or maybe in the case of the entertainment industry, behind the scenes information

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Anyways, those are just some of my suggestions.

I interpreted borders a little different than some people. I am reading Last Call by Daniel Okrent. This book is about Prohibition which was a curious time in history occurring only within the borders of the United States.

for secret - you could lean towards things that were classified by the government then declassified and/or released - ie Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers

Moving my list from the Intro forum to this forum


Secret = Hidden or Unknown

Record = LP or music - any music biography - especially if they have platinum records!!

Border = Edge - or the underground railroad - (crossing the border to Canada) - or escaping the draft (vietnam war - also crossing the border to canada) - drawing/sketching - maybe artists biography?

Element - elementary or elements - as in Chemicals and Physics and maybe elementary education or learning the basics of a new subject...

Some of my suggestions from books I have read and others I intend to read...

1. RECORD
If I don't complete The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family in October as planned, I'll be finishing it in November. It is a record of the Hemings slaves as a part of Jefferson's life and his plantation at Monticello. It is fascinating!
This could also count for SECRET (Jefferson's "secret family"/not-so-secret "family") or BORDER (blurring the "border" between slavery and freedom), IMO!
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown was one of my favorite reads ever! Unbelievable, poignant, and enthralling story! Could also be used for WATER (rowing).

Other than that I would suggest a book about the recording industry or a "record-setter" in a media, sport, industry, etc., which could include biographies and memoirs.
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
From my TBR listing that I have yet to read:
Me by Elton John

2. ELEMENT
From my TBR listing that I have not yet read:
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean

I love Ron's suggestion of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire.
EARTH:
The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel provided personal insights to the early space program and the families involved.
From my TBR listing that I have not yet read:
Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism by Muhammad Yunus
WIND:
From my TBR listing that I have not yet read:
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
WATER:
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey was fascinating.
From my TBR listing that I have not yet read:
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness
Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins by Susan Casey
The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks by Susan Casey
The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World
A Night to Remember about the Titanic sinking.
The Oyster War: The True Story of a Small Farm, Big Politics, and the Future of Wilderness in America
Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer
Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller
Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid by Wendy Williams
Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do by Wallace J. Nichols

Building off Robynne's suggestion: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry or Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics to learn the basics/basic elements of a new subject.

FIRE:
The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan was an amazing read!
From my TBR listing that I have not yet read:
The Library Book about the 1986 LA Public Library fire. I own a signed copy since I attended an author event with her several years ago and still haven't read it. Shame on me! I really enjoyed The Orchid Thief--see SECRET below!

3. BORDER
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks is a compilation of patents' symptoms and behaviors that might denote the "border" for insanity... Unbelievable but true!
The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo by Paula Huntley Crossing "borders" to share reading/literature.
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride Crossing "borders" between race and ethnicity.
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf Beyond the "border" of sexism to feminism.
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann Although I had little interest in the theme, Grann's writing made it an extraordinarily excellent read!
Books about the "border" between humans and animals and our understanding of them--on my TBR listing that I have yet to read:
Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel by Carl Safina
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal
Books from my TBR listing that I have yet to read:
NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman The "border" between "normal" and "abnormal"?

4. SECRET
About "secrets":
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele, foreword by Angela Y. Davis While I'm sure many would like it to remain a secret, this is what it is like to be (1) hunted by those who are supposedly assigned to "protect" you and (2) how your life can be meaningless to those in control as a result of mental illness. A MUST READ, IMO!
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson A man dedicated to righting so many wrongs that have claimed innocent peoples' lives through unjust arrest, unjustified charging with crimes, and totally false convictions. A MUST READ, IMO!
The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 by Władysław Szpilman depicts just how indomitable the human spirit can be to enable survival as well as what simple kindness by an enemy can mean to one man.
The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
Day of Infamy by Walter Lord about the Pearl Harbor attack. Could also work for ELEMENT (water), BORDER (at the "border" of the U.S. and war), or RECORD.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot Yet another example of exploitation.
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore Yet more exploitation.
Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan by Doug Stanton I am not a fan of war, but this account was interesting and insightful.
The World's Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne gave insights to attempts to control the symptoms of Tourette's.
From my TBR listing that I have yet to read:
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman

Not sure where within these four themes it might fit, but...
Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Author recommendation:
Walter Lord: I find his writing to be very accessible, personal, and easy-to-read. It is through the eyes of those who experienced the event.
Susan Casey: I found her writing to be enthralling in The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean
Timothy Egan: His writing is amazing!
David Grann I believe his writing could make any story line interesting to me!

Wonderful List Lynn. I definitely need to get hold of some of those titles!!!!

Lynn, what an amazing list! I have some of those books, have heard of others and then you have others that look interesting.

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One of the books I'm planning to read for 'Element' is The Complete Poems . I have to read a couple poems from this book for class next week but since there are a lot, I'm planning to save some of them for when November starts as well.

Ron wrote: "Lynn, what an amazing list! I have some of those books, have heard of others and then you have others that look interesting.

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One of the books I'm planning to read for 'Element' is The Complete Poems . I have to read a couple poems from this book for class next week but since there are a lot, I'm planning to save some of them for when November starts as well."
It is so exciting that you are starting classes! I'm sure you'll get a lot from the literature classes! Positive study energy to you!!

Robynne wrote: "Wonderful List Lynn. I definitely need to get hold of some of those titles!!!!"

I've been working to include more nonfiction reading, but it is always a struggle for me. I really enjoy reading it, but the shiny fiction seems to get in my way! :)

Saving this spot until have time to come back with my ideas

Element/Fire - The Burning: Massacre, Destruction, and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921

Will come back with more after I've had a think!

Hi All,
I have my books on order from my library for this year's challenges!
For Record: The Species Seekers by Richard Conniff--the people that have worked to create a record of life on earth
For Element: The Lost Men: The Harrowing Saga of Shackleton's Ross Sea Party by Kelly Tyler-Lewis--man vs. the elements
For Border: Strange & Secret Peoples: Fairies and Victorian Consciousness by Carol Silver--exploring the borders between the human world and the fae
For Secret: A Life of One's Own by Marion Blackett Milner--personal reflections of one woman's search for fulfillment and happiness

Let the countdown begin!

Excited for Non-fiction November! Below are my TBR possibilities although the goal is to read one from each prompt category so I can also fit in a few historical fiction books for another reading challenge.

Record:
Night, Ellie Wiesel
I am Malala, Malala Yousafzai
Hiroshima, John Hersey
Educated, Tara Westover

Secret:
The Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, Joshua Hammer
The Unexpected Spy, Tracy Walder

Border
Escaping North Korea, Mike Kim

Element:
A Naturalist at Large, Bernd Heinrich
Winter World, Bernd Heinrich

I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone reads.

Wow! thank you for taking the time to create this list! I am saving it for future reads

I have just read Holy Waters by Tom Morton. Looking for the sacred in a glass. The connections between religion and alcohol and other drinks. Highly recommended

For Elements:
Personal Reflections on the book Helgoland by Carlo Rovelli

I enjoy reading about current quantum theories. I'll read books that take a stab at writing for layman like me. I highlight and take notes and by the end, I get some kind of understanding of what I read. Then, as time goes on, my understanding fades. When someone asks me, 'What did you learn from this book?' I find myself forgetting what I read and am at a loss for words.

Carlo Rovelli gives me a running chance to not only understand quantum concepts, but to take away wording that I can use to remember and describe 'what I learned.'

His most recent book is Helgoland. Helgoland is the island off the North Sea where the young physicist Heisenberg retreated to its treeless environment to appease his bad pollen allergies. This was so that he could concentrate on his work better.There at Helgoland, Heisenberg developed the basis for modern quantum theory.

Carlo Rovelli's writing is appropriately casual and often personal. He usually organizes his books by going over the history first. Then he gets into the theoretical concepts. He continues to rotate back to a concept and explains it in a different way. This helps me with comprehension. He uses simple graphics and humorous examples.

Now the big question. I am halfway through the book. What is one example of what I learned so far? Well, from what I understand, the interaction between two particles at the quantum level is actually a triangle when observed. The observer is always part of the results, their presence effects the mathematics. It cannot be separated as we can separate the observer in the experiments we do at a human level. What we think of as matter doesn't interact in the quantum world. The interaction IS the matter. Let me say that again. Matter is not a separate entity from its interactions. Matter IS interactions at the atomic level (mind blowing emoji)! Interactions are event nodes within the vast webwork that connects everything. Did I get it right? Fingers crossed.

Rovelli's other books include Reality is Not as It Seems and Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.

Hi Kim - I am reading The God Equation by Michio Kaku, dealing with the same basic topics. I have the same experience as you when reading about physics especially. It seems within my grasp at the time, but ask me about two years later? Not so grasped. My favorite boil-it-down sentence in Kaku’s book so far is “Gravity does not pull; space pushes.” Not a new concept to me, but what a great way to put it.

Hi Andrea, Thank you, I’ll remember that quote from Michio Kaku! I will have to pick up your book. Helgoland talks a lot about the relationship between physics and philosophy. I’m starting to realize how different philosophies will effect the questions you ask and might color the conclusions you come up with. The more you study philosophy, the better scientist you will be because it helps you to look at the same thing in different ways. :)