Non-Fiction
Biohazard The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World--Told from Inside by the Man Who Ran It (1999) with Stephen Handelman (Science, Current Events)
Although I don't agree with everything she says, she takes a look at what it is to be female, and discusses many of the stereotypes and culture that still places women in second class status. She does an excellent job of discussing both sides of the hysterectomy issue, very clearly. Still have not finished it yet!
Please go to the Karen Armstrong page.
A History of God (1993), Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths, Muhammad, A Biography (1992), The Battle for God (2000), Islam : A Short History (2000), In the Beginning : A New Interpretation of Genesis, Holy War : The Crusades and Their Impact on Today's World, Visions Of God: Four Medieval Mystics and Their Writings (Religion, History)
Judith Barad with Ed Robertson
The Ethics of Star Trek
This book was definitely a disappointment. I’ve read The Physics of Star Trek and The Metaphysics of Star Trek both of which I found interesting. Perhaps because of this I had high hopes for this book. I was, unfortunately, disappointed.
The authors used specific episodes to outline specific ethical points. And to give them credit, they do over the major ethical theories, which is really what this book was about. It was far more a ethical theory primer than the discussion of ethics I thought it would be. They did towards the end discuss ethical situations to be found in the series, but most of the book focuses upon relating specific episodes to specific ethical theories. Interesting, but not fascinating.
Of course part of my bitterness towards this book may be the short shrift give to one of my favorite episodes, Deep Space Nine’s "In the Pale Moonlight." The episode (and justifiably so I admit) is used to explain utilitarianism. But from my perspective, the episode was far more than that, or the existentialism they also discussion.
Essentially I would have preferred an actual discussion of the ethical issues, rather than a primer on Ethics 101.
The Ethics of Star Trek (2001) (Ethics)
Professor of History and Texas A&M Universtiy, H.W. Brands has written several books. The two books I have read are T.R. The Last Romantic, which is a biography of Theodore Roosevelt, and The First American, which is a biography of Benjamin Franklin. Both were enjoyable, and I learned a good deal about both characters, but I think I liked T.R. better, possibly because I think I really would liked to have met Theodore Roosevelt.
T.R.: The Last Romantic (1997), The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin (2000) (History)
Please go to the John Brendt page.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1999)
I really like his books. It's amazing how little history we actually learn in school, and even a Catholic education did not truly impress upon me how much religion has truly affected culture and society.
How the Irish Saved Civilization, The Gift of the Jews, Desire of the Everlasting Hills (History, Religion)
The Power of Myth, The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Bill Moyer's interviews with Joseph Campbell are fascinating.
The Power of Myth, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythology, Folklore)
Please go to the Norman Cantor page.
In the Wake of the Plague The Black Death & the World it Made (2001) (History)
Please go to the James Carroll page.
Constantine's Sword (2001) (History, Religion)
Rabbi David A. Cooper
God is a Verb
Interesting book; I learned a good deal that I did not know before. However, I've been tempted to remove this book from the list, because Kabbalah has become such an "in" thing. I read this book for the same reason I read other books on religion. I'm curious to learn more.
God is a Verb: Kabbalah and the Practice of Mystical Judaism (Religion)
A Reporter's Life
I picked this up because I was interested in getting a first hand view of some of the more important events in the 20th century (and because it was in the bargain bin) and ended up purchasing a second copy for my grandmother, I liked it so much. It also hands-down beat The Greatest Generation which was fascinating but terribly written.
A Reporter's Life (1996) (Biography)
Eamon Duffy
Saints & Sinners : A History of the Popes
An interesting book with wonderful pictures of some of the beautiful Vatican artwork.
Saints & Sinners : A History of the Popes (History, Religion)
Please go to the Dave Egger's page.
The Best American Non-Required Reading 2002
Joseph J. Ellis(permalink)
American Sphinx : The Character of Thomas Jefferson
Biography of Thomas Jefferson, BUT please note that this book omits discussion of the presidency, and much of his vice presidency.
American Sphinx : The Character of Thomas Jefferson (1996) (History)
Ann Faraday
The Dream Game
This was a required book for an English class I took in college. It's more of a how to for remembering and understanding your dreams than a "dream dictionary".
Please go to the Laurie Garrett page.
The Coming Plague (1994) (History, Health)
Please go to the Stephen Jay Gould page.
Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life (1999), Bully for Brontosaurus, Dinosaur in a Haystack (Science)
The People's Pharmacy
A pharmacological reference for drug interactions, drug side effects, home remedies and more.
The People's Pharmacy (Health)
Ellen Greenberg
The Supreme Court Explained
I wanted to understand better, and now I do.
The Supreme Court Explained (Law)
The Metaphysics of Star Trek
Okay, okay, yes, it's a Star trek book, but it was interesting anyway.
The Metaphysics of Star Trek (Science)
I strongly recommend the audio version of A Brief History of Time, at least for the first time around.
A Brief History of Time (Science)
James Herriot wrote some of the most enduing books about animals, but I suppose that is because animals are animals and don't change nearly as much as we people do. I was first introduced because my mother was an unwavering fan of the PBS series, as well as the books, and I liked watching the animals, so I soon became caught up in the books. And I still think that my brother's dog should be called Tricki Woo.
James Herriot's most famous series was named after a poem:
All Things Bright and Beautiful (1973)
All Creatures Great and Small (1972)
All Things Wise and Wonderful (1976)
The Lord God Made Them All (1981)
Benjamin Hoff
The Tao of Pooh (1983)
I picked this up several years ago because it looked cute, (in fact it may have been many years ago and I picked it up from Coles at the old mall) and never got around to reading it, and so finally decided to just read it.
Well, it was definitely cute, and not a difficult read in the slightest. It wasn’t a story, and I didn’t feel like I learned much of anything from it, it was just…cute, in a somewhat boring manner.
R. Stephen Humphreys(permalink)
Between Memory and Desire: The Middle East in a Troubled Age
Excellent book. Discussion of politics, religion and economics in the Middle East, primarily for the past couple of centuries. If you would like to delve into some of the the history behind the current conflicts and unsettled affairs in the Middle East, I highly recommend this book. He covers population problems, colonialism and its repercussions, the involvement of Islam in politics and power, jihad, the role of women in Islamic society and human rights. Although he does tend to focus upon Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in many of his examples, he does cover the entire region, and much of what he says in specific can be broadly construed.
Between Memory and Desire The Middle East in a Troubled Age (1999) (History)
Please go to the Olivia Judson page.
Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation (2002) (Science)
Jonathan Kirsch(permalink)
Biblical scholar, book critic and attorney manages to write very readable books, though I think he does tend to stress the scandal a bit much. King David is a biography of the greatest king of Israel, and one of the most intriguing figures in the Torah, While Harlot focuses upon some of the lesser told stories of the Old Testament/Torah. Interesting and easy to read, although I have to admit that in Harlot I enjoyed his analysis of the stories more than his "retelling" of the stories.
The Harlot by the Side of the Road (1998), King David : The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel (2000) (History, Religion)
Stephen Kinzer(permalink)
Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds
Stephen Kinzer is the former New York Times Istanbul bureau chief who spent years in Turkey. The book is interesting and well-written, but he came across at times as an apologist for the government in his justifications for the Turkish crackdowns of Islam, of the Kurds, and of opposition political parties, as well as the military take overs that have occurred. He does an excellent job describing cultural customs of Turkey, such as the smoking bars, and discusses a little of Turkish history under Atatürk.
Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds (2001) (History)
Please go to the Gina Kolata page.
Flu : The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 & the Search for the Virus That Caused It (1999) (History, Health)
Please go to the Dalai Lama page.
Ethics for the New Millennium (1999), An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life (Religion)
Jospeh P. Lash
Eleanor and Franklin, and Eleanor: The Years Alone
Borrowed these books from my mother. They are very good. I really enjoyed them. Unfortunately they are out of print, so good luck finding a copy.
NOTE: Back in print. Just found 'em.
Eleanor and Franklin, and Eleanor: The Years Alone (Biography)
Please go to the C.S. Lewis page.
Mere Christianity (1952) (Religion)
James W. Loewen
This is a very good, as well as useful, book. I enjoyed the first several sections immensely, although the last section, the one on textbooks, would be of more interest to teachers than the rest of us.
Lies My Teacher Told Me. Everything Your American History Book Got Wrong (History)
Please go to the Judith Miller page.
God Has Ninety-Nine Names: Reporting from a Militant Middle East (1997), Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War (2001) with Stephen Engelberg and William J. Broad. (Current Events, History)
Please go to the M. Scott Peck page.
People of the Lie (1983) Denial of the Soul (1997) (Ethics)
William H. Rehnquist(permalink)
All the Laws But One
Discussion of habeas corpus in times of war. From a quote by Abraham Lincoln "all the laws, but one, go unexecuted, and the government itself go to pieces, lest that one be violated." It's interesting, but as bedtime reading, it took me quite awhile.
All the Laws But One : Civil Liberties in Wartime (Law)
Peter Robb(permalink)
Midnight in Sicily
The History of La Cosa Nostra, or Mafia, in southern Italy. The story and the history are fascinating, but the writing was slightly difficult. Even though, I still recommend it to anyone curious about the mafia and organized crime in Italy.
Midnight in Sicily (1996) (History)
Please go to the Eric Schlosser page.
Fast Food Nation The Dark Underside of the All-American Meal (2002) (Current Events, Health)
Elaine Sciolino(permalink)
Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran
Elaine Sciolino is a writer for the New York Times who has covered Iran for more than twenty years. She seems to love both the land and the people, and that comes through, even when she's talking about the negatives, including the treatment of women in Iran, and the oppression of Iranian citizens by their government.
Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran (2000) History
Please go to the Simon Singh page.
The Code Book (1999) (History, Science)
Galileo's Daughter
The eldest daughter of Galileo Galelei was a nun who remained in contact with her father through letters her entire life. Although Galileo's letter to her were destroyed after her death her letters to him were, for the most part, remain and were the basis for this book. If you're looking for a new non-fiction book, I'd recommend this.
Galileo's Daughter (Biography, History)
Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew(permalink)
Blind Man's Bluff
Submarine espionage, from the start of submarines to the boomers and attack subs developed for the cold war. Incredible what they got away with and how they managed to keep it all a secret. They interviewed former sailors who were submariners during the cold war, and convinced many that now was the time for their stories to be heard. They even discuss the project to tap the Soviet deep sea communications link, and it becomes apparent that they U.S. military never really spent hundreds of dollars for toilet seats and wrenches, but was instead forced to pad their budget to cover the expenses of these super secret operations.
Blind Man's Bluff (1998) (History, Military)
James Trager
An interesting view of history, definitely a good supplement to the male-oriented history we're taught in school.
The Women's Chronology (History)
First Ladies
A group biography of the wives of all the presidents. Margaret Truman, the daughter of President Harry Truman, has firsthand knowledge of the behind the scenes lives of those living in the White House.
First Ladies: An Intimate Group Portrait of White House Wives (History, Biography)
Alice K. Turner
The History of Hell
Yup, the history of Hell. Only started, so don't have much to say about it, but it is quite interesting. Starts with the idea of Hell, it started back in Sumer about 4000 years ago, of course it was more the Land of the dead, much as what we would associate with the Underworld of Greek and Roman mythology than the idea of demons and fires etc.
Addendum: This is NOT the book to read right before bed. Attempts to read this book were abandoned due to really disturbing dreams.
The History of Hell (History, Religion)
Eating Well for Optimum Health
Once you get past the fact he doesn't look like a doctor, it's a very well written book and quite scientifically sound. He cites a lot of articles that I've found and read on cancer and health and nutrition. It's easy to read but not simplistic. I highly recommend this for anyone who wonders if they are eating correctly.
Eating Well for Optimum Health (Health)
Juan Williams(permalink)
Biography of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. I still have not finished this...
Thurgood Marshall : American Revolutionary (Biography)
Simon Winchester(permalink)
The Professor and the Madman
I heard an interview of the author on NPR's Fresh Air and was intrigued. I'm very glad I caught that program because it's an entrancing book. I never realized how late it was before there was a "complete" English language dictionary. Definitely worth reading. As my grandmother says, it really sounds like something in which you wouldn't be interested, but is actually fascinating.
The Professor and the Madman : A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (1998) (Biography, History)
Thank you Steve! I really enjoyed this book.
Bitch : In Praise of Difficult Women
Please go to the Glenn Yeffeth page.
Taking the Red Pill Science, Philosophy and Religion in The Matrix (2003) (Science, Religion)
Richard Zacks(permalink)
An Underground Education
Absolutely delightful. It's a little bit of everything, and extremely entertaining. Too bad history classes in school couldn't be this entertaining. This is the book that got me started on my history kick, as I have discovered that history outside of history textbooks is quite intersting.
An Underground Education (History)
