It seemed only fair that there be a companion post to my Favorite Fiction Book list… So here it is. You will note that it is considerably shorter than my fiction list, not because I read less non-fiction or enjoy it less, but because non-fiction tends to be more about learning for me, and once I’ve learned something, I’m done with it unless I need a refresher. Whereas fiction is about imagining new worlds for me, and so I’m never really done with a good fiction novel, because those worlds live on forever inside my mind, and sometimes I need to revisit them – just like revisiting your favorite friends and places in real life.
In no particular order:
I CAN’T BELIEVE I LEFT ONE MY FAVORITES OFF! : Third Culture Kids by David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken
- Survival of the Sickest by Dr. Sharon Moalam – about why some diseases have stayed with us since primitive times and what they offer the body in exchange….
- Nurture Shock by Bronson and Merrymen – a meta-analysis of many child-rearing studies that show that almost everything you thought about child-raising is wrong (don’t get mad at me, that’s their claim!). Talks about why lying is good, how to talk about race, videogames, discipline, and many other subjects. Don’t be put off by the thick size! It is extensively annotated and has a huge bibliography and reference section, and each chapter is a stand-alone subject – so read in any order or just the topics of interest.
- Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein – it’s dismissive and unfair to call this a feminist diatribe against Disney Princesses, but it is about how to raise strong daughters and how even the most careful parenting cannot protect your child from the negative messages of the outside world and popular culture and how to deal with that.
- Noah’s Flood by Ryan and Pitman – an interesting look at the actual historical flood that occurred around the Mediterranean and how that led to the nearly-universal flood myth.
- Gun, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond – a fascinating analysis of why Western Europeans achieved early global dominance over other cultures, and what led some cultures to succeed and thrive, and others to stagger and fail. (Spoiler alert, livestock plays a huge role in this!)
- Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide by Maureen Down – a funny and relatable book about the struggles of the feminist movement, the difficulties smart women face in dating, (not man-bashing, just talking about the struggles between the sexes), etc.
- Shattered Hopes, Magnificent Failure: The Road to the Nuclear Middle East by Mark Hertz – fascinating, well-researched, but very controversial, book on Israel’s foundation and threat of nuclear weapons in the region.
Have you read any of these? Would love to hear what you thought of the book!
Got one to recommend? Let me know!
Darcy Lewis Design 
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