Readers > Adult & teen lists > Best Nonfiction Reads of 2010
Staff Picks — Best Nonfiction Reads of 2010
These titles were the best books read by Multnomah County Library staff during 2010. Find more good reads on our blogs and previous Staff Picks booklists.
Books
-
Ahmed, Akbar S. -
2010305.6970973 A2865jAhmed is a professor at American University who was once the Pakistani equivalent of a state governor. A few years ago, he and a small group of college student assistants toured the United States, talking to a variety of both Muslims and non-Muslims about how they saw Muslims fitting into American society and how the religious ideals of Islam mesh with the secular ideals of the American Constitution. (Steve C.)
-
Blum, Deborah -
2010614.13097471 B658pIntrepid, brilliant and stubborn scientists take the New York Medical Examiner's office from corrupt incompetence to cutting edge in Prohibition era New York and beyond. Fascinating, rich history of how you can't get away with murder. This book just immerses you in the time and the science of poison detection. I even read it over lunch, but I may be a little odd! (Rachel T.)
-
Caldwell, Gail -
2010B-Ca127LIn this gorgeous, moving memoir, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Caldwell reflects on her own coming-of-age in midlife, as she learns to open herself to the power and healing of sharing her life with a best friend. (Helen F.)
-
Casey, Susan -
2010551.463 C3386wFor a nonfiction book, this one is a page turner. Casey flows seamlessly from the extreme world of Big-Wave surfers to the scientists who study them. It's a fascinating look at the dangerous and exciting ocean about which we know so little. Casey doesn't stay safely on the beach with her research, but really gets out there. A great read! (Shanda T.)
-
Dongen, Ron van -
2010635.93432 D682tA Dutchman now living in Portland produced this glorious photographic tribute to one of the most beloved spring flowers. Tulip expert Anna Pavord takes readers from the remote birthplace of tulips to the center of the ultracompetitive Dutch flower exchange. (Jayne F.)
-
Ekirch, A. Roger -
2010364.154092 E367bThink you could endure years of servitude, make your way home by a circuitous route, gather a few wealthy friends and make a serious bid to get your fortune and title back from your unfriendly uncle? James Annesley really did all this, and the true story might be even more fascinating than Robert Louis Stevenson's fictionalized version. I found every part of A. Roger Ekirch's tale illuminating and compelling — the book is densely packed with historical details, but is eminently readable. (Emily-Jane D.)
-
Gill, Gillian -
2009B-V645giNo detail is too small in Gill's lively, impressively researched biography of this 19th century power couple. (Jayne F.)
-
Janeczko, Paul B. -
2010j327.73 J333dThe strange, dangerous and sometimes funny history of American espionage told in fascinating bite-size pieces: use invisible ink on laundry to pass messages, meet famous spies and a visit to spy school. Written for older kids and teens but fun for all ages. This won a YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-fiction for Young Adults this year and is really great with just enough detail to keep you interested but still covers a lot of ground. I thought I was pretty good at American history and I learned all sorts of new things. (Rachel T.)
-
Heiligman, Deborah -
2009CD-y 576.82092 HELIGMANFor a true life love story, listen to Rosalyn Landor read Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith. This could be dry at times if read, but the audiobook is a great listen. Here's the story: despite his increasing agnosticism, Charles Darwin married Emma, a devout Christian. Careful and respectful of each other, they raise a family and support Darwin's hard work as a scientist. Another audio book that would be a great pairing with this is The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. (Heidi H.)
-
Osborne, Frances -
2009B-Sa1475oA fantastic, engrossing read about surely one of the most interesting women in English society — Idina Sackville, said to be the inspiration for Nancy Mitford's character The Bolter. Written by her great-granddaughter, this biography traces Idina's five marriages and times in Kenya near the end British colonialism (and hedonism), and does so with a compassion and clarity that renders Idina human, and not a character. (Stephanie C.)
-
Skloot, Rebecca -
2010616.02774092 S6287iIt is a rare work of non-fiction that can be as engrossing, fast-moving, and astonishing as a well-written novel, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is that and more. The story of Henrietta Lacks, a young black woman who died from complications from cervical cancer in the early 1950s, has been largely untold until now, although the cells removed from her body and grown in a lab have traveled around the globe. Skloot effortlessly interweaves the stories of Henrietta Lacks, her family, the birth of the cultured cell movement and its impact on modern medicine, and the social injustices of medical care, producing a work that will educate, open your eyes and tug at your heart. (Stephanie C.)
-
Smith, Laurence C. -
2010304.209051 S6543wThis study of climate change by UCLA geography professor Laurence Smith, who's done his field work studying Arctic warming, is both intellectually rigorous (plenty of citations) and, importantly, well-written. Smith makes abstract concepts concrete: global warming has led to northward migrations of all species of flora and fauna at a rate now equivalent to your lawn moving 5.5 feet overnight, daily. Like his UCLA colleague Jared Diamond, Laurence Smith has a gift for deftly communicating basic research to the lay reader! (Charles D.)
-
Winder, Simon -
2010943 W763gWas the Holocaust a fated consequence of militarism and anti-Semitism in pre-1933 German culture or was it made possible only by a combination of tragic events, flawed philosophy and bad judgments that led to the Nazis being allowed to take power? Winder argues for the latter, highlighting the threads of German history before Hitler that show other roads that could (and should) have been taken. The book is surprisingly light-hearted — Winder consciously tries to recover the parts of German history that contrast with the Gothic darkness and gloomy dutifulness that outsiders often associate with Germany and Germans. (Steve C.)
Blogs and Websites
- Bookslut
-
http://www.bookslut.com/Insightful reviews and wonderful, in-depth interviews with authors. (Diana A.)
- EarlyWord
-
http://www.earlyword.comFor websites, I love Nora Rawlinson's EarlyWord. Nora is a former librarian and Library Journal editor, and does a fantastic job of highlighting titles that will be of popular interest. (Stephanie C.)
- Netgalley
-
http://www.netgalley.comI love Netgalley, which provides access to e-book galleys. (Stephanie C.)
- New York Times Book Review
-
http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html?ref=booksLots and lots of reviews that you can trust. (Diana A.)
- SFFMeta
-
http://www.sffmeta.com/homeThis site collects reviews for science fiction, fantasy and horrorbooks from 26 different sites. Most books only have one or two reviews but the bigger titles have four to six reviews. It's nice to find the reviews all in one spot and not have to hunt for them. (Heidi S.)
- Tor
-
http://www.tor.com/Great information on the latest in Science Fiction, whether books, movies, TV or art. Includes articles on Sci Fi past from novelist Jo Walton, and bits of fun science fact. Writers are passionate and know their stuff. (Rachael S.)
