Readers > New Books > Nonfiction, January 2009
Nonfiction, January 2009
- Ackroyd, Peter
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Ackroyd explores Edgar Allan Poe's literary accomplishments and legacy against the background of his erratic, dramatic and sometimes sordid life.
- Alford, Henry
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How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth) (January 2009)In this witty guide for seekers of all ages, Alford searches for instant enlightenment through conversations with those who have lived long and lived well.
- Babauta, Leo
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The Power of Less is a blueprint for reducing the clutter, noise and unnecessary work that fills a modern day. Babauta's lessons enable readers to do less, be more effective, get more done and simplify their lives.
- Benedict, Jeff
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When Suzette Kelo refused to sell her home to make way for a pharmaceutical plant, her city decided to exercise its power of eminent domain and launched one of the most extraordinary legal cases of modern times. An award-winning investigative journalist details how one woman led the charge to take on corporate America.
- Blyth, Catherine
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Blyth eloquently points out the sorry state of disrepair that conversation has fallen into — and then, taking examples from history, literature, philosophy, anthropology and popular culture, gives the tools necessary to rebuild this lost art.
- Brown, Harriet
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This collection of poignant, heartbreaking and funny essays includes works from some of the literary world's most accomplished authors about one issue that plagues nearly every woman: her relationship with food.
- Conley, Dalton
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The division between work and home has been all but demolished, replaced by a weightless, wireless economy that encourages work at the expense of leisure. Conley, a social scientist, provides an X-ray view of the nation's new social reality.
- Crease, Robert P.
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From "1 + 1 = 2" to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Crease locates 10 of the greatest equations in the panoramic sweep of Western history, showing how they are as integral to their time and place of creation as are great works of art.
- Davis, Michael Justin
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Marking the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, Davis traces the story of one of the most important and beloved shows on television — how it got started, nearly failed, and was saved by Elmo.
- Denby, David
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From a New York Times best-selling author comes an argument against snark — the nasty combination of snide and sarcasm — with lessons on how to live without it by thinking and debating with true wit and intelligence.
- Dunn, Rob
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In a series of vivid portraits of single-minded scientists, Dunn traces the history of human discovery, from the establishment of classification in the 18th century to today's attempts to find life in space. With poetry and humor, Dunn reminds readers how tough and exhilarating it is to study the natural world, and why it matters.
- Holmes, Hannah
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Science journalist Holmes wryly examines how humans fit into the animal kingdom, starting with the specimen that appears in her mirror. What she finds, and shares, shatters the quaint notion that humans are separate and above all other species.
- Johnson, Steven
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Best-selling author Johnson recounts the story of Joseph Priestley — scientist and theologian, protegé of Benjamin Franklin — an 18th century radical thinker who played pivotal roles in the invention of ecosystem science, the founding of the Unitarian Church and the intellectual development of the U.S.
- Keltner, Dacher
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Keltner investigates an old mystery of human evolution: Why have people evolved positive emotions like gratitude, awe and compassion that promote ethical action and are the fabric of cooperative societies? The author illustrates his discussions with more than 50 photographs of human emotions.
- Miller, Matt
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A leading political and business thinker offers a unique blend of business-world acumen and public policy vision to lay bare how conventional wisdom holds America back. The author introduces a new way of thinking — what he calls "tomorrow's destined ideas" — to reinvigorate the economy.
- Schwartz, Sunny
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Dreams from the Monster Factory presents an intimate, harrowing and revelatory chronicle of how one woman with a profound belief in people's ability to change is transforming the San Francisco jails — the monster factories — and the criminals incarcerated there.
- Tyson, Neil DeGrasse
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When the International Astronomical Union voted Pluto out of planethood, Americans rallied behind this extraterrestrial underdog. Pluto is entrenched in our cultural, patriotic view of the cosmos, and Tyson is on a quest to discover why.
- Walker, John Frederick
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Walker takes the reader on a journey that traces the ivory trade through human history, and shows how exchange in this much-desired material came to shape human — and animal — history.