#Non-fiction Books

[jokingluna]

[rockislandadultreads]

Black History Month: Nonfiction Recommendations

We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates

“We were eight years in power” was the lament of Reconstruction-era black politicians as the American experiment in multiracial democracy ended with the return of white supremacist rule in the South. In this sweeping collection of new and selected essays, Ta-Nehisi Coates explores the tragic echoes of that history in our own time: the unprecedented election of a black president followed by a vicious backlash that fueled the election of the man Coates argues is America’s “first white president.”

But the story of these present-day eight years is not just about presidential politics. This book also examines the new voices, ideas, and movements for justice that emerged over this period - and the effects of the persistent, haunting shadow of our nation’s old and unreconciled history. Coates powerfully examines the events of the Obama era from his intimate and revealing perspective - the point of view of a young writer who begins the journey in an unemployment office in Harlem and ends it in the Oval Office, interviewing a president.

The Black History Book by DK Publishing 

This volume is a captivating introduction to the key milestones in Black History, culture, and society across the globe - from the ancient world to the present, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Explore the rich history of the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora, and the struggles and triumphs of Black communities around the world, all through engaging text and bold graphics.

The Three Mothers by Anna Malaika Tubbs

Much has been written about Berdis Baldwin's son James, about Alberta King's son Martin Luther, and Louise Little's son Malcolm. But virtually nothing has been said about the extraordinary women who raised them, who were all born at the beginning of the 20th century and forced to contend with the prejudices of Jim Crow as Black women. These three mothers taught resistance and a fundamental belief in the worth of Black people to their sons, even when these beliefs flew in the face of America's racist practices and led to ramifications for all three families' safety.

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

In this beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson compares this epic migration to the migrations of other peoples in history. She interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to new data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves.

[fyreflys]

If you can only read 1 non-fiction and 1 fiction book for the rest of your life, what would it be? Why do you pick these books?

Do you have book or author recs to read?

Thank you :)

@curiousnonny

Well as a history fanatic, I’d want to choose All Quiet On The Western Front, just because it really does encapsulate how war should be looked at & I think it offers a very valuable perspective, especially one we rarely ever see in Western media. However, I’d want to choose that as my non-fiction, but it is a fictional story based on real events. Which feels like cheating but I honestly don’t read a lot of non-fiction, so that’s what I’m going to go with.

As for the fiction choice, surprise-surprise, probably The Hunger Games books. I feel like the impact/meaning would be lost if you wouldn’t be able to read the entire series, so I might say Mockingjay in particular, although it doesn’t stand up as well as The Hunger Games does as a stand-alone book. Mainly just because I do really enjoy the Hunger Games series. It’s such a cleverly crafted piece & holds so much societal critique with a unique love story that makes my writer’s brain go 😍AWOOGA🤤. It’s one of those masterpieces you can continue to pick apart forever & still find enjoyment & wow factor from. (At least for me it does)

As for any recommendations, I am a crime junkie at heart, so you best believe that’s what I’ll give you. There’s this series I started (& haven’t gotten to finish) by Lisa Jackson, called the Montana “To Die” series. I haven’t even finished the first book (Left To Die) but it’s absolutely THRILLING & a major page turner, so I highly recommend.

[unravelingthepages]

Persepolis- my review

Hi! I read the first chapter of this read as a part of my literature course and ended up finishing the entire memoir the same week! I highly recommend you to read it.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is an autobiographical work in the form of comic strips. Candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom, it follows the life of a 10 year old all the way up to when she is 24. It follows her as she lives in a war-torn Iran filled with protests and oppression, as she is forced to leave her home as a 14 year old to leave in Austria, her eventual return back home, and her final departure from her homeland. It is very much worth reading.

Book blurb

Persepolis is the story of Marjane Satrapi’s unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming—both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.

Book review-

I loved this book. It starts with all the childlike innocence of a 10-year-old and follows Satrapi as the innocence is slowly chipped away. You follow the protagonist as she has to leave her parents, as she falls in love, and as she experiences the effects of war and the experiences of being isolated from her family. The comic strips with text boxes depicting this make reading a graphic experience and the best experience possible.

This read is somehow homorous, but poignant and painful at the same time. It was often heartbreaking to read and ends up giving you a lot of information about the daily life and situation in Iran at that time. All-in-all, I recommend this read to you even if you don’t normally read non-fiction, you will still like it (and this is coming from a reader who reads strictly fiction).

purchase this book here: https://amzn.to/47SV1IA [this is an associate link]

drug of choice? having someone read the book i recommended to them

[kimberlymckenzie-klemm]

Inspiration, Readers, and the Justification of Fiction

As a fiction author and a writer of non-fiction works, I am often asked, “Where does writing inspiration come from?” People sometimes worry about my writing and request directly to “not write about me.” I explain myself to such inquiries with the plea that those who worry about “snitching” come to grips with the nature of fiction. Life is the inspiration for fiction, but life represented in fiction is not an image portrait of people and places I know. Characters I create are composites and might come from a trait or two of someone I have become acquainted with, but they are never direct representations. I loath biographies and autobiographies and would poorly attempt to write those if called on. My non-fiction works are model theorem-based writings, and I do not use case studies, so, once again, almost everyone I know can feel safe that they are not used as examples (even with name changes).

I am always grateful to my readers. Writers need readers. Never knowing the exact impact of my books on my readers is the miasma of the writing profession. General decisions such as “I liked it,�� or “Not quite my kind of material,” are commonly tossed around in feedback comments. While lingering hard for a literary or scholarly review is not my writing style. I like to hear that someone took the time to read my work regardless of their last opinion. “Thank you for reading,” is a response I feel is due to any reader of my writing as writing is useless as a task unto its purpose of words on a page. Readers fulfill a writer’s purpose. When a writer becomes complacent, readers know a writer begins a downward spiral into an uncaring, semi-belligerent relationship with the writer’s audience. Whether readers react to a writer’s books with praise or censure, writers must produce their best work in every published endeavor. It sometimes takes tough skin to continue to write. Coming up through years of rejection slips and resistant editors, I became a better writer with a realistic point of view. Not everyone will love a writer’s product, and not everyone will refuse a writer’s efforts. When I write, I hope to touch my readers in some way that gives back a reasonable exchange from the written words to the readers’ emotions, thoughts, or knowledge base.

I am unusual. I write both fiction and non-fiction works. I am half-lost when I do not work on fiction and non-fiction writing projects. Writing in more than one category balances the brain. This belief does not come from inexperience. I have tried to write simply fiction and wondered why I was wandering around during my day with “brain mush.” I have concentrated on non-fiction only to meet deadline requirements and experienced the creative spark eating at me to pen a fiction short story or two, disturbing my thoughts. When I focus on fiction projects added to my day, I know I am working on reaching readers further than a non-fiction book can involve. Coming to the page is an act of reason, creativity, and purpose. Fiction feeds my need to give something back about life while allowing me to adjust characters and settings for imaginative wandering. I do not write aimlessly. Transporting the reader to another place and time with fictive events and people chronicled lets the pages unwind for an armchair journey. Perhaps the book will satisfy a need for escapism or spark a new way to view the world. I am a reader and an author, and fiction is as worthy as non-fiction in contributing to societal value. I do not see the day has arrived to choose between fiction and non-fiction. Fiction and non-fiction are not valued alike, but they both require a serious decision on the writer’s part to pen a work meant for reader consumption. Fiction should not be second-class. My advice to other writers is to take writing seriously regardless of venue and to put forward the best work possible knowing writing for a readership is its own reward.

*Look for the next book of Fiction short stories "Slipping Sideways" coming soon.

Works (Fiction and Non-fiction) 

by Dr. Kimberly A. McKenzie-Klemm, CEO TPGR Solutions, LLC

The Rest Room https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rest-room-kimberly-a-mckenzie/1121633488

The Dream of Keriye https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Keriye-Kimberly-Mckenzie/dp/132912541X

Rise Times Souls Love https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rise-times-souls-love-kimberly-a-mckenzie-klemm/1126956790

Growing Past https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Past-Kimberly-McKenzie/dp/1495293467

TEAMWORK (Together Everyone Achieves More) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/teamwork-kimberly-a-mckenzie-klemm/1126409904

The Quality 4P’s Model Handbook https://www.lulu.com/shop/kimberly-mckenzie-klemm/the-quality-4ps-model-handbook/paperback/product-8g2w5n.html?page=1&pageSize=4

The Quality 4P’s Model Guidebook for Chapters 1 & 2 https://www.lulu.com/shop/dr-kimberly-mckenzie-klemm/the-quality-4ps-model-guidebook-for-chapters-1-2/paperback/product-kvnn29m.html?q=The+Quality+4P%27s+Model+Guidebook+for+Chapters+1+%26+2&page=1&pageSize=4

[citiofbooks]

The Journey: Appalachia to Paradise to Purgatory by Colonel Vaughan Witten

Colonel Vaughan Witten is a man who has truly lived a remarkable life. Born in Anawalt, West Virginia, in 1935, he grew up in a small coal mining village as the son of a coal miner and Baptist minister. At the age of just 15, he graduated from Washington High School and went on to enlist in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War with his parents' permission.

Over the course of his life, Colonel Witten achieved many remarkable accomplishments. He earned two BA degrees, one from Shaw University and one from North Carolina State University, before going on to earn a Ph.D. in psychology from North Carolina State in 1989. He then spent 34 years as a psychology and sociology professor at Shaw University, Park College, and Webster University.

One of Colonel Witten's most notable accomplishments is the publication of his autobiography, "The Journey: Appalachia to Paradise to Purgatory." In this book, Colonel Witten tells his own story of growing up in a small community and rising to become a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force, as well as earning two BA degrees and a Ph.D. from a world-class university.

"The Journey: Appalachia to Paradise to Purgatory" is a powerful and inspiring book that presents the innocence, happiness, and final disappointment of a West Virginia coal miner's son who sees his country on the slippery slope to immorality and the highest levels of academia. Colonel Witten's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and a strong sense of community and faith.

If you're interested in learning more about Colonel Vaughan Witten and his inspiring life story, you can visit his website at https://colonelvaughanwitten2.com/. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn from this remarkable figure from Appalachia.

[happilylostinwords]

Reviewed: "Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age" by Kathleen Sheppard

It was sixth grade Social Studies. I forget exactly what Mrs. Melquist was teaching us but I remember a slideshow, and I remember that it included pictures of the treasures found in King Tut’s tomb. That was the first I knew of archaeology and Egyptology. And I was hooked. Not enough to become an archaeologist or an Egyptologist, but enough to consume all things Ancient Egypt that I came across…

[theseoblogspace]

Fresh Reads: Latest Book Releases to Discover

Summer is the perfect time to kick back, relax, and dive into a captivating book. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, soaking up the sun at the beach, or enjoying a quiet afternoon in the shade, a good book can transport you to new worlds and spark your imagination. And what better way to embark on a literary adventure than with the latest book releases? Imagine this: The sun is shining, the…

[sheltiechicago]

Carlo Bevilacqua, Randy Manuel

The alternative communities taken by Carlo Bevilacqua

Carlo Bevilacqua , a photographer known for his socio-anthropological investigation, presents a selection of shots taken from his projects over the last five years in various parts of the world . These projects then materialized in two wonderful photographic books: Utopia, dreaming the impossible and Into the silence, Hermits of the third millennium . Bevilacqua's work explores contemporary utopian communities around the world, focusing on alternative, spiritual, artistic, hippie and environmentalist communities . He seeks to define the meaning of “utopia” in the current era and documents how these communities have faced pressure from the dominant culture. Another important theme in his work is the narrative of Queer communities , particularly relevant in India, Mexico and among Native North Americans .

[swkrullimaging]

Amazing Border Collie

There’s a reason why the border collie is my favorite dog breed. I was expecting to take a rugged hike after a big snow in the high country without seeing a single hint of society. However as is so often the case lately, some city people decided to invade my domain. As I was hiking past the free range cattle a truck came driving up the snowy road to the troll. Rather than take the dog for a…

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"HARDCORE MUSIC WAS A NEW FORM -- SHORT, DISSONANT BLASTS, ANGRY SOCIOPOLITCAL LYRICS..."

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on a movie poster for "American Hardcore" (2006), the film documents the early '80s rise of hardcore -- a musical and cultural revolution born of suburban ennui that ignited a national movement. Also included are first & second editions of "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" (2001) written by Steven Blush, on which the documentary was based.

"Hardcore music was a new form -- short, dissonant blasts, angry sociopolitical lyrics delivered as a primal scream -- with little regard for previous rock tradition; low-budget recordings with emphasis on intensity and attitude.

Hardcore was more than just music. It was also a national network created for kids and by kids -- with no major record companies, managers, or agents involved. It was the dawn of the DIY spirit, and much of the independent rock vibe we still see today arose from that initial ethos.

"American Hardcore" pays tribute to the pioneers of the movement. It's a testament to the strength of unity and dedication to a common belief, the undeniable power of youth, and the need to reveal against a fucked-up world. "American Hardcore" is a sobering social commentary on America in the early 1980s, and by implication, an indictment of what's up with our nation today."

-- STEVEN BLUSH (writer/producer) & PAUL RACHMAN (director/producer)

Sources: www.posterazzi.com/american-hardcore-movie-poster-print-27-x-40-item-movei0217, Microcosm Publishing, & www.njuskalo.hr/literatura-knjige.

[rockislandadultreads]

In Memoriam: Authors We Lost in 2022

How Y’all Doing? by Leslie Jordan

In this collection of intimate and sassy essays, Emmy Award-winner Leslie Jordan regales fans with entertaining stories about the odd, funny, and unforgettable events in his life. Whether he’s writing about his brush with a group of ruffians in a West Hollywood Starbucks, or an unexpected phone call from legendary Hollywood start Debbie Reynolds, Leslie infuses each story with his fresh and saucy humor and pure heart. Leslie Jordan passed away on October 24th.

Learning to Talk by Hilary Mantel

In this volume, Hilary Mantel presents a collection of loosely autobiographical stories that locates the transforming moments of a haunted childhood. Absorbing and evocative, these drawn-from-life stories include living in an insular northern village in the 1950s, coming to terms with the loss of a father and the puzzle of a fading Irish heritage, and ironing out her northern vowels with the help of an ex-actress in the title story, among others. Hilary Mantel passed away on September 22nd.

Natural Causes by Barbara Ehrenreich

In this razor-sharp polemic, Barbara Ehrenreich explores how we are killing ourselves to live longer, not better. Ehrenreich offers an entirely new understanding of our bodies, ourselves, and our place in the universe, describes how we over-prepare and worry too much about what is inevitable, and topples the shibboleths that guide our attempts to live a long, healthy life. She is also known for her 2001 title, Nickel and Dimed. Barbara Ehrenreich passed away on September 1st.

The Pioneers by David McCullough 

In this volume, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David McCullough rediscovers an important and dramatic chapter in the American story - the settling of the Northwest Territory by dauntless pioneers who overcame incredible hardships to build a community based on ideals that would come to define our country. McCullough tells the story through five major characters who let no obstacle deter or defeat them. David McCullough passed away on August 7th.

[universalinfo]

10 Tips to Integrate English Learning Into Your Routine

If you are an English learner who is looking for ways to hone your skills and integrate English learning into your daily routine, then you have come to the right place. With these 10 tips, you can incorporate these tactics into your beginner’s studies and make English learning a habit that comes as naturally as brushing your teeth.

Set a schedule – and stick to it: The best way to make sure you’re consistently learning English is by setting up a study plan that works for your lifestyle. Whether you prefer studying in the morning or after work, make sure you have time set aside specifically for English practice every day. With discipline, consistency and dedication, you will soon start to see improvements in your language skills.

Listen and repeat: Listening is an important part of learning any language. Try to listen to native English speakers as much as possible — this can be through audio recordings, movies or TV shows, podcasts, etc. As you listen, take notes on new words, phrases and pronunciation. Then, try to repeat what you heard aloud as this will help with pronunciation as well as confidence in speaking English.

Read everything: Reading is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to learning any language - even if you’re just a beginner. Start with shorter texts such as articles, blog posts or non-fiction books, and then gradually move on to longer texts such as novels or short stories. As you read, take notes of any words or phrases that you don’t understand and look them up later.

Play language learning games: Language learning can be fun and rewarding. There are a variety of online English games and apps that can help you learn in a more creative way. From word quizzes to hangman, these games can help to make English learning more interactive and engaging.

Make notes: Whether it’s new vocabulary or phrases you come across during movies or conversations with native English speakers, jot down any unfamiliar words and look up their meaning later. This can help you to expand your knowledge of the English language and remember words more easily.

Talk with native speakers: One of the best ways to improve your conversational skills is by talking with native English speakers. You can find these people online through forums or social media, or in real life at meet-ups or language exchange events. Talking with native speakers will help to increase your fluency and confidence when speaking English. You can also look into non fiction books for beginners for learning a language.

Use mnemonics: Mnemonics are memory devices that can be used to remember information more easily. For example, if you want to remember the spelling of a particular word, create a sentence using the letters of that word as its components. This will help you recall the word and its meaning more easily.

Watch movies: Watching movies is a great way to learn English, as it provides an immersive experience that you can’t get from any other medium. Try to watch movies in their original version (i.e., with subtitles) and observe how words are used in various contexts and situations.

Find a language buddy: Learning something new is always more enjoyable with a friend and language buddies are people who are willing to help you practice your English skills for free. You can find them online or in person, and they can be a great source of support and motivation when learning any language. Plus, it’s always nice to have someone to practice with.

Have fun: Learning a language does not have to be tedious or boring. Incorporate activities that you enjoy into your learning routine, such as listening to music in English, watching comedy shows or playing word games with friends. Having fun while learning will make the entire process more enjoyable and rewarding.

By following these steps, you’ll go from a beginner to experienced English speaker in no time. So make sure to keep these tips in mind and get started on your language-learning journey today with https://www.bbbg.org/.

[unravelingthepages]

Maus- a memoir you should read

Hi! I read this graphic novel as a part of my english course and ended up reading its second half in the same sitting. Needless to say, I definitely recommend this to you.

Maus (Maus I and II), is a graphic novel in a comic strip format detailing Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust’s accounts of Hitler’s Europe and living through it. It also details the lives of Art Spiegelman, his son, as he deals with the guilt of being a second-generation survivor and not actually living through the horrors his parents had to endure.

The Plot

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father’s story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice, the Poles as pigs, and Americans as dogs), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in “drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust” (The New York Times).

Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek’s harrowing story of survival is woven into the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits. This astonishing retelling of our century’s grisliest news is a story of survival, not only of Vladek but of the children who survive even the survivors. Maus studies the bloody pawprints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us.

Why you should read it

Let’s start with the format. The events seesaw with one side being Art, the son, talking to Vladek, his father, as Vladek accounts his life as in that time, and the other side Vladek’s life as he did his best to keep him and his wife alive. The formatting does not take away the truth and seriousness of the Holocaust, but it does balance it out with some much-needed lighter conversations where survival is not the only motive.

Its accounts of the Holocaust. This read depicts the Jews as mice and the Germans as cats (there are a thousand allegories you can take from that one), the Americans as dogs, and Poles as pigs. But despite this representation, it does not have any humour per say. It is a very much matter-of-fact recounting of starvation, survival, violence, and plain suffering.

The depictions of the Jews, especially Vladek and his family. Art’s parents, Vladek and Anja Spiegelman, were two Jews from Poland who survived through the Nazi ghetto of Sosnowiec and the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. They were survivors and they bargained and used up favours in order to do this. Vladek saw the gas chambers used to exterminate Jews (like vermin, like mice, you can’t help but read into that one).

Vladek was portrayed as a very flawed man, whose flaws did not disappear with what he lived through and I loved his portrayal. He was not painted as a victim who gave into the sufferings of Jews, or a survivor who was a beloved hero or anything like that. He was a flawed person who ate snow for days to survive and more, and I loved that.

Art and Vladek’s relationship. I loved that this book delves into Art’s guilt of not living through all his parents survived, and his feelings of competing with his (dead) older brother. It makes Maus a very holistic representation of not only the Holocaust and Hitler’s Europe, but also the years long after that and the effects that proved to be lasting through generations.

Its important to know that, as talked about in the book, this book is based closely on the author, Art Spiegelman’s father’s memories of the death camps and Hitler’s Europe, hours on hours of research and took a total of whopping 13 years to complete.

All in all, I recommend you to pick this up, regardless of how old you are!

purchase this book here: https://amzn.to/45UuqZF [this is an associate link]

“Yes, life always takes the side of life, and somehow the victims are blamed. But it wasn’t the best people who survived, nor did the best ones die. It was random!”

[damonp304]

Fiction And Non-Fiction Books | We Welcome Non-Fiction Books

Thank you for watching the video. Fiction And Non-Fiction Books | We Welcome Non-Fiction Books

[emeralddesignz]

Two recent book cover commissions from some dear clients of mine!!

Rates are pretty low and I can give you some superb co-writing services or graphic design works!! <3

Read Lumica & follow the author! https://www.wattpad.com/user/evildeadfan102

Add me on Discord: ємєяαℓ∂/єм/ємѕ/ємму#9837

Add Lumica's author on Discord: Evildeadfan102 (Lyrafanforlife)#0645