Every now and then, I pick up something that is far different from my typical reading material, usually drawn by the cover art. Oddly enough, I've always been pleasantly surprised by these spur-of-the-moment choices. Variety is, after all, the spice of life. Here are a few gems I've discovered in the unplumbed depths of the nonfiction shelves.
Robert L. Ripley is known best for his Believe it or Not franchise. While growing up, he was teased due to a speech impediment related to his buck-toothed grin, and he was painfully shy as a result. Ripley began his professional life as a cartoonist in the most serendipitous way, and luck seemed to be with him in every endeavor. He was highly creative and considered an innovator; I was surprised to learn of some things that were attributed to him. The story of Ripley's rise to fame and fortune is proof that fact is sometimes stranger than fiction.
This reads more like a mystery than a book about history. I found myself surprisingly riveted by the facts presented about the rise of the film industry (did you know the major studios were in Chicago?), the Pinkertons, Clarence Darrow, and the story of the bombing of the Los Angeles Times Building in 1910. Highly recommended to anyone who thinks history is boring.
I think any of Bill Bryson's work could be included in this list, but I will include just one. In this book, Bryson relates his experience of hiking the Appalachian Trail, basically on his own. His description of preparing for and contemplating a bear attack will have you laughing out loud. The information about our national parks in general, and the Appalachian Trail in particular, was very interesting.
What nonfiction book made you think you were reading fiction?
1 comment:
Anything by Erik Larons for sure!
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