TOP TEN TOPIC: BOOKS (NON-FICTION)

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Has it been a week already??

This week we revisit the topic of books, this time treading into NON-FICTION TERRITORY OOOOOooooooooo. Enough of the preamble, give us your list of...

..:: Top 10 List of Favorite Books (Non-Fiction) ::..

Mine:


10.
The Top 60 Since 1967 by Ken Campbell and Adam Proteau
I like hockey, it's no secret. This book examines the Top 60 hockey players since the 1967 expansion. Yes, Wayne Gretzky is #1. (Ask me for the full list!)

9.
The Efficient Society by Joseph Heath
A look into Canada's blend of capitalism and socialism and highlights how it is efficiency, above any other principle, that drives a modern society more than anything else.

8.
Money Secrets by Dave Barry
Dave Barry helps us with finances! Sort of! More people should read this pulitzer-prise winning humorist.

7.
Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw by Will Ferguson
Will outlines his experiences and thoughts during a cross-country tour of Canada. I live 40mins from Moose Jaw, btw.

6.
The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan
A look into the evolution of the mind by one of science's greatest.

5.
God, the Devil, and Darwin by Niall Shanks
Niall tears into ID. I love it.

4.
The Science of Good & Evil by Michael Shermer
Debunking the claim to the rights of morality by religion. Explains when and how and why morals and ethics arose in humanity, and then goes on to outline new moral and ethical principles that goes beyond the in-group favoritism preached by most "moral" authorities. Pure win.

3.
How to be a Canadian by Will and Ian Ferguson
A tongue in cheek look at what it means to be a Canadian (not much, apparently!)

2.
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J Dubner
Levitt applies economic theory to odd situations. Like drug dealers and school testing. Cool read.

1.
A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
A brief explanation of everything between the beginning of the universe and now. You'll be the hit of parties after reading this.

...This is based on the list of books that I happen to own. I've read many other non-fiction books, but can't remember all of them at the moment. I remember reading several books on Evolution and extinctions that were really good, for example.

Anywho, if you don't read non-fiction, I'd recommend it! It's not just for old people anymore!


Previous Top Ten Topics:
Week 16: Top 10 Favorite Robots
Week 15: Top 10 Favorite Sports
Week 14: Top 10 Favorite Books (Fiction)
Week 13: Top 10 Favorite Xbox Games
Week 12: Top 10 Favorite Christmas Gifts
Week 11: Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2007
Week 10: Top 10 Favorite Nintendo DS Games
Week 9: Top 10 Favorite Gamecube Games
Week 8: Top 10 Favorite Playstation Games
Week 7: Top 10 Favorite Movies
Week 6: Top 10 Favorite PC Games
Week 5: Top 10 Favorite NES Games
Week 4: Top 10 Favorite Comic Strips
Week 3: Top 10 Favorite TV Shows
Week 2: Top 10 Favorite N64 games
Week 1: Top 10 Favorite SNES games
... I remember people complaining my ear off about The History of Nearly Everything. Must be a taste thing.

I'm a fiction person, so... The only non-fiction book I can think of off the top of my head that I somewhat enjoyed:

The Warren Report.

Yes, that piece of dry walrus jerky. Wasn't too bad, though. I'm getting a scholarship based on the fact that I drudged through it. :3

Oh! Just remembered. I can add more.

1) Also Sprach Zarathrustra (Thus Spoke Zarathrustra) by Friedrich Nietzsche
2) The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
3) The Portable Jung by (mostly) Carl Jung
4) Man With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell (I think that's the title; the one about all the archetypes through literary/oral history)
5) The History of the English Language by (there's no author I can find; it's a bunch)
6) How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster (AWESOME style, and he makes good points)
Dunno if this next one qualifies as non-fiction...
7) I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert
8) The Warren Report by the committee that investigated the assassination of Kennedy

... That's all I can think of.
Starscream
Conquest is made from the ashes of one's enemies.
6110
1. The Bible

I'm sure most of you liberal naysayers would cheerfully relegate the Bible to fiction, but I am not one of those. I read the Bible daily with scheduled readings from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I don't believe it to be error free, though. Inspired by God, written by Man. And Man is pretty stupid.

2. The Assault on Reason by former Vice-President Al Gore

The book reasserted my love for Gore. After he "lost" the Presidential elections in 2000, I thought he grew a beard and hid in a cave. Well, he did. But when he returned he had a kickass book, an award winning documentary and a Nobel Peace prize.

3. Giving by former President Bill Clinton

This book has really inspired me to participate with non-profit organizations. I've actually been loaning money to Kiva.org because of it, and have created a policy of writting off hosting payments due to me if the client loans money to Kiva.

4. The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns

Abraham Lincoln is easily the best president in U.S. history, and this book shows why he kicked ass and chewed bubblegum... and he's all out of bubblegum because it hadn't been invented yet. Honest Abe's sheer will to keep the country together is why America is one nation today (though sometimes I wish I didn't have to claim the other half).

5. The Audacity of Hope by Senator Barack Obama.

I just started reading this recently, but it's already shot way up my list. Barack is an inspirational writer and I hope he does well on Super Tuesday - I'm rooting for him (and voting for him, and going door to door in negative temperatures for him).

6. Commentaries on the Civil War by ancient Roman dictator Julius Caesar.

Part history lesson, part propaganda, Caesar's memoirs are very fascinating for me. The Roman civil war that followed the collapse of the Triumvirate was one of the most crucial junctions in history.

7. Commentaries on the Gallic War by ancient Roman dictator Julius Caesar.

See above. Same deal, but this one is about how Caesar, as pro-consul, made Western Europe his playground. Also, he used the plunders from this war to fund his later war! Oh, the wit.

8.Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes.

It's quite outdated, but something about the book's passionate appeal to a strong sovereign tingles my spider-sense. It inspired a lot of our early political mechanisms, but not as much as it should have.


9. The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

I'm a sucker for military strategies and also for ancient China. This one mixes the two nicely. It's got a lot of cool one-line quotations for those of you who couldn't stomach the whole thing.

10. Made in America by Sam Walton.

Despite whatever my feelings towards Wal-Mart may be, Sam's autobiography is a interesting look at how the place got started and what it used to be about. You could learn a lot about retail from this book -- I sure did.


And, the list of shame..


Bottom of the list - If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans (or any other book) by Ann Coulter.

If Ann had any brains, she'd quit writing all sorts of anti-Democratic propaganda as a substitute for having no talent and a very small claim to fame. She's easily the most disgusting person I've ever had the not-pleasure of reading.
Most non-fiction I read is in the form of editorials or basic news, except for the stuff I read in university, and I'd feel bad if I just plopped down all the required readings.

Pacifism as Pathology by Ward Churchill was good. About the use of violence in protest.

I've read lots of Marx, and it was all good aswell.

The Bible and other Holy books are good reads, regardless if they're fact or fiction. Can't say I liked the Old Testament so much though.
I want to read The Republican War on Science by Chris Mooney. I also want to read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.

Never liked the bible much. I liked The Tao of Pooh better.

Other books I've been meaning to read are "In Praise of Nepotism" and "Intelligence in Nature".

EDIT:
Also, I found that book on extinction I read. It's called The Third Event: New Views of Dinosaurs, Mass Extinction, and Biodiversity by Peter Ward. It was pretty damn good. Still can't remember the name of the evolution book, but it dealt with the concept of fast evolution - that evolution often occurs in quick bursts of change rather than the aeonic gradual change.
author=rcholbert link=topic=628.msg8263#msg8263 date=1201756931
Books

I haven't read much nonfiction yet, but I want to. I think I'll start by going through your list! However I already have most of the Holy Bible covered and don't care to go back.
It's surprising but i have actually read all of the bible. This was back way before i even began game making. It's really the only non-fiction book i have actually bothered to read.
author=rcholbert link=topic=628.msg8263#msg8263 date=1201756931
1. The Bible

I'm sure most of you liberal naysayers would cheerfully relegate the Bible to fiction, but I am not one of those. I read the Bible daily with scheduled readings from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I don't believe it to be error free, though. Inspired by God, written by Man. And Man is pretty stupid.

2. The Assault on Reason by former Vice-President Al Gore

The book reasserted my love for Gore. After he "lost" the Presidential elections in 2000, I thought he grew a beard and hid in a cave. Well, he did. But when he returned he had a kickass book, an award winning documentary and a Nobel Peace prize.

3. Giving by former President Bill Clinton

This book has really inspired me to participate with non-profit organizations. I've actually been loaning money to Kiva.org because of it, and have created a policy of writting off hosting payments due to me if the client loans money to Kiva.

4. The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns

Abraham Lincoln is easily the best president in U.S. history, and this book shows why he kicked ass and chewed bubblegum... and he's all out of bubblegum because it hadn't been invented yet. Honest Abe's sheer will to keep the country together is why America is one nation today (though sometimes I wish I didn't have to claim the other half).

5. The Audacity of Hope by Senator Barack Obama.

I just started reading this recently, but it's already shot way up my list. Barack is an inspirational writer and I hope he does well on Super Tuesday - I'm rooting for him (and voting for him, and going door to door in negative temperatures for him).

6. Commentaries on the Civil War by ancient Roman dictator Julius Caesar.

Part history lesson, part propaganda, Caesar's memoirs are very fascinating for me. The Roman civil war that followed the collapse of the Triumvirate was one of the most crucial junctions in history.

7. Commentaries on the Gallic War by ancient Roman dictator Julius Caesar.

See above. Same deal, but this one is about how Caesar, as pro-consul, made Western Europe his playground. Also, he used the plunders from this war to fund his later war! Oh, the wit.

8.Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes.

It's quite outdated, but something about the book's passionate appeal to a strong sovereign tingles my spider-sense. It inspired a lot of our early political mechanisms, but not as much as it should have.


9. The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

I'm a sucker for military strategies and also for ancient China. This one mixes the two nicely. It's got a lot of cool one-line quotations for those of you who couldn't stomach the whole thing.

10. Made in America by Sam Walton.

Despite whatever my feelings towards Wal-Mart may be, Sam's autobiography is a interesting look at how the place got started and what it used to be about. You could learn a lot about retail from this book -- I sure did.


And, the list of shame..


Bottom of the list - If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans (or any other book) by Ann Coulter.

If Ann had any brains, she'd quit writing all sorts of anti-Democratic propaganda as a substitute for having no talent and a very small claim to fame. She's easily the most disgusting person I've ever had the not-pleasure of reading.

^ This.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Only thing I can think of.
Over the Edge of the World was pretty good. It's a biography of Magellan that goes into great depth about literally everything--sailor superstitions, life on a ship, Magellan's wheeler-dealer shipmates, early life on the islands of the Pacific, etc. Really interesting, and quite well-written. Most interesting are Pigfetta, who recorded much of the voyage and often sided with Magellan, and another sailor (forgot his name) who, upon return, deliberately screwed everything and practically took all the credit.

Unfortunately forgot the name of the author, but if you search for it on Amazon you'll probably find it easily. Also reccomended are A Brief History of Everything and A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson.
I have heard of this. A few of my friends have got it but i haven't really bothered with it at all.

Perhaps i should. ???
pianotm
The TM is for Totally Magical.
32347
10. Contemporary Metaphysics by Michael Jubien
9. The Book of Life, a Modern Translation of The Book of the Dead by Dr. Ramses Saleem, Ph.D
8. The Life and Lies of Aleister Crowley, by Aleister Crowley (over a thousand pages of the travels and vices of an irredeemable narcissist. This book is amazing.)
7. The Quest for Arthur's Britain by Geoffrey Ashe
6. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
5. The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures by John and Caitlin Matthews (holy shit, this is comprehensive. Having trouble thinking of an RPG monster? Look in this book. Straight up.)
4. Synchronicity by Carl Gustav Jung
3. Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler
2. The Element Encyclopedia of Arthurian Lore by Ronan Coghlan
1. Bugs Bunny: Fifty Years and Only One Gray Hare by Joe Adamson with prefaces by Fritz Freling and Chuck Jones
OMFG I just realized Anthony Bourdain died and I didn't know... aww..RIP friend, your writing is excellent, and you inspired young child me with your series.

I have no real order, and I read surprisingly little for a literature student.

1. Beyond Common Sense by Wim Lunsing
Beyond Common Sense is a study of life-styles in Japan that have hitherto remained largely unreported. In a society in which everyone is expected to marry, how do those who choose not to, or live at odds with the mainstream cope?... (+ homoesexual peeps included)

It's excellent, and the introduction alone has been a revelation in how to treat certain ideas, namely 'common sense' and how ludicrous that very idea is. I know. *sighs*
It's also the one book a prof mentioned because I was curious about a topic and took him up on it (it was in our library). Read it back to back within what, two days? Good stuff. Makes me wanna ask 'em for more.

2. Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain
Jolly good fun. That's it. Plus autobiographical details and restaurant functioning details.

3. The Undefeated Mind - Alex Lickermann
Like if you took Stoicism and actually made it healthy and realistic, and also Nichiren buddhism, and then also base it on research coupled with experiences with patients. Properly cited research. It's written with a lot of gentle compassion and empathy (piscean vibes?)

4. How to Be You - Jeffrey Marsh

Jeffrey Marsh is a hero and their work has as much love, patience and kindness as all their appearances, vines and videos. If you want a helping of love, do it. Deal with yourself better? This is it. Be a queer AF person and have a written voice tell you that's ok, too? This is it. With all that in mind, it's really written for everyone and all ages.

5. Kugai joudo Minamata Byou / Paradise in the Sea of Sorrow, the Minamata Disease - Ishimure Michiko

A great book concerning an environmental scandal in Japan. Namely polluting the sea and its nearest inhabitants with mercury compounds. It's best described as spiritual activism, in terms of what sets it apart. It follows simultaneously stories of patients/victims, researchers, newspapers and political activity/activism. The author was a big part in this, and a lot of the dialogue is more re-imagined of what she felt from the people rather than interviews. It may repeat a lot of its themes, but that is how it is. The other books of the trilogy haven't been translated, it stands on it own just fine though.

(there's also "Ishimure Michiko's writing in ecocritical perspective : between sea and sky by Bruce Allen and Yuki Masami", essays or whatever compiled about her works)

Beyond that.. eh.. There's some I read some of, liked, and never got myself and forgot the name of. Some history ones, and cultural history ones, but I can't really recommend em to everyone. They're okay. Seth speaks was pretty interesting and inspiring.
There's other self-help books that did a lot, namely "Emotions Buried Alive Never Die", but it's a bit belaboring its point too much. It helped me greatly on my journey, but I wouldn't put it here.
The Art of War I never finished.

Honorable mentions I have come across for my research:

6. An immigration history of Britain : multicultural racism since 1800 by Panikos Panayi
You'd think things changed, but they really didn't. It's well written.

7. Northern Ireland since 1969 by Paul Dixon and Eamonn O'Kane

Not sure if philosophy counts as non-fiction hah! Nietzsche is a fun read though.
There was also the Totalitarians one, by a psychologist peep, I forgot the author's name though.

Edit: @Piano I always wanted to read some Jung! : D That makes me wanna pick something up sometime, hehehe. Dun have it in our librabry tho.
Huh... I actually like reading.
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