Mark's (MSF59) NF Challenge '12

Happy Holidays everyone! Okay, let me be honest: First of all, I'm not sure I wanted to start another Thread, keeping up around here can be a mighty task and 2nd, is the fact that this is not really much of a challenge for me, since I absolutely adore NF and narrative non-fiction. I've read at least a couple dozen this year and several have made my top 10.
But, you know what? I'm going for it and it'll be a lot of fun. And thanks to Darryl, for showing me the light! I'll be back later, with some NF thoughts...

Maybe if you confine a thread to NF I'll be able to keep up with it. :-)

Hey Marky-Mark - I think it'll be interesting to see how discussions on your NF thread will diced in content from that in your regular 75er threads.

Okay, these are just a few of my favorite NF books of 2011 and of course I highly recommend them all!

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan 5 stars
Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss 4.8 stars (This is a GN)
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall 5 stars
The River of Doubt by Candice Millard 4.7 stars
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 5 Star
Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides 5 stars
The Tiger by John Vaillant 4.5 stars
Townie by Andre Dubus III 4.5 stars
The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller 4.5 stars

And these are just the big guns!

oh good, I was going to ask you for a list of your best nf. I want to read Hellhound and River the mostest.

now I need you to comb through your library and list all your 4+ starred narrative nonfiction reads of the past 10 years! -- k, get going...... :oP

Both Hellhound and River were great! I finished up Candice Millard's new book on James Garfield's assassination the other day - Destiny of the Republic is just as good as River of Doubt.

Katherine- Why, did you have a hard time keeping up with my main Challenge Thread? It's was just a few old toss off threads. LOL. I'm sure this will be much more contained. Although, it will be nice to have a place to strictly chat about NF.
I really appreciate you setting this up!

Caro- Are you starting one or just lurking?

Jenny- I'm not sure that's going to happen (LOL), but I will mention titles as I think of them. Actually, Hellhound got lost in the shuffle, so I'm glad I was able to revive it, to it's loftier status.

Jim- Thankfully, I have a copy of Destiny of the Republic waiting in the stacks! Glad to hear you liked it as much as "River".

HI Mark! I have your thread starred and since I am trying to get into more NF I will be lurking here regularly for suggestions :)

I started what will be my first NF book of '12. It's The Great Railway Bazaar, by Paul Theroux. I've had this one in the stacks for awhile. It begins very well and is fast-paced. I have not read any of his nonfiction but I did read his fictional The Mosquito Coast way back in the 80s. It was excellent.
Anyone else read Theroux?

Also I just picked up the audio of Lost in Shangri-La, so I plan on getting to that one soon too!

Hi Chelle- You should be able to find tons of good recs, over here on the NF Challenge Threads!

I think I had read some of his short pieces (maybe in some of the Best American books). The names sounds definitely familiar.

Yup. I read The Great Railway Bazaar years (decades?) ago, bought a copy this year to reread before Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, the same journey 30+ years later. Not high on the priority list though.

Hi Mark! Not sure if I will start a thread over here, but I promise I will visit you!!

Annie- Nice to see you!

Katherine- I believe The Great Railway Bazaar was written in the mid-70s, although the narrative has a nice modern feel to it. I also have the audio of Ghost Train to the Eastern Star and hope to get to it later next year.

Tammy- Great to see you over here!

I think this is great, Mark! I own and am planning to read The Worst Hard Time and The Tiger early in 2012, and I have Unbroken on hold at the library. I look forward to getting some additional ideas from your NF thread!

Hi Marky-Mark. I'm starting a NF thread here as well, seeing as the discussions for fiction tend to overwhelm the discussions for non-fiction over at my thread .. and that's without all the food and accident discussions too.

I am currently reading this memoir, House of Prayer No. 2. This is a perfect example of narrative nonfiction, plus it's beautifully written.

Ellen- All 3 of those are fantastic! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Caro- Glad you'll be joining us. I'm looking forward to getting more recommendations. I can't get enough of this stuff!

Hi, Mark! I'm glad that you're here.

I'm looking forward to getting more recommendations.
I, OTOH, am fearful, and wondering whether I opened Pandora's box...

what's it about, mark?

House of Prayer is about the author's life growing up in Appalachia, as a "special child". Richard is an award-winning writer, although I had never heard of him. His writing is incredible though. He reminds me of Rick Bragg. Shoutin still remains one of my top memoirs!

Hear that everyone? If you have not read Shoutin', put it on the List! The follow-up, Ava's Man might even be better.

maybe you should put it in caps!

"special" eh? now i'm curious. don't say any more.

I don't think memoirs are considered NNF Mark but I may just be pedantic LOL. So I've added The Great Railway Bazaar and I believe I read The Worst hard Time based on your recommendation buddy. I also have All Over but the Shoutin' on my shelf so I guess I need to move it on up.

Bonnie - do move Shoutin' up on your shelf because it is book I'd recommend as well.

Marky-Mark : I'm on the library list for The Great Railway Bazaar.... I like good travelogues.

Bonnie- I think House of Prayer No. 2 will qualify as NNF. It's told in the 2nd person form. The boy did this and the boy did that, like the author is standing outside and observing. Very interesting approach and an amazing read so far.

Caro- I think you will like the Theroux book. It also has it's dark & witty observations too!

>9 msf59: Mark, I believe that I have read all of Paul Theroux's travel narratives. He is a favorite of mine. Most recently I have read Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town and Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I meant to also mention that Ghost Train to the Eastern Star is Theroux's retracing, thirty years later, of the trip described in The Great Railway Bazaar. It might be an interesting follow-up read to the earlier book. But I read them so many years apart that I couldn't really make any comparisons!

2) The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux 4 stars

“Ever since childhood, when I lived within earshot of the Boston and Maine, I have seldom heard a train go by and not wished I was on it.”

These are the first words of this marvelous travel book. In 1975, just after the fall of Saigon, Theroux decides to board a train in London and take it to Japan, by a southerly route and come back west, via the Trans-Siberian. He not only rides on some fascinating trains, like the Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local and the Mandalay Express, he stops over in many incredible, and sometimes horrifying locales. We pass through Turkey, India, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Tokyo and the former Soviet Union, to name just a few.
This is not a light glossy travelogue, Theroux takes us to some pretty dark places. There are under-age brothels, drug-dealers, pimps, shady soldiers and sex clubs. His wry observations are spot-on and he never shies away from discussing all the discomforts that come along with this type of travel.
His writing style is lean and fast and even after 35 years, the narrative still remains modern and fresh. I have not read this author in many years and that’s a shame.



Trans-Siberian Express

Oh great, another bullet.....

I posted on your other thread but I didn't realize this was non-fiction! I'll have to add it to my list

Linda- Nice to see you! I appreciate the visit. I also have an audio copy of Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. Maybe, I can fit in later in the year. Thanks for the other Theroux recs.

Ellen- At least these are soft fun bullets, not the mean nasty kind. This book was a joy.

Chelle- Nice to see you!

My next NF selection will be Lost in Shangri-La. This one has been on my WL since it came out last year. I am also copying the audio of the Roger Ebert memoir, as I type this. It looks good.

3) House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home by Mark Richard 4.7 stars

He was called a “special child”. In the South, this was a term used for mentally and physically challenged children. Born with bad hips and a slow demeanor, raised by an alcoholic, quick-tempered father, the boy’s chances in life looked mighty slim, destined to be another discarded outcast.
This astounding memoir follows this “special child”, growing up in rough-hewn Appalachia, subjected to torments from his peers, going through painful surgeries, to correct his deformed hips and finally landing him in adulthood, aimless and confused.
After stumbling through a series of jobs, like disc jockey, fishing trawler deckhand, private investigator and failed seminarian, to name just a few, he finally settled into a life of a writer. An amazing talent was born.
The book is told in the second person perspective, which is quite daring, somewhat challenging but very effective. For fans of Rick Bragg, this is especially recommended.
Do not just add this to your wish list, go out and find a copy…now!

Sir, yes, sir! great review, Mark. I've started my first nnf of the year, The Warmth of Other Suns, and so far it's great. can't wait to get to House of Prayer No. 2! (cool title -- what ever does it mean? don't tell me!)

Jenny- Thanks! The audio of The Warmth of Other Suns is waiting for me at the library. I hope to get to it in the next couple weeks.
The title of House of Prayer, no spoiler, is not divulged until nearly the end. It's simply the name of a black church, his mother frequented.

I did start, on audio, Lost in Shangri-La. Good so far. Rousing story.

Yep, will do. I see no reason to even pretend to dodge this (soft) bullet. :-)

Nice review of House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home, Mark. Per your order, I have added to my wish list, SIR!

*salutes*

5) Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff 4 stars

Cannibals, penis gourds and WACs, oh my! One afternoon in May 1945, a group of military sight-seers, board a transport plane, called the Gremlin Special, for a leisurely fly-over of a beautiful valley nicknamed Shangri-La, located on the island of Dutch New Guinea. There were 24 on board, a mix of officers and enlisted.
Suddenly the plane crashes into this paradise, killing all but three. WAC Corporal Margaret Hastings, Lieutenant John McCollom, and Sergeant Kenneth Decker. Badly injured, they try to find help, hacking their way through the wet dense jungle, finally ending up in the midst of a primitive tribe of flesh-eating warriors.
Yes, this sounds like a bad B-movie from the 50s, but it is a true adventure tale, told in an exciting, tense narrative. The story also focuses on the rescue mission, as a large group of pilots and paratroopers, attempt to pull the survivors out, under risky and terrifying conditions. If you like history, laced with action and colorful characters or are looking to explore narrative nonfiction, look no further.



Margaret Hastings and some of the tribesmen.

Great review, Mark. I'm off to put this on my WL and give your review a thumb!

I also added it to my TBR, thanks for the review!

Thanks for your review of Lost in Shangri-La, Mark. Definitely one to add to the wishlist!

Thanks Pat, Karen & Linda! Lost in Shangri-La is a good solid read, about an incident I had never heard about. The author doesn't have the writing chops of a Krakauer, Hillenbrand or Sides, but he did a decent job.
I just started The Warmth of Other Suns and this looks to be another stunning piece of work and a perfect example of narrative-nonfiction.

See, I told you this wouldn't be much of a "Challenge", but I'm still loving every minute of it.

How could I refrain from adding this to my obese wish list with a review like that?!

Caro- It's a fast-paced read. You could blast through it in one sitting.

8) The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson 4.7 stars

From 1915 to the mid-1970s nearly six million blacks migrated form the American South, to points in the North and in the West. This epic and vastly under-reported phenomenon, is painstakingly chronicled, in this Pulitzer prize-winning book, written with love and a brutal frankness, that will keep the reader, crying, angry and fascinated, sometimes all at the same time.
The genius of Wilkerson’s approach is that she narrows these millions, into three individuals, putting a face and a personal slant on this story. First, there is Ida Mae Brandon Gladney, a sharecropper's wife, who departed Mississippi in 1937 for Milwaukee and ended up on the south-side of Chicago. Next up, is George Swanson Starling, a citrus picker, who in 1945, fled Florida, after nearly being lynched and settled down in Harlem NY. And finally, Robert Joseph Pershing Foster, a young physician, leaves Louisiana, in 1953, for sunny LA, where a different type of racism, still persists.
The author follows this trio, through their long lives, touching on every triumph and every painful, heart-rending bump.
The only reason I did not award this book 5 stars, was the last 100-150 pages could have used some editing. It began to drag but this is a must read and I feel it should be taught in every high school in the US.



A migrant man studying a map

11) Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebert 3.8 stars

I love the movies and this is what drew me to this book. Roger Ebert started as a film critic in 1967, for the Chicago Sun-Times. I’ve been reading his reviews and watching his TV program since the 80s. I don’t always agree with him on his reviews but never doubted his devotion to film.
He was born in 1942, in Urbana IL. (Yes, the same location HAL was born in the book/film 2OO1). This lengthy section of the memoir, which covers his suburban youth, love of food, 50s cars, backseat dalliances, his school years, first jobs, all take over half the book. Yes, he’s a very fine writer, but REALLY?
It begins to pick up when he lands in Chicago, with the classic old-school press, including the stalwarts Mike Royko and Studs Terkel, then he takes a long detour to discuss his favorite restaurants in London. Finally the book, begins to sail, when he profiles 3 legendary actors: Lee Marvin, Robert Mitchum and John Wayne. I was soaring and then Ebert nearly topped that with profiles on a mighty handful of great directors, including Scorcese, Altman, Bergman and Herzog. I am huge fans of them all.
Yes, the later part of the book, is very honest and touching, as it describes his illness’s, which robbed him of his speech in 2006 and his lovely marriage to Chazz, his soul mate.
The memoir may be a mixed-bag, but it the end I ended up enjoying it. Judge for yourself.

I'm not sure if this qualifies as NNF, but what the heck, it's been slow over here.

One that does qualify, is Nothing To Envy, which I just started today. This is going to be a great read about an unknown subject, for me anyway. Expect to hear some fireworks!

I envy your reading of Nothing to Envy with fresh eyes. It was/is a great read.

Mark, did you see the great review on EW for Behind the Beautiful Forevers? Can't wait to get to it-- I'm number 32 on the library wait list. Look at me with all this nonfiction excitement!

This looks like another strong year for NNF. This is the 2nd time I've heard about Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Sounds like an amazing read and what an evocative title! The other one, I've been hearing some strong buzz about is The Ice Balloon. Need to check my library system, pronto!

Jenny- I did not see the EW review but I did hear Michael rave about Behind the Beautiful Forevers on the latest Botns. It sounds incredible. Thanks!

VisibleGhost- I loved Nothing to Envy. I'll try to get a review out soon. It quickly became my favorite book of the young year.

14) Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars

Welcome to beautiful North Korea! Please stay on the designated path. When Demick started her research for this book, she tried interviewing people in North Korea but no one would speak with her (and for a very good reason). She cannily took another approach and tracked down dozens of defectors, mostly in South Korea and interviewed them extensively. She finally narrowed the group down to six individuals. She closely follows each of them as they tell their “stories”, growing up in a “closed society”, going through incredible hardships, the fears of everyday life and finally their difficult decision to flee their homeland, sometimes leaving their loved ones, including their children behind.
This is a brilliant and masterful peek into a country, we know very little about, giving us a better understanding of these fascinating and durable survivors. Highly recommended.

Adding Nothing to Envy and House of Prayer No. 2 to my TBR. I was excited to see your thread about only nonfiction, as I really want to read more nonfiction this year. I just finished Behind the Beautiful Forevers and cannot say enough good things about it.

I read Nothing to Envy last year, powerful stuff, and it got me reading more about Korea; the graphic format Pyongyang is especially creepy. I was stuck by how non-political the defectors were, some of them true believers until conditions made ordinary life impossible.

19) Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman 4.5 stars

Salzman became infatuated with Chinese culture, after watching the television series “Kung Fu”, at age thirteen. He received college degrees from Yale, in both Chinese language and Chinese literature.
In the early 80s, he lands a job, in Changsha, China, teaching English to students and teachers at Hunan Medical College. This wonderful memoir, covers his time there. He studies martial arts & calligraphy, with various instructors, which is all fascinating but in these beautiful episodic tales, his deep love for the people and their culture, is what really shines through. It’s funny, warm and touching. I cannot recommend it higher.

**Big thank you to Caro, for the nudge!

24) What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes 4.7 stars

Two years ago, I picked up Matterhorn, the highly acclaimed novel about Vietnam. It was outstanding and ended up being my favorite read of the year. The author had spent 30 years writing it. It was based on his experiences as a young Marine lieutenant.
Now, we have his non-fiction account and this one might be even more harrowing than the fictional one. It is also a book about war, our warrior instinct, the vast mental strain combat places on soldiers and the difficult task of re-entry into “normal” society. Marlantes attempts to cover all these issues, in a clear, sometimes philosophical manner. He also offers many solutions for making these transitions a little easier.
He is a very fine writer, with a deep intellect. If you have not read the novel, do so now and then wait a few months, (you’ll need to) and then start this remarkable and profound follow-up.

Okay - it's dangerous over here. Adding several titles to my TBR. I have been wanting to read Matterhorn, but our library only has one copy if you can believe that. Now his nonfiction sounds great, too. Iron and Silk also sounds interesting.

Mamie- I've been lucky to be reading some excellent NF and it looks like it will be continuing for awhile. I'm really enjoying On Writing, by the horror master and then I have Behind the Beautiful Forevers lined up for next week. Keep 'em coming!

54: Already on the wishlist. Once I get around to it, maybe I'll read novel afterward.

Oh, I need to get back to some non-fiction. You keep adding more and more to my wishlist!

26) On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King 4.5 stars

I am not sure how this one got by me and I’ve been a fan, since the mid-70s. Maybe it was released during a period that I was taking a break from Mr. King. There were some weak stretches in his bibliography, along with the amazing ones. Whatever the reason, I am glad I finally picked it up. It’s quite a joy to read.
The first half of the book is a memoir, taking the reader through his hard-scrabble childhood, raised by his tough hard-working mother. We look at his college years and his many attempts to publish his short stories and then there is his early marriage, struggling to support a growing family on a teacher’s salary and then the eventual sale of a little book called Carrie. All perfectly told in his smart, amusing, no nonsense style.

The 2nd half is about the craft of writing and it’s equally as fascinating. He keeps his advice pretty simple:
"I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs and I will shout it from the rooftops."
or
"... there is a huge difference between story and plot. Story is honorable and trustworthy; plot is shifty and best kept under house arrest."
Even if you are not a King fan, I know there are a few of you out there, give it a try. I have a feeling you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

I am getting ready to start Behind the Beautiful forevers. I've heard such great things.

Mark, I have heard that On Writing has strengths that could appeal even to someone who thinks that King is best appreciated in the movie theater. Do you have any feelings or beliefs about that?

Robert

Robert- I don't think you have to be a fan of King's work to appreciate On Writing, although it helps, since many of his books are mentioned throughout. You could enjoy the memoir section for it's vivid narrative and for the "writing" part of the book, anyone interested in the writing process can take plenty of interesting advice from a seasoned writer, with 50 books to his name.
I hope that answers your question.

Thank you. I think your response strengthens the idea that this book of his might be readable even to someone not enamored of him in general. I would be more interested in what he has to say about writing than in his life.

Robert

Robert- You are welcome. I take it, you've tried reading some of his work but nothing has clicked? Nothing?

I read all the way through The Stand and a few paragraphs here and there. I have no intention of trying more, but I have liked at least three movies based on his works.

Robert

30) Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo 5 stars

Slum Dog Scavengers

“Midnight was closing in, the one-legged woman was grievously burned, and the Mumbai police were coming for Abdul and his father.” And this kicks off this sad and beautiful true-life story of a Mumbai ghetto and it’s tough, resilient inhabitants.
The author spent three years interviewing and studying these people, as they strive and struggle on the absolute fringe of society, a garbage heap in the shadow of Mumbai’s International Airport.
Yes, this tale is dark and heart-breaking at times, but Boo brings out the pride and tenacity of these individuals, to the point that you will be cheering each one of them on. I can not recommend this book higher and the writing is exquisite.
“ Now it poured again, a stinging rain. On the high grounds of the liquid city, rich people spoke of the romance of the monsoon: the languorous sex, retail therapy, and hot jalebis that eased July into August.”
The wonderful title derives from an advertisement for Italian tile, printed on a wall separating the slum from the airport.

Oooh, I see that our library finally has the Kindle version of Behind the Beautiful Forevers. I need to get myself on the waiting list. Everyone at LT who reads it seems to love it. You are certainly doing well with your non-fiction reading this year, Mark!

Linda- Thanks! Once again, my top reads of the year are all NF and of course the year is still young. You will love the Boo book!

32) Below Stairs by Margaret Powell 3.8 stars

Powell was born in 1907 and by the time she was thirteen, she was beginning a career in domestic service, toiling as a kitchen maid, the lowliest of lowlies. I’m a big fan of the British series Downton Abbey but one thing is for sure, the gentry do not always treat their help as well as they do on that program.
This is a bright, revealing memoir, filled with humor and a refreshing frankness. This was first released in the late 60s but the narrative still moves with a deft, contemporary flow.
Of course, I recommend this for other DA fans but anyone with an interest in taking a peek at "downstairs" life, give this one a try.

>69 msf59: - Ooh, that's definitely going on my list (though more because I'm an Upstairs Downstairs fan :).

Meredith- Thanks for stopping by! I hope to finally start watching the original "Upstairs Downstairs". I've heard very good things.

35) Priceless by Robert K. Wittman 3.8 stars

Robert Wittman was a career FBI agent, who specialized in art theft, occasionally going undercover, dealing with some dangerous criminals. He not only recovered painting masterpieces but many different historic artifacts, like a Civil War battle flag, Civil War weaponry, a missing copy of the U.S. Bill of Rights, Native American treasures and body armor from a Peruvian King. The list is endless, the items totaling into hundreds of millions of dollars.
This is a smart, fast-paced and suspenseful memoir, filled with many facts regarding artists and their works and the varied histories behind the stolen swag.

41) Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson 4.8 stars

“I was born in Manchester in 1959. It was a good place to be born.”

The author was only a few weeks old, when she was adopted by a Pentecostal couple. Her adopted father was meek and indifferent and her mother tyrannical. Here’s an early description: “She was a flamboyant depressive; a woman who kept a revolver in the duster drawer, and the bullets in a tin of Pledge. A woman who stayed up all night baking cakes to avoid sleeping in the same bed as my father.”
Mrs. Winterson was a big looming woman, casting her shadow over young Jeanette’s every move. She forbade books in the house but secretly devoured mysteries, which she made her daughter retrieve from the library. The Bible was read aloud every day. Her favorite hymn was “God Has Blotted Them Out”, which she regularly sang at high volume.
This potent mixture did not turn Jeanette into a cowering mess, but quite the opposite, she evolved into a tough, rebellious kid, who escaped into books and later into writing. She fled home at sixteen.
This is a strong memoir, beautifully written in brutal prose. It’s a search for love, identity and happiness. Jeanette became an acclaimed author. I had not heard of her before reading this but I will definitely go back and read her novels.
Lastly, the title comes from a statement, her mother made, when she realized her daughter might be gay. Yes, she was a piece of work.

It's been very quiet over here and it will be for next month too, but I am finishing up another excellent memoir, so I'll be back.

Those both sound interesting; I actually love to read memoirs. I gave you a thumb for the Winterson.

Adore Paul Newman - one of my favorites is The Long, Hot Summer.

I'm so annoyed that I haven't gotten a copy of Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal yet!

Winterson's book Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit just blew me away when I read it, and I hardily recommend it.

Mamie- Thanks for the Thumb! Yes, I love memoirs too, the good ones anyway. There seems to be a flood of them lately. I heard Frank Langella on the NYT Book Podcast talking about Dropped Names: Famous Men and Women As I Knew Them, which sounds really good. Also Carol King has one out too!
You can't beat old blue-eyes!

Meredith- If you loved Oranges you should love this one too. It's referenced many times. I have not read it but recently acquired a copy. I heard the film version is very good too.

The Winterson sounds excellent, Mark. I will definitely have to read her books.

Very nice review, Mark. It's just short of miraculous that Winterson emerged from that oppressive household without suffering from crippling emotional damage. I'll keep my eye out for this one.

>73 msf59: A very interesting review, Mark. The resiliency of children can be truly amazing.

Laura, Darryl & Linda- Thank you! This is a terrific memoir and it opened a door to a new author. I just picked up her autobiographical 1st novel, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, printed in '85. Her Mother was furious when it came out. She still ordered a copy but had it sent to another address, so they wouldn't know she had bought it.

42) Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed 4.5 stars

In early 1996, Cheryl Strayed was adrift. She was twenty-six, and still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, a few years earlier. She was in a shaky marriage, experimenting with hard drugs and sleeping around. Something needed to give.
Enter the PCT: The Pacific Crest Trail. Spotting this in a travel guide, while living in Minnesota, Cheryl decides this is her crossroads, her sea change moment and armed with “Monster” her hellishly large backpack, sets out on an eleven-hundred mile hike, from the Mojave desert to Washington State. She was a complete novice and had only done the occasional day hike.
This is simply a wonderful memoir, full of adventure and self-enlightenment. She is one scrappy young lady and I found myself slack-jawed at her toughness and tenacity. This is the perfect female companion to A Walk in the Woods, although this has the grittier edge.
She tells this story in a strong vivid voice and I felt like I was walking alongside her, from the comfort of my favorite chair. Highly recommended.

I have been eyeing this one in the local bookshop, thought it looked promising. Thanks for the review!

I've been eyeing too ... Great review Mark.

Wild looks interesting to me but with all the weaknesses of A Walk in the Woods I'm wondering how it compares to Thousand-mile Summer.

Robert

Hi Orlaith & Laura- Yes, "Wild" comes highly recommended from Moi! Quit eyeing and pick up a copy!

Robert- Thousand-mile Summer sounds interesting. Have you read it? My favorite of this type is Born to Run. I read it last year and it was excellent.

I've read some of Colin Fletcher mostly back in my walk in the woods days, but as I posted here I couldn't remember whether I had read The Thousand-Mile Summer. I can recommend him in general, but I don't know about the specific force of that book. His frequently revised text on backpacking, his walk through the Grand Canyon, and his navigation of the Colorado River from end to end are topmost in my memory. They would differ from Strayed's account in that he was a serious wilderness walker by intent.

Robert

Thanks for the review of Strayed--it's on my list.

50) Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power by Rachel Maddow 4.3 stars

“we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”

-Eisenhower 1961

Rachel Maddow takes on the US military and she’s done her homework. You do not have to be a fan of this unapologetic lefty, to admire this book. Maddow pretty much keeps to the facts and maintains a non-partisan balance. Of course she hammers Reagan and the Bush duo, but she saves some ammo for Clinton and Obama too.
The author proposes that this “drift” began during Vietnam, where our military slowly began to build into this monolith; a huge ungainly, incredibly expensive machine, that knew no bounds and was always on the hunt, like a ravenous pitbull, sniffing out the next conflict.
Maddow also explores the out-sourcing of the military, which really began to blossom under Clinton and thanks to groups like Blackwater, really began to run rampant, without any government oversight. She also looks at the US nuclear program, which to date has cost America eight trillion dollars. A stunning figure. And we’re worried about “welfare queens”?
This should be required reading. As Americans we have safely distanced ourselves from these ongoing wars and need to be reminded occasionally of the horrendous cost in both lives and the monumental debts we are creating.
Maddow does have a good sense of humor too. She dedicated the book to Dick Cheney.

Definitely adding Drift to my list!

Nice review of Drift, Mark!

Meredith & Darryl! Thanks! It's a worthy title.

My next NF read will be the Power of Habit, which has been getting high praise.

Drift is at my Costco for fifteen dollars. I'm waiting for the paperback.

Robert

54) The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg 3.7 stars

The title says it all. Our lives our habit driven, if we realize it or not. The author calls it the “Habit Loop”; brushing our teeth, tying our shoes, reaching for that piece of chocolate or second glazed-donut, if we really need it or not. Replacing the bad habits with better habits is key and that’s what I found the most useful in this book.
Duhigg expands and examines this habit system for all facets of our lives, from social movements, to alcoholism, gambling, religion and of course marketing, which is built on our habitual backs. This was all interesting stuff but I mostly wanted more guidance for “me”. Selfish? Probably. Maybe that’s another habit I should shake. Ooh, look… cookies!

Wow, have I been tardy over here. Bad Mark! But I have recently read 2 NF titles, including this one:



73) I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior by Howard E. Wasdin 3.5 stars (ER)

“When the Navy sends their elite, they send the SEALs. When the SEALs send their elite, they send SEAL Team Six”

This is a mildly interesting look at what it takes to be a SEAL and then a sniper. The intensive training makes my Army basic training look like nursery school. The story also follows Wasdin on several missions, including the show-piece of the Battle of Mogadishu, which was covered in Black Hawk Down, in both book and film.
This memoir version looks like it was packaged as a YA, so I’m curious how the original book was written. If this subject interests you, check it out, otherwise remain at ease.

I'll be back with a review of Island of vice...

Oh--can't wait for the review of Island of Vice. It looks like just the thing for a TR geek like me.

74) Island of Vice by Richard Zacks 3.7 stars

New York City in the 1890s. Rife with corruption, prostitution and gambling. A dangerous place, where every vice is readily available and nearly every cop can be paid to look the other way. Enter Theodore Roosevelt. Newly minted Police Commissioner, given the monumental task of taking on Tammany Hall and the “Island of Vice”.
Zacks captures the atmosphere of this period with uncanny detail and for the first half of this book it works perfectly but then the immense detail, court-transcripts, endless legal battles, feel repetitive after awhile and begin to bog the narrative down.
T.R. is one of my favorite historical figures and I love reading about him, so even if this book didn’t work completely, I still recommend it for another glimpse into a fascinating and complex American.



These photos were taken by Jacob Riis, a famous muckraker, who toured the dirty streets with T.R.

98: I'm currently reading The Island at the Center of the World about the same place 250 years prior. Not exactly Puritans then either.

83) Every Man in This Village is a Liar by Megan Stack 4.7 stars

"You can survive and not survive, both at the same time."

War on Terror! Manifest or farce? Megan Stack, a foreign correspondent for the LA Times, attempts to answer that question. Shortly after 9/11, Stack found herself thrust into the Middle East, spending the next six years, in various hot zones: Afghanistan, occupied Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya, Saudi Arabia and a few others.
Stack’s first hand account of many atrocities is eye-opening and gut-wrenching. She befriends a variety of people in each of these dangerous locales, putting a human face on these tragedies. She is able to witness the myriad of lies and deceptions and experience the ugly hatreds, that fuel and drive these regions. Her prose is both tough and beautiful. She is a daring, unflinching journalist, looking directly into the horrible face of war.

"Only after covering it for years did I understand that the war on terror never really existed. It was not a real thing. Not that the war on terror was flawed, not that it was cynical or self-defeating, or likely to breed more resentment and violence. But that it was hollow, it was essentially nothing but a unifying myth for a complicated scramble of mixed impulses and social theories and night terrors and cruelty and business interests.”

A very nice review, Mark! Thumb for you!! I have that one in the stacks.

Nice review of Every Man in This Village Is a Liar, Mark. A thumb from me as well.

Mamie- Thanks! I'm glad you have a copy of this one. She's a very strong writer and tough as nails too!

Darryl- Great to see you! Thanks! Kerri mentioned that you might be in the Chicago area next month. Any truth?

Next up, for NF, (in a week or so) is: Empire of the Summer Moon. This one has been on my WL for awhile and now I have it in print and on audio. No longer an excuse.

Megan Stack's book sounds fascinating--Inow on my wish-list.

90) Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne 5 stars

Cynthia Ann Parker, age nine, was kidnapped by a Comanche war band, from a fort in north central Texas. She spent twenty-four years with this group, marrying a Comanche chief and raising a family, including a boy, named Quanah, who became one of the fiercest warriors in Native American history.
Cynthia Ann and Quanah are perfect bookends in this brilliant, sweeping epic of the American West. It explores the origins of the Comanche people, their introduction to the horse, which transformed them into the most formidable and ruthless tribes on the Great Plains.
Gwynne also looks into the birth of Texas and the strong, tenacious people that were responsible for it’s creation. There is the Texas Rangers and the US Calvary. The heart-rending demise of the sacred buffalo and the persistent pursuit of the white population to conquer it all. The narrative is fast, informative and well-balanced and I can’t recommend it high enough. Easily one of the best books I’ve read this year.



Cynthia Ann w/her daughter and Quanah Parker

103) The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba 4.7 stars

“I try, and I made it.”

Since he was a little boy, William Kamkwamba dreamed of windmills. He not only was fascinated by them, but he wanted to build one of his own and bring electricity and water to his village. Born in Malawi and raised in a poor farming community, with a limited education, it appeared the windmill would remain just an elusive dream.
One day he finds a pile of discarded textbooks and begins a journey through science and physics and slowly begins to gather the parts, mostly junk scraps, to construct his windmill. His neighbors laughed at him and called him “crazy” but William stuck to it.
This incredible memoir, follows young William, through many struggles: serious drought, food shortages and the horrors of starvation. It also touches on the joys of his young life, hunting and playing with his friends. This is a remarkable true-story of perseverance and the power of knowledge and education. Highly recommended.

The Long Walk by Brian Castner 4.8 stars

“Don't be scared of the soft sand."

A soldier, decked out in full bomb gear, an 80 pound Kevlar suit, making the “long walk” toward an armed bomb. Is there anything more desolate or terrifying? Brian Castner served three tours in Iraq, as part of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit.
This is the story of two journeys: the adrenaline-fueled, blood-soaked world of the combat soldier and the equally difficult return to a “normal” life.
This is a raw, emotional memoir, filled with riveting prose. Castner describes the everyday intensity and horror of a EOD soldier, disarming bombs and cleaning up the aftermath. Collecting “right hands” to count the casualties. Placing a soldier’s personal info in their boots, because feet “pop” off in an explosion.
And then Castner’s long painful recovery back home. The fear, the paranoia. While grocery shopping, he scans the crowd for potential insurgents and targets, clutching a non-existent weapon. Crying, while putting his son’s hockey gear on, which reminds him of donning his bomb suit.
Castner vividly places the reader in each of these situations and has created one of the best books on war, that I have ever read. I cannot recommend it higher.

Logavina Street by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars

“I knew the street I wanted to write about the first time I walked up it. Even battered by war, it was a beautiful street…”

Logavina Street is a marvel. A hard-hitting, unflinching look at the two years Demick spent on this “six-block long history lesson”. She followed along with several families, in this Sarajevo neighborhood, as they led their daily lives, under a terrifying siege. Sniper fire and mortar-attacks came in a flash, leaving carnage and destruction. Dealing with food shortages, lack of electricity and water. Burning anything they could find, to keep warm. Despite this bleak and forbidding existence, the spirit and determination of these people is triumphant.
This is also the best book on the Bosnian conflict, that I have read, giving me a much better and detailed understanding of what happened in those war-ravaged countries. It also reminded me, how poorly the American response was to this atrocity. Funny, the US seems to go to war at the drop of a hat, these days but in the 90s, we sat on our hands, while genocide swept this area of eastern Europe. That's tragic.
“To know Logavina is to know Sarajevo, and to understand what this city once was, and what it has become. To know Logavina is to witness the strength and ingenuity that ordinary people can muster to survive.”

The Big Burn by Timothy Egan 4.4 stars

In 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was established, Halley’s comet was visible and Mark Twain died. Also, in August of that year, one of the worst wildfires in American history started in the Rocky Mountain high country, bordering Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Decimating three million acres, an area roughly the size of New England, burning five towns to ash and killing a hundred firefighters.
Egan, in his usual intrepid, riveting manner, examines this harrowing moment in our country’s history. He also explores the fledgling forest service, which was under-funded, poorly staffed and under-appreciated and how this fire galvanized their future. Ex-president Theodore Roosevelt, who started the forest service in 1905, casts a large shadow here. Egan also puts a human face on this rag-tag group of firefighters, mostly immigrants and cast-offs, who were given the insurmountable task of battling this raging inferno.
Egan has quickly became one of my favorite non-fiction writers and here he has done it again. Highly recommended.



Little North Fork of the St. Joe River, Idaho 1910

The Big Burn sounds fascinating! I'll definitely add that to my list.

109: This one's on my agenda. I loooved The Worst Hard Time.

Meredith- Egan is an excellent NF writer. If you haven't read it, also check out the worst Hard Time, which is even better.

Qebo- " I loooved The Worst Hard Time." I did too! LOL. His latest book, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis sounds very good too!

You have certainly been on a reviewing binge, Mark, and they all look like great books. I am adding several of them to my wishlist. I saw a movie a year or two ago based on the work of the bomb disposal soldiers in Iraq. I don't remember the name of it at the moment, but it was excellent.

Mark, I'm laughing at myself, having just realized that this is your Non-Fiction reading thread, not your 75ers. I thought some of these reviews sounded familiar!

Yeah, I've had The Worst Hard Time sitting on my list for a while. Time to move it up, I guess!

Linda- No, I haven't been on a reviewing binge. LOL! But all these NF books listed here are Must Reads. the Long Walk was extraordinary!

Meredith- You'll have to move the Egan book further up the list!

141) The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe 5 stars

“What are you reading?”

Mary Anne Schwalbe is in her early 70s. She is a mother, a humanitarian and a lifelong reader. She is also dying from pancreatic cancer. Her son, Will, is also a dedicated reader.
They have always enjoyed talking books and decide to form a two-person book club and while she is receiving her treatments, they discuss a book they have recently read together.
This is an amazing memoir. Warm, funny, touching and brave. It’s about love, friendship, caring and of course books, scores of books. Mary Anne is such a winning real-life character, I find myself smiling just thinking about her. Do you want a great end of the year read? Hunt this one down.

Here is are some of the wonderful titles, they discuss and many of them are my favorites too:

The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Hobbit
People of the Book
The Lizard Cage This one sounds fantastic
Gilead Home
Felicia’s Journey There’s Mr. Trevor again!
Continental Drift This is Banks first novel. Tough and haunting
The Year of Magical Thinking
Olive Kitteridge I love Olive!
Unaccustomed Earth
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders

Any many others! I love the sea of blue!

There is nothing but dust and cobwebs over here...WTH?

Wow! Sounds like an awesome book. Thanks for the recommendation.

Heh. My thread's cobwebs too, and I created this group. And I've been reading. Just not writing so much.

Yah, there's a pulse! I have been reading NF too, just not reviewing as much and of course not posting over here. My 75 Challenge Thread keeps me hopping.
I read Destiny of the Republic last month, which I did not review but was excellent. Millard is quickly becoming one of my favorite NF writers.
I also joined in a Group Read of Team of Rivals. It was a very good book. Maybe a little long but plenty of detail for purists.

My next NF, will probably be Moonwalking With Einstein. Anyone else read this?

Good to see you, banjo123 & qebo!

Hi Mark,

I hope you had a good Thanskgiving! I read Moonwalking with Einstein earlier this year. I don't care much about the memory championships themselves, and so it didn't really grab me on that score. However, I did really enjoy asides dealing with the prodigious memories of master chess players, London cabbies, etc.

I'm on Chapter 8 of Team of Rivals and I'm really enjoying it!

121: I have Moonwalking with Einstein because I happened upon it and Zoë said good things, but I haven't read it.

148) Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer 4.2 stars

“On average, people squander forty days annually compensating for things they've forgotten.” That seems to be a widely exaggerated number but it does make a good point. We forget A LOT! This is the age of constant information, a continuous barrage of…let's face it, crap but I think our brains are structured to filter out most of what we see, read and hear. So, how do can we remember the important things?
Josh Foer, younger brother of Jonathan, is a science journalist with an average memory. He begins to explore the world of mental athletes, an oddball bunch of misfits, who compete in Memory Championships. Foer quickly learns that these “brainy” individuals have normal brains and memory functions but have trained themselves to remember a staggering amount of information. The author then decides to train himself, with some help and then enter the U.S. Memory Championships, where he ends up doing exceptionally well.
This book is a lot of fun and very informative. He does describe the many techniques of memory learning, including the “Memory Palaces”, which are fascinating. Personally, it sounds like to much work, but it sure is enjoyable to read about. Recommended.

150) Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries by Jon Ronson 4.5 stars

Ronson is a British journalist. Each of these stories were featured in the Guardian. I had not heard of this immensely talented Brit but I do now.
He has an uncanny ability to track down, investigate and report, the most fascinating stories out there. In the opener, he interviews the members of the Insane Clown Posse, a rock rap group, ( I have never heard them but they sound terrible) which ends up being incredibly funny and surprisingly sad. Then we move on to lifelike robots that can communicate (creepy stuff), a fanatical religious group, that volunteer to donate organs, a mass-murder plot by high-schoolers in North Pole Alaska, sinister credit card fraud, British pop-stars turned pedophiles and so much more. His writing is incisive, poignant, hilarious and disturbing, sometimes all at once. This was another Early Reviewer winner and I highly recommend it.

Wow, this has been such a fantastic year for NF. Nearly all my top reads of the year have been NF titles. I'll be reading/listening to Charles Dickens: A Life next, which should be my last NF book of the year. Life is grand!

124: I'd probably agree with "too much work" without a Memory Championship as motivation, but sometimes from such a book I'll take away one idea to apply on occasion.

155) Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin 4.7 stars

Like young David Copperfield, Charles Dickens was forced to work at a tender age, after his father was imprisoned. There are other similarities to one of Dickens most beloved creations and the author himself, in this wonderful, stirring and impeccably researched biography. Dickens is an endlessly fascinating artist and an impressive humanitarian to boot.
Tomalin expertly follows Dickens through his life, his friends, his tumultuous marriage to Catherine, his many children, his connection with other artists of that period and of course his books, which she gives a detailed account. My only regret is that I had not read more of his work, so I could have made a better connection with her spot-on analysis of each title. My goal is to read one or two of this books a year until I catch up. Love him or hate him, this is a highly recommended bio!