Fever
by Mary Beth Keane
Fever (3/10/2013)
Sometimes non-fiction books read like fiction.The book Fever does the opposite. Ms. Keane takes real people,real incidents, and creates a world that readers come to live in. Mary Mallon, given the name Typhoid Mary by the press, is a compelling character whose story you want to know. The book's atmosphere puts you in the early 20th century, and what was known, and still unknown about disease causes and prevention.
The Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, a Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con
by Amy Reading
The Mark Inside (6/23/2012)
The Mark Inside is an interesting book about parting people from their money. Actually about one man in particular and how he tries to bring the con men down. This book does make you think about why people are conned. I always think it is a two way street. You can't sell unless someone wants to buy. This also reminded me of the movie The Sting. It showed how a con is set up and I believe that is the most interesting part of the book.
The Most Dangerous Thing
by Laura Lippman
You never really know a person (8/14/2011)
Laura Lippman has written a story that stays with you after reading, because it makes you think about your own life and the people you know or think you know. This book keeps you guessing about not only the children we meet as adults, but their parents as well. Nature vs nurture will always be debated, and Ms. Lippman makes us think about both. If you like her stand-alones, I'd Know You Anywhere, and What the Dead Know, this won't disappoint.
The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World
by Laura J. Snyder
Science in the Making (1/19/2011)
If you have ever thought about how scientists think, read this book. Much of the process was put into practice by members of the Philosphical Breakfast Club. Of course in the 19th century, philosphical had a somewhat different meaning than today, but these gentlemen shaped how we have come to look at rational thinking in the area of proving theory. One caveat, it does get bogged down with other information, so it takes a while for the meat of the story to emerge.
State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America
by Sean Wilsey, Matt Weiland
America, The Unique (11/4/2009)
State by State is filled with essays from contemporary writers who take a look at a particular state and how it measures up with modern culture. Do not get this confused with a travelogue, because it isn't. It's more about the differences, and the similarities, between the vast geographical area. We are becoming more alike thanks to modern conveniences (internet, TV), but there are still some things we all do because we're from a certain area, and that makes all the difference.
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