Hello everyone! I have been very interested in reading more educational books about random topics. Political would be very fun but I am also interested in random historical events, sexuality, weird science, medical history, random interest that has cool info, just anything you find interesting. Like the rise of incels, how automation is changing this type of job, etc etc. Something that is not too verbally complex would be perfect. Thank you!
by AXS_Writing
11 Comments
I am reading Killers of the Flower Moon and love it, but it may not be what you’re looking for. Basically, in the 1920’s a whole bunch of people from a Native American were turning up murdered. It talks a lot how things were handled in those days legally, how scientific and investigative techniques played a role in the cases, and even about the creation of the FBI.
For context, this is the first book I’ve read in years. I will say though, that the style of writing is kind of odd (for me at least). Maybe it’d be better as an audiobook.
Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham is one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read that fits this bill. He makes an incredibly complex topic very accessible and engaging, and I thought it was a really interesting balance of history (e.g., how the state of the Soviet Union in 1983 played a role in the disaster) and recounting the actual events that happened. 10/10, was great and would definitely suggest pairing it with the HBO miniseries from a few years back.
If you’re looking for more political books, I would REALLY highlight recommend Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer. It’s an extraordinarily well done history of the immigration policy crisis in the U.S. starting with the assassination of Oscar Romero in the 80’s and runs up through the end of the Biden administration. It’s long, but don’t let it deter you – I thought it was a very accessible read and did not feel all that dense given the topic. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Radium Girls by Kate Moore is also a good and fairly quick read about the events that ultimately helped create OSHA.
How to Build a Car by Adrian Newey. It’s fascinating and not boring even to a non mechanically minded person.
Check out Devon Kade s series: Philosophy Summit Collection, Psychology Summit Collection or Religion Summit Collection.
If you’re into a rapid fire type of exploring, try the flagships from each of the collections, 101 Philosophy Ideas, 101 Psychology Ideas and 101 Religion ideas – these books are big (500+ pages) but each idea is explained in like 5-6 pages so you can read them in bite size sessions without getting bored – and they are a good resource for future reference as well.
Medical journalist Gary Taubes’ **The Case Against Sugar**.
An unapologetically biased investigation into the history, uses, and adverse effect sugar has on the human body. Woven through the book is Big Sugar’s manipulation of research and regulation.
**We Almost Lost Detroit** by John G. Fuller presents a history of Fermi 1, America’s first commercial breeder reactor, with emphasis on the 1966 partial nuclear meltdown.
Taking Hawai’i by Stephen Dando-Collins.
About the scheming Americans plotting to take over the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack
Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer
Mother if Invention by Katrine Marcal
Th Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris
The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris
The Cure for Women by Lydia Reeder
Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer
Any of the books by Bill Schutt
Bodies In Doubt by Elizabeth Reis. [Available as a free ebook](https://www.lizziereis.com/books) from the publisher following this book being banned
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72 by Hunter Thompson
GAVIN DE BECKER –
“The gift of fear : survival signals that protect us from violence”
ROSE GEORGE –
“Nine pints : a journey through the money, medicine, and mysteries of blood”
“Ninety percent of everything : inside shipping, the invisible industry that puts clothes on your back, gas in your car, and food on your plate”
“The big necessity : the unmentionable world of human waste and why it matters”
JUDY MELINEK –
“Working stiff : two years, 262 bodies, and the making of a medical examiner”
MARY ROACH –
“Fuzz : when nature breaks the law”
“Grunt : the curious science of humans at war”
“Gulp : adventures on the alimentary canal”
“Bonk : the curious coupling of science and sex”
“Stiff : the curious lives of human cadavers”
“Packing for Mars : the curious science of life in the void” “Spook : science tackles the afterlife”
CAITLIN DOUGHTY
“Will my cat eat my eyeballs? : big questions from tiny mortals about death”
“From here to eternity : traveling the world to find the good death”
“Smoke gets in your eyes : and other lessons from the crematory”
But really anything by any of these authors is good.
Also “Five days at Memorial : life and death in a storm-ravaged hospital” by Sheri Fink. This one is rough, but very well written, and has haunted me for many years.
I really loved the book Bitch by Lucy Cooke. It’s all about the female of the species in nature, natural and sexual selection, mating and young-raising behaviours in animals. It’s written in a really accessible way and makes you look at some creatures in a totally different light (like meerkats, 🤯). It also touches on sexism in society’s impact on science and how we ended up with some very skewed ideas about why certain animals behaved how they did, mostly from weird Victoria ideas about humans.