Please, suggest me good, comprehensive, factual, objective and up-to-date nonfiction books that are about:
- dogs but highly specific, eg. I liked Working Origins and Traditional Tasks or Around the world in 80 dogs (which admittedly is not highly specific, but I did learn something new. I have the common knowledge)
- bears, especially brown bears, eg. I liked Shadow of the Bear
- ZOOs, how they are founded, enclosure/exhibit design, and their everyday behind-the-scenes running
- castles and chateaus, with a focus on illustrations, perhaps showing development across time periods or different designs, eg. I liked Sídla českých panovníků
- battles, medieval or WW2, shown on maps. I bought a History of war in maps book and expected this; I was disappointed
- firearms in general, arranged chronologically and/or by country of origin, or modern pistol and sniper rifles. I am a beginner when it comes to guns, so this need not be but CAn be advanced
- ballistics. I read and adored Litz and Kneubuehl, and I want to get more into things
- homosexuality, throughout history and/or different cultures
- female warriors, soldiers, commanders, you get the gist
- languages. If there is a book that has the common phrases in different languages, rather than focusing on one language, something like that.
- everyday things explained to children/dummies, like plumbing. Feel free to laugh, I would be (through the tears. I want to understand sewage!)
- anything else you might think would be interesting judging by the above. Some books I have on my to read list are An Atlas of countries that do not exist, or The lost art of finding our way
by ursusar