Best Non-Fiction
Albom, Mitch, 1958-. Have a little faith: a true story. 1st ed. New York : Hyperion, c2009.
Author Mitch Albom, having been asked to write a eulogy for an elderly rabbi, begins a
relationship with the man in order to get to know him better, and, in the process, also
becomes involved with the plight of a local pastor whose church is falling down around
him, leading Mitch to better understand the importance of faith.
Alphin, Elaine Marie. An unspeakable crime: the prosecution and persecution of Leo Frank.
Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c2010.
In 1913, Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old employee at an Atlanta pencil factory, was found
murdered. Police suspected Leo Frank, who was a northerner and a Jew. His trial
captured national attention. A mob stormed the prison where Frank was being held and
lynched him. Leo Frank thus became the only known Jew lynched in American history
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. They called themselves the K.K.K. : the birth of an American
terrorist group. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.
Documents the history and
origin of the Ku KluxKlan from its beginning in Pulaski, Tennessee, and provides personal
accounts, congressional documents, diaries, and more
Bearzi, Maddalena. Beautiful minds : the parallel lives of great apes and dolphins.
Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 2008.
Describes the similar evolutions of the cetaceans -- dolphins and whales -- and the
great apes, describing their means of communication, use of tools, problem solving,
transmission of cultural traditions to new generations, and other applications of their
intelligence, which is second only to humans; and discusses conservation.
Bowers, Rick, 1952-. Spies of Mississippi : the true story of the spy network that tried to destroy
the civil rights movement. Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, c2010.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission compiled secret files
on more than 87,000 private citizens in the most extensive state spying program in U.S.
history. Its mission: to save segregation
Burton, Bonnie, 1972-. Girls against girls : why we are mean to each other and how we can
change. San Francisco : Zest Books, 2009.
Examines the different ways girls can be cruel to one another and provides advice on
dealing with abuse from another girl.
Busby, Cylin. The year we disappeared : a father-daughter memoir. Pbk. ed. New York :
Bloomsbury, 2010, c2008.
Father and daughter, Cylin and John Busby, share their memories of the challenges
they faced after their family was forced to go into hiding in order to protect themselves
from a killer who had already shot John, a police officer, once and was determined to
finish the job.
Cavazos, Ruben. Honor few, fear none : the life and times of a Mongol. 1st Harper pbk.
[ed.]. New York : Harper, 2009, c2008.
A history of the Mongols Motorcycle Club that challenges negative and sensationalized
media perspectives to profile the Mongols as a tightly knit band of enthusiasts who
enjoy partying and are willing to fight for their respect.
Casey, Susan, 1962-. The devil's teeth : a true story of obsession and survival among
America's great white sharks. 1st Owl Books ed. New York : Holt, 2006, c2005.
Presents the author's firsthand account of her stay on the Farallon Islands--in the shark
infested waters thirty miles west of San Francisco--and includes information on shark
behavior and scientists who study them.
Ellis, Deborah, 1960-. Children of war : voices of Iraqi refugees. Toronto, Ont ; :
Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press, c2009.
Twenty Iraqi children discuss how the War on Terror has affected their lives.
Flatow, Ira. Present at the future : from evolution to nanotechnology, candid and
controversial conversations on science and nature. 1st Collins pbk. ed. New York :
Collins, 2008, c2007.
Science journalist Ira Flatow shares what he has learned from interviewing the world's
top scientists, discussing brain research, cosmology, global warming, energy,
nanotechnology, space travel, science and religion, cyberspace, and other topics, and
including quotes from interviews.
Gladwell, Malcolm, 1963-. Outliers : the story of success. 1st ed. New York : Little, Brown
and Co., 2008.
Argues that the success of certain individuals can be attributed to when and where they
were born, as well as the familial conditions they were born into. Demonstrates how the
positive or negative conditions that surround a person can impact their future success.
George, Rose, 1969-. The big necessity : the unmentionable world of human waste and why
it matters. 1st ed. New York : Metropolitan Books, 2008.
In the sewers -- The robo-toilet revolution -- 2.6 billion -- Going to the sulabh -China's biogas boom -- A public necessity -- The battle of biosolids -- Open defecationfree India -- In the cities. Describes ways that societies all over the world deal--and do
not deal--with human waste, and covers the sewers of Paris, London, and New York
City; examines the public toilets in India, China's biogas digesters, third world
sanitation movements, the U.S. military laser elimination methods, and more.
House, Silas, 1971-. Something's rising : Appalachians fighting mountaintop removal.
Lexington : University Press of Kentucky, c2009.
Describes the plight of of the people who oppose mountaintop removal mining in the
Appalachian Mountains, and examines the physical destruction of the land, and how it
also affects the local cultures and societies.
Jacobs, A. J., 1968-. The year of living biblically : one man's humble quest to follow the
Bible as literally as possible. 1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed. New York : Simon &
Schuster, 2007.
The author describes his experiences after an increasing interest in the relevance of
faith in the modern world led him to spend a year following the Bible as closely as
possible, honoring not only the Ten Commandments, but also little-known rules such as
playing a ten-stringed harp and growing a beard.
Johnson, Steven, 1968-. The ghost map : the story of London's most terrifying epidemic-and how it changed science, cities, and the modern world. New York : Riverhead Books,
2006.
Chronicles the outbreak and spread of Cholera in London during the summer of 1854
and the efforts of Reverend Henry Whitehead and Dr. John Snow who isolated the
disease and put an end to the epidemic.
Kamkwamba, William, 1987-. The boy who harnessed the wind : creating currents of
electricity and hope. 1st ed. New York : William Morrow, c2009.
The author details how he ignored naysayers and was able to bring electricity and
running water to his Malawian village when he built a makeshift windmill out of scrap
metal and spare parts.
Keat, Nawuth, 1964-. Alive in the killing fields : surviving the Khmer Rouge genocide.
Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, c2009.
"You're lucky" -- From student to slave -- The jungle -- Jail without walls -- Hunger -Survival -- Crossfire -- Escaping the Khmer Rouge -- In the city -- Walking -- Waiting -Flight to freedom. The gripping story of a young boy who survived the atrocities in
Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and escaped to the United States.
Kohl, Jana, 1959-. A rare breed of love : the true story of Baby and the mission she inspired
to help dogs everywhere. 1st Fireside hardcover ed. New York : Simon & Schuster,
2008.
Tells the story of Baby, a toy poodle and puppy mill survivor, adopted by the author
who was inspired to begin a campaign for tougher laws to regulate the puppy mill
industry after becoming aware of the horrific conditions under which breeding dogs are
kept, and features portraits of Baby, who lost a leg as a result of abuse, with various
celebrities.
Kuklin, Susan. No choirboy : murder, violence, and teenagers on death row. 1st ed. New
York : Henry Holt and Co., 2008.
I was a teenager on death row -- The fourteen-year-old adult -- Look at me -- Hate is a
killer, dialogue I -- Private with our grief, dialogue II -- Dying for legal assistance :
Roy's and Mark's lawyer. Teens sentenced to death talk about their prison experience
and their crimes. Author Susan Kuklin also examines capital punishment and the
inequities of the criminal justice system.
Laycock, Joseph, 1980-. Vampires today : the truth about modern vampirism. Westport, CT
: Praeger, 2009.
What is a vampire? or the varieties of vampiric experience -- Why vampires? -- The
vampire milieu -- Initiatory vampire groups : vampirism as apotheosis -- The vampire
community -- Vampirism and religion, a dialogue -- Out of the shadows -- Vampires
and the modern. An investigation of modern vampirism as practiced by the Atlanta
Vampire Alliance and other vampire communities throughout the United States,
introducing individuals who have adopted a lifestyle associated with legendary
vampires, as well as men and women who believe they must consume blood for their
continued well-being.
Levitt, Steven D. Freakonomics : a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything.
1st Harper Perennial ed. New York : Harper Perennial, 2009.
The authors explore the economics of real-world issues often viewed as insignificant,
such as the extent to which the Roe v. Wade decision affected violent crime, and
examine hidden incentives behind all sorts of human behavior
Ling, Laura, 1976-. Somewhere inside : one sister's captivity in North Korea and the other's
fight to bring her home. 1st ed. New York : William Morrow, c2010.
An account of the apprehension of Americans Laura Ling and Euna Lee by North Korean
soldiers in March of 2009 and subsequent imprisonment after being accused of hostile
acts, covering Laura's sister Lisa's campaign to secure the release of her sibling and
Euna, the treatment of Laura while in captivity, and the efforts of Bill Clinton and
various members of the United States government to rescue her
Masson, J. Moussaieff (Jeffrey Moussaieff), 1941-. The face on your plate : the truth about
food. 1st ed. New York : Norton, c2009.
Examines the ways that food choice affects personal morals, health, and the planet;
and discusses global warming, farming practices, and cultural differences over which
animals are eaten or protected and worshiped
Mortenson, Greg. Three cups of tea : one man's mission to promote peace--one school at a
time. New York : Penguin Books, 2007, c2006.
Greg Mortenson recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished
villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
Navarro, Joe, 1953-. What every body is saying : an ex-FBI agent's guide to speed-reading
people. 1st ed. New York : Collins, c2008.
I see what you're thinking -- Mastering the secrets of nonverbal communication -Living our limbic legacy -- Getting a leg up on body language : nonverbals of the feet
and legs -- Torso tips : nonverbals of the torso, hips, chest, and shoulders -Knowledge within reach : nonverbals of the arms -- Getting a grip : nonverbals of the
hands and fingers -- The mind's canvas : nonverbals of the face -- Detecting deception
: proceed with caution! -- Some final thoughts. Offers advice on reading nonverbal
communication from a former FBI counterintelligence officer, and discusses the
influence of body language, behaviors that reveal sentiment, nonverbals that establish
trust and assert authority, and more.
Preston, Richard, 1954-. Panic in level 4 : cannibals, killer viruses, and other journeys to the
edge of science. 1st ed. New York : Random House, c2008.
Richard Preston shares true stories of some of the more disturbing and bizarre illnesses
and plagues in the world and the scientists who are working to understand them,
including the phenomenon of "self-cannibals," the Ebola virus, and others.
Rodriguez, Deborah. Kabul Beauty School : an American woman goes behind the veil. New
York : Random House, c2007.
Hairdresser Deborah Rodriguez details her experiences in post-Taliban Afghanistan,
discussing the opening of her beauty school and recalls the personal stories of various
women who overcame obstacles to obtain an education in cosmetology.
Royte, Elizabeth. Bottlemania : big business, local springs, and the battle over America's
drinking water. New York : Bloomsbury, 2009.
An investigation of bottled water that discusses the science, politics, economics, and
environmental issues of the industry.
Rudolph, Jessica. The flu of 1918 : millions dead worldwide! New York : Bearpoint Pub.,
c2011.
Combines first-person accounts and dramatic photographs to describe the flu pandemic
of 1918, discussing its cause, spread, consequences, and other related topics.
Sandler, Martin W. Secret subway. Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, c2009.
In 1869, Alfred Beach wanted to build America's first air-powered railway below New
York City, but Boss Tweed, powerful politician and notorious crook, opposed. Working
under night cover, Beach and his crew carved a three-hundred-foot tunnel beneath a
department store. Before long, the project was discovered and the public raved about
its potential. But no further tunnels were ever built. What happened to Beach's railway,
and where is it now?.
Sandweiss, Martha A. Passing strange : a Gilded Age tale of love and deception across the
color line. New York : Penguin Press, 2009.
Relates the story of Clarence King, a geologist who fell in love with an African-American
woman and in order to avoid being charged with miscegenation lied to her, claiming he
was an African-American railroad worker and eventually marrying her, but continued
his professional life as Clarence King without her knowing.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast food nation : the dark side of the all-American meal. 1st Harper
Perennial ed. New York : Harper Perennial, 2005, c2001.
Presents an examination of the fast food industry, tracing its history and discussing
how it arose in postwar America, as well as the impact it has had on economy, food
production, and popular culture.
Shalit, Wendy, 1975-. The good girl revolution : young rebels with self-esteem and high
standards. Ballantine Books trade pbk. ed. New York : Ballantine Books, 2008, c2007.
Introduction : my bratz problem-and ours -- "Hi, slut!" -- The new bad-girl script and
its limitations -- It's midnight : do you know where your role models are? -- Against
repression (emotional repression, that is) -- Excuse me, ma'am, have you seen my
friends? -- Pure fashion divas -- People-pleasing bad girls and rebellious good girls -Feminism's (new) fourth wave -- From diapers to bitches-and back -- Conclusion :
Who's afraid of the big bad good girl?. Discusses the author's analysis of the
objectification of women, with anecdotes about sexuality, role models, empowerment,
the hyper-sexualization of society via the mass media, and other issues related to
conservative family values.
Silverstein, Ken. The radioactive boy scout : the frightening true story of a whiz kid and his
homemade nuclear reactor. Villard Books trade pbk. ed. New York : Villard, 2005,
c2004.
Tells the story of David Hahn, the Michigan teenager who built a nuclear breeder
reactor in his backyard in 1994, endangering the residents of his Michigan hometown
and raising the ire of the federal government.
Skloot, Rebecca, 1972-. The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks. 1st ed. New York : Crown
Publishers, c2010.
Examines the experiences of the children and husband of Henrietta Lacks, who, twenty
years after her death from cervical cancer in 1951, learned doctors and researchers
took cells from her cervix without consent which were used to create the immortal cell
line known as the HeLa cell; provides an overview of Henrietta's life; and explores
issues of experimentation on African-Americans and bioethics.
Stein, Elissa. Flow : the cultural story of menstruation. 1st ed. New York : St. Martin's
Griffin, 2009.
Language -- Advertising-- Outside the box. Details the cultural history of menstruation,
discussing facts, common misconceptions, the history of underwear, menopause,
hysterectomies, therapeutic stimulation as a cure for hysteria, premenstrual syndrome,
and more; and features color reproductions of advertisements for feminine products
and devices, and a time line..
Stone, Tanya Lee. The good, the bad, and the Barbie : a doll's history and her impact on us.
New York : Viking, 2010.
Explores how Barbie has influenced generations of girls, discussing criticisms of the
doll, her role in fashion, and her surprising popularity during her first fifty years.
Satrapi, Marjane, 1969-. The complete Persepolis. 1st ed. New York : Pantheon, [2007].
Marjane Satrapi recounts her childhood and coming of age in Tehran during the Islamic
Revolution, as well as her self-imposed exile from her native country, through comic
strips that reflect how her own history is tied to the history of Iran.
Timmerman, Kelsey, 1979-. Where am I wearing? : a global tour of the countries, factories,
and people that make our clothes. Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley, c2009.
Presents an account of the author's attempts to learn about the lives, personalities, and
dreams of the people who make his five favorite clothing items, and discusses the
forces, politics, and economics of globalized labor in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, and
other places where garment workers live in poverty.
Urrea, Luis Alberto. The devil's highway : a true story. 1st Back Bay pbk. ed. New York :
Back Bay Books, 2005, c2004.
Chronicles the true story of twenty-six men who attempted to cross the Mexican border
into the southern Arizona desert known as the Devil's Highway, describing how the men
struggled to survive the desert's harsh conditions and why only twelve survived the
journey.
Venkatesh, Sudhir Alladi. Gang leader for a day : a rogue sociologist takes to the streets.
New York : Penguin Press, 2008.
"How does it feel to be black and poor?" -- First days on Federal Street -- Someone to
watch over me -- Gang leader for a day -- Ms. Bailey's neighborhood -- The hustler and
the hustled -- Black and blue -- The stay-together gang. Sudhir Venkatesh recounts
how he managed to work his way into one of Chicago's must brutal crack-dealing gangs
and describes the horrific events he witnessed, and sometimes participated in.
Walker, Rob, 1968-. Buying in : the secret dialogue between what we buy and who we are.
1st ed. New York : Random House, c2008.
Argues that people have begun embracing name brands and melding them into their
personal identities more than ever before, using products both old and new to
demonstrate how buyers participate in marketing campaigns for their favorite brands in
new and unexpected ways.
Walters, Eric, 1957-. When elephants fight : the lives of children in conflict in Afghanistan,
Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda. Victoria, BC ; : Orca Book Publishers, c2008.
Provides true accounts of the lives of five children growing up in the midst of war in Sri
Lanka, Uganda, Sarajevo, Afghanistan, and the Sudan, and examines the history of
each conflict.
Waltner-Toews, David, 1948-. Food, sex, and salmonella : why our food is making us sick.
1st Greystone Books ed. Vancouver, B.C. ; : Greystone Books, 2008.
Explores how bacteria, viruses, and parasites have made their way into the food
supply, revealing global patterns of foodborne disease and the impact they have on
human health
Welch, Diana. The kids are all right : a memoir. 1st ed. New York : Harmony Books, c2009.
The four Welch siblings--Amanda, Liz, Dan, and Diana--describe the hardships and
struggles they faced during their childhoods, which culminated with the death of their
actress mother, Ann, and resulted in their separation from one another.
Yancey, Diane. Body farms. Detroit : Lucent Books, c2009.
Explains how body farms are used to help forensic anthropologists and scientists better
understand how the human body decomposes in various conditions. Includes
photographs of bodies in different stages of decomposition.
Preston, Richard. The Demon in the Freezer
Lappe’ Marc. The Body’s Edge: Our Cultural Obsession With Skin
Roach, Mary. Stiff
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Scott, Georgia. Headwraps
Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point
Loung , Umg.
First They Killed My Father
Conroy, Pat.
My Losing Season
Krakeur, Pat
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
.