Cindy is the best. That’s all you need to know. Oh, also, she leads the Stranger Than Fiction Book Club, which she’ll tell you all about.
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This list of favorites stems from the books I have read while leading the Stranger Than Fiction Book Club (STFBC) which is dedicated to reading anything and everything non-fiction. Ranging from cultural studies, science to history, all non-fiction genres are fair game. We meet every 3rd Wed of the month in BookPeople’s CoffeeShop at 7pm.
On Dec. 21st we will discuss The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore and on January 18th will discuss the ever humorous Bill Bryson and his memoir The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. Come on by and say “hi”.
The Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne
Best known as the singer for the Talking Heads David Byrne is now using his fame to promote biking as transportation and recreation. He set up forums during his book tour to encourage discussion and change. May the streets of Austin someday be as safe as those in Berlin.
Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt
Filled with studies and facts about drivers in the U.S. and from around the world. Find out the physiological reason we shouldn’t drive and talk on cell phones (and no it’s not just because your mom said not to) and how our commute time relates to the physical setup of ancient Roman cities.
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann
David Grann’s smooth writing style covers topics ranging from Willingham’s controversial arson conviction to sandhogs constructing a crucial third water tunnel in NYC. Each chapter discusses a completely different and unique topic which means this book has a little something for everyone.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
An important hitherto untold story about human cells that refused to grow old or die. HeLa affects our lives in more ways than we’ll ever know. This book was years in the making and Rebecca Skloot’s reveals itself time and again.
The Other Wes Moore by …. Wes Moore
This memoir reads like a novel as 2 boys’ lives are chronicled. Fatherless and living in similar rough neighborhoods in Baltimore one man ends up serving a life sentence and the other received a full ride to Oxford. Well researched with first-hand interviews, this book is a fascinating case study.
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