Good Reads - Nonfiction

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2005 Archives

December

381.45 BUR
The King's English: Adventures of an Independent Bookseller by Betsy Burton
Since 1977 Burton has presided over The King's English Bookstore in Salt Lake City. She describes herself as a "natural-born matchmaker," clearly delighting in selling the right book to the right person. Her adventures in book retailing include encounters with assorted well-known authors. She bravely invited Jon Krakauer into her Mormon community to speak about Under the Banner of Heaven, his provocative book that many of her neighbors resent.

Burton champions the endangered independent bookseller, and shares personal stories about the challenges of marriage and mothering a handicapped child. Bibliophiles will especially appreciate her dozens of book lists (25 Mysteries to Die For, 25 Books on Reading Good Books). The appendix also includes lists of favorites submitted by independent bookstores throughout the country, including Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville.

641.5956 ABU
The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber
Following two impressive novels about the Arab-American experience, Diana Abu-Jaber unveils her coming-of-age memoir of bicultural life in upstate New York with her Jordanian father and her American mother. Always restless and seeking, her father moved his family back to Jordan, where they struggled to fit into life with his extended Bedouin family. Returning to America, they still struggled to fit into the middle-class suburban mold.

Much of life for the Abu-Jabers revolved around the traditions of the kitchen, where her exuberant father took full command, cooking and telling stories of his culinary heritage. These stories, the author came to realize, "turned out to be about something much larger: grace, difference, faith, love."

This memoir of family and acceptance is suffused with recipes from a rich cultural legacy. Even though the reader may have never eaten anything quite like it, each recipe intrigues and tantalizes.

Biography ALDA, A.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned by Alan Alda
Alan Alda has not written the biography you might have imagined. Devoid of kiss-and-tell tales and oversized ego, his personal story begins with a childhood traveling the vaudeville circuit with his actor father and schizophrenic mother. The untimely demise of his boyhood dog Rhapsody, and the fiasco that followed a trip to the taxidermist, occasioned the first of many life lessons Alda is willing to share concerning the turning points in his life. Other early epiphanies came during his bout with polio, his search for faith, and his attempts to meld career and family.

Striving to grow as a person and an artist, he conquered his ambition to write and direct. Even though he had won awards for his portrayal of Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H, it was when he was recognized for his scriptwriting that he did a handstand in the aisles.

Although written in a genial, conversational style, Alda's memoir boldly confronts the complicated feelings he has for each of his parents. In a life characterized by curiosity and caring, coming to understand and accept them is perhaps the greatest lesson he has learned.

November

305.569 SHI
The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler
In 1997 the author, a Pulitzer Prize winner, decided to seek out and write about those people in a prospering United States economy who are essentially "left behind." He finds and interviews migrant farmworkers in North Carolina, garment workers in New Hampshire, illegal immigrants in Los Angeles, and others who work in low-paying jobs that are, in many cases, essential to the economy. Not content simply to describe the individual's situation, the author places the job or industry in question into the economic marketplace in which it belongs. If you found the book Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich to be compelling, then you will be equally absorbed by this account of daily struggles happening to real people. It provides a thought-provoking, revealing look at issues that affect the standard of living in the United States today.

324.973 CHA
1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft & Debs—the Election That Changed the Country by James Chace
This book examines a time period in American history almost a century ago when both the Republican and Democratic political parties had inner battles going on between labor-oriented progressives and conservatives aligned with big business. At the end of his second term as President, Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican and the first progressive, supports William Howard Taft as his successor. But Taft's first term is dominated by the conservatives, leading to a split with Roosevelt, who then creates his own Bull Moose party. The same battle in the Democratic party results in the nomination of Woodrow Wilson as the progressive reform candidate. The fourth candidate, Eugene Debs of the Socialist party, draws more votes for his party than in any election both before or since 1912. The glimpses into official Washington and the political processes of the time shed light on current events, and the author weaves the story into an interesting book, well worth reading.

598.07234 KOE
To See Every Bird on Earth: A Father, a Son, and a Lifelong Obsession by Dan Koeppel
Koeppel weaves the story of his family history into an account of his father's lifelong pursuit of birding. Most would think of birdwatching as a tame hobby followed on weekends by people with a love of the outdoors and a set of binoculars. This book explains what the life of a "Big Lister" includes. Once local and regional birds have been observed and added to the list, for some the passion develops into a need "to see every bird on earth." How this passion affects their father-son relationship and how that relationship changes over the years becomes a second theme which unfolds in the book. Learn what Lumpers and Splitters are, and discover how the search for every species of bird contributes to the science of ornithology and to a deeper appreciation of the earth and its ecosystems.

October

306.0973 JOH
Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter by Steven Johnson
An astute analysis of how our leisure activities have become increasingly complex over the last two decades, requiring more interaction, analysis and decision making. Johnson focuses on video games, television shows, film and the Internet to make his case. He discusses the influence of each media in turn. For example as video games become more complex, they challenge the player to decipher the rules of the game as well as its objectives in the process of playing. Interactive games change as the player moves through them. Such games more closely resemble real life because of the degree of ambiguity they teach users to anticipate. He remarks on the similarity of some features of video games and reality television shows.

The author also discusses the multiple story threads in recent television shows where background information is omitted so that more interaction is expected of the viewer to understand the story. In some shows, like The West Wing, a great deal of information is intentionally missing. He is able to show that the more mentally demanding programs are also the most successful.

Interestingly, Johnson notes that new technology is often evaluated with the criteria of existing technology. He turns the tables to show what criticism of the "new technology" of reading books would be if the population had been accustomed to playing video games for hundreds of years. This book is thought-provoking and worthy of your time.

617.88 CHO
Rebuilt: How Becoming Part Computer Made Me More Human by Michael Chorost
The author was born hearing-impaired due to a rubella outbreak during his mother's pregnancy. For most of his life he was able to hear adequately with the help of two hearing aids. However, on a business trip in 2001, he suddenly lost almost all of his hearing. This is the story of his sudden isolation from society and his slow trip back with the aid of a cochlear implant.

The author expresses his concern that he has become a cyborg: part human, part machine. He points out that after such surgery computer programmers are "mediating a person's perception of reality by computationally controlling nerve endings inside the body." Chorost is very reluctant to relinquish his body's control of his hearing. He offers a literate and thoughtful analysis of whether this makes him less of a human being.

The author's experiences accepting and adjusting to the cochlear implant will be invaluable to anyone who is considering such surgery or knows someone who uses this device. The book includes a rather technical discussion of cochlear implants. This portion would be of special interest to a computer programmer or an engineer. This is a provocative look at how technology is changing our lives.

973.099 FIR
First Daughters: Letters between U.S. Presidents and Their Daughters
Compiled from the collection of presidential correspondence held by the Smithsonian Institution, this book offers first-hand insight into our country's history and the men who shaped it. Well-chosen letters reveal something of the personalities behind the famous names. Some of the letters reveal the tenor of the times. A number of our leaders were relatively formal toward their daughters, merely reporting their activities and the events in which they participated. John Adams writes to his daughter about the first celebration of the nation's independence which had been rather hastily organized. Ronald Reagan's letters show that he was a wordsmith even in private, and Theodore Roosevelt's humor and love for his family shine through. This is a quick but revealing survey of the relationships between first fathers and their daughters. You may revise your opinion of one or two of our leaders after reading their letters.

September

305.26 KID
Old Friends by Tracy Kidder
This touching portrait of the Linda Manor nursing home in Northampton, Massachusetts centers on the friendship of two elderly roommates. Lou is a 90-year-old widower with a gentle humor, and Joe is a gritty 72-year-old stroke victim. The two move forward, day by day, surrounded by a cast of homey characters that is varied in everything but their age. Sorrowful Winifred can no longer lift herself out of bed; Bob's stroke has left him with only a few choice phrases to use repeatedly; Eleanor is the self-proclaimed Linda Manor vaudeville show director. Through the seasons at Linda Manor, readers come to know the quirks of many of those in this place, which for most will be their last home. This is a graceful and flavorful helping of a slice of life that many are fearful of tasting, but which, with the author's touch, seems to go down easier.

342.085 LIE
And the Walls Came Tumbling Down: Closing Arguments That Changed the Way We Live, From Protecting Free Speech to Winning Women's Suffrage to Defending the Right to Die by Michael S. Lief and H. Mitchell Caldwell
There is currently much discussion about our country's courts and the decisions made in them. This is a fascinating view of our changing culture through arguments brought before the legislature. The arguments here are compelling to read, and the added background by the authors broadens the book into a well-rounded look at how legislation has moved society in new directions. Individual stories set in their cultural context are expressively told, bringing each case to life. Landmark court battles that redefined our civil rights are eloquently argued, including the Amistad case over enslavement, Susan B. Anthony's vote-casting furor, John Henry Faulk's challenge of McCarthy era blacklisting, Larry Flynt's part in defining free speech, Carrie Buck and the fight over reproductive sterilization, Karen Ann Quinlan and others. From freedom of the press to freedom over our own bodies, this collection of cases is powerful and thought provoking.

599.789 CRO
The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal by Vicki Constantine Croke
Author Croke re-opens the history books with the amazing tale of Ruth Harkness, dress-designing socialite turned explorer, who braved the wilds of Asia to do what no man was able to do—bring a living Giant Panda out of the country. Inspired by her husband who died trying to capture a live panda, Harkness left the parties of New York to launch a hunting campaign with no experience and almost no money. With the aid of friends made along the way, with the help of her handsome Chinese guide Quentin Young, and through her own sheer determination, Harkness succeeded in her quest. The author sets this quest squarely in the two worlds which the explorer moved. The writing conjures up the essence of both the East and West, liquor-filled parties of 1930s America and remote, mysterious mountains of China and Tibet. Harkness's bold and conflicted life jumps off the pages in this well told tale.

August

610.92 TRA
On Call: A Doctor's Days and Nights in Residency by Emily R. Transue
During her three years as a resident in internal medicine, Transue kept a journal of her experiences with patients, medical students and other doctors. These stories are insightful, captivating and often moving and, best of all, never resort to the kind of melodrama or medical parlance that one finds in Hollywood tales of hospital life. The reader follows Transue's growth as a doctor, her grudging acceptance of death, and the very human way that she deals with all types of illness and suffering. A must read for anyone considering the medical profession, and a fascinating look into that world for the rest of us.

973.099 VOW
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
Another offbeat and often hilarious offering from Vowell, who shares her adventures and misadventures in visiting historical sites related, often tangentially, to the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. With her unique voice—often irreverent, partisan, and full of surprises—Vowell offers history with a twist. In doing so, whether by reflecting on the motivations of the assassins or commenting on the garishness of some historical displays, she presents insights and understandings that are missing elsewhere.

510.79 OLS
Count Down: Six Kids Vie for Glory at the World's Toughest Math Competition by Steve Olson
While stories of overburdened kids training relentlessly for competitive success are becoming common these days, the setting of this story might be surprising—not the soccer field or basketball court, but the International Mathematical Olympiad of 2001. Olson presents the six American competitors and their coaches, and reflects on the qualities of inspiration, imagination, confidence and creativity that allow them to solve such seemingly difficult math problems. He is also able to explain the solutions to the problems in a way that is interesting without being too technical. As the story progresses the reader is cheering for the competitors, admiring their abilities, and puzzling over the solutions.

July

081 QUI
Thinking Out Loud: On the Personal, the Political, the Public and the Private by Anna Quindlen
In a compilation of her essays, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Anna Quindlen explores the controversial domain where public and private problems converge. Quindlen reveals both what's in her mind and what's at the heart of the concerns that matter in Thinking Out Loud. She examines the private dimensions of such public issues as the horror of war, the right to die, and sexual harassment. Quindlen uses her perspective as a woman, wife, and mother to write with sensibility, humor, and compassion.

428.2 TRU
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss
British literary editor Truss has accomplished a great feat with Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Who could have predicted that a book about grammar would top the bestseller list in both the United Kingdom and the United States? Through sloppy usage and low standards on the Internet, in email, and now text messages, we have made proper punctuation an endangered species. Truss claims that it is time to look at our commas and semicolons and see them as the wonderful and necessary things they are. This is a book for people who love punctuation!

Biography Dumas, F.
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas
In 1972, when she was seven, the author and her family moved from Iran to Southern California. This lighthearted memoir recalls her family's adjustment to a new country, culture, and language. It is both sentimental and humorous. The author is particularly good when making gentle fun of her father, who loves Disneyland and once competed on the game show Bowling for Dollars. The memoir continues with a look at her marriage to a Frenchman and the birth of their children.

June

977.311 HAR
Another Way Home: The Tangled Roots of Race in One Chicago Family by Ronne Hartfield
Hartfield's mother, Day Shepherd, could have passed for white but chose to embrace her mixed- race identity. The author notes there is a dearth of happy mixed-race family stories. Her family managed to live with grace and resilience even within the severe limitations of racial restrictions in the South, where the tale begins, and later in Chicago. Hartfield traces her mother's journey from Louisiana plantation to the quadroon and octoroon societies of New Orleans. Disillusioned with New Orleans, she soon joined her brother to make her home in Bronzeville, the center of black Chicago during the first half of the twentieth century. This moving memoir celebrates the achievements and losses of a remarkable American family and offers a fascinating look at biracial America.

917.3 DUN
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip by Dayton Duncan
In 1903 there were only 150 miles of paved road in the nation. This did not deter Dr. Horatio Jackson from accepting an impulsive $50 bet that he could drive his Winston, capable of a mere 30 mph, from San Francisco to New York in 90 days. Financed by his wealthy wife, he set out with his mechanic friend Sewell Crocker, adopting Bud the bulldog along the way. Following old trails, the travelers were plagued with flat tires, broken axles, washed out roads and losing their way. Most of the people they encountered had never seen an automobile. Their arrival in small towns caused much excitement and elevated them to local heroes. Excerpts from letters to his wife, newspaper accounts from towns along the way, and many photographs bring to life their adventures. The book is the companion volume to the Ken Burns PBS documentary.

598.07234 OBM
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
In one of the wackiest competitions around, every year hundreds of obsessed bird watchers participate in a contest known as the North American Big Year. Hoping to be the one to spot the most species during the course of the year, each birder spends 365 days racing around the continental U.S. and Canada compiling lists of birds, all for the glory of being recognized by the American Birding Association as the Big Year birding champion of North America. In this book journalist Obmascik describes the contest and follows three colorful characters who are the top contenders in the 1998 competition. The story is taken from post-competition interviews, but he writes it as if he were with them every step of the way. The reader is kept guessing the outcome in this fun account of a whirlwind pursuit of birding fame.

May

232.9 COX
When Jesus Came to Harvard: Making Moral Choices Today by Harvey Cox
When Harvard Divinity School professor Harvey Cox was asked to teach a course on Jesus and morality for undergraduates at Harvard College in the early 1980s, he had reservations about the idea. Is morality something that can be taught in a classroom? To his surprise, it became wildly popular and for fifteen years, students flocked to the course. With this book, Cox gives the rest of us a look at the topics and discussions that occurred in class. Interestingly, he employs the same style of teaching that "Rabbi Jesus" used, and some of the moral issues and questions talked about by Jesus are ones that we are still talking about today. Those wanting to learn more about ideas on morality and in Jesus' teachings will find this a valuable read.

362.196748 OHA
The Book of Kehls by Christine Kehls O'Hagan
Muscular dystrophy has shaped the author's life. She watched her brother die of the disease, and learned that two of her uncles also were victims of it. Tempting fate, she has two sons, and ends up watching the younger one, Jamie, struggle with the disease. What is it like to have your life framed by young men in wheelchairs, and death? How does a mother handle the fact that, since she is a carrier, she is the one who not only gave life to her son, but also death? How can her life and family be so joyful in the midst of sadness? This is a beautifully written memoir of a courageous and thoughtful woman.

508.074 PIC
The Rarest of the Rare by Nancy Pick
The Harvard Museum of Natural History is one of the oldest and most important museums of its kind. The Rarest of the Rare begins by detailing the history of the institution and collectors. The rest of the book contains descriptions, as well as beautiful pictures, of many of the most interesting items in the collection. Want to see the only remaining stuffed bird from the Lewis and Clark expedition? A sand dollar collected by Charles Darwin on the Beagle? The shell from the largest species of turtle ever discovered? Anyone interested in science or nature will enjoy this book.

April

363.2 TRU
True Blue: Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them
After the terrorist attacks of September 2001, Las Vegas Police Sergeant Randy Sutton decided to ask fellow law enforcement officers from around the country to write about police life, in the hopes of showing "who we really are to those we are sworn to protect." The resulting stories are compelling, heart-wrenching and occasionally even humorous. Each essay is short (none are longer than 10 pages) and falls into one of five categories: The Beat, Line of Duty, War Stories, Officer Down, and Ground Zero. They cover all aspects of a police officer's life, from mundane traffic stops and bungling criminals, to the tragic cases of missing children and murder investigations. Especially heartbreaking are the stories of the September 11 attacks. The emotional aspects of the job are palpable and it is easy to see why many police officers put up "barbed wire around their hearts to protect them."

636.7 KON
Ella in Europe: An American Dog's International Adventures by Michael Konik
In 1994, the author adopted a dog, a white Labrador mix named Ella. In 2002, as a reward for her years of devotion and friendship, Konik decided to take Ella on a six week trip to Europe. Despite his concern that they would be turned away, he and Ella stayed in hotels, ate in four-star restaurants and cafes, and went swimming in the Danube, all with a cheerful welcome from everyone they met. In Europe, Ella was allowed to go to places that American dogs can only dream of. They rode in trains, taxis, horse-drawn carriages, and even a gondola. Ella was friendly and well-behaved, and people were drawn to her everywhere they went. At the Eiffel Tower, more people were interested in taking pictures of Ella than of the tower! Konik is constantly amazed that Ella is always herself, whether she is eating in a five-star restaurant or chasing squirrels in her backyard at home. The author clearly expresses his love for his dog and their strong bond is evident in this heartwarming story that will appeal to animal lovers and armchair travelers alike.

641.5973 SUT
Cookoff: Recipe Fever in America by Amy Sutherland
"Heartbreak, glory and big money on the competitive cooking circuit." The author was sent to cover the 2000 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest. In this new millennium with women CEOs, Title IX, and female Supreme Court justices, she wondered why cooking contests not only still exist but are thriving. This book is her answer. She spent the year crisscrossing the country, meeting the contestants at competitions like the Great Garlic Cook-Off, National Chicken Cook-Off and the granddaddy of them all, the Pillsbury Bake-Off. She follows a small group of regular, often fanatical, participants as they square off against amateur one-time-only contenders. With a dash of humor, Sutherland reveals the inside stories and nail-biting moments as the contestants do battle with their recipes. She follows the process, from developing new dishes and coordinating their outfits to their presentation, and includes the disasters and pitfalls that can ensue for both professional and amateur alike. As a bonus, some of the award-winning recipes are included.

March

362.734 TUC
Love in the Driest Season: A Family Memoir by Neely Tucker
Journalist Neely Tucker covered so many international atrocities that he had become emotionally numb. The war zones of Eastern Europe, the U.S. embassy bombing in Nairobi, and genocide in sub-Saharan Africa were all part of his beat. "The steady stream of violence had worn away my natural sense of compassion to the point where I could cover almost any horror but felt very little about anything at all." Then the white Mississippian and his African American wife moved to Zimbabwe where the specter of AIDS hung over legions of orphaned and unwanted children. When Tucker met Chipo, a newborn girl who had been abandoned under an acacia tree for ants to crawl on, he experienced an emotional awakening that compelled the couple to pursue adoption. Despite the tangled knot of bureaucracy they encountered, and the increasingly anti-Western sentiment enveloping them, their story is the triumph of love over bias, suspicion and indifference.

940.5451 KUR
Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson
Shipwreck diving is a sport for pioneers who are compelled to explore secrets that history has left on the ocean floor. In Shadow Divers, Chicago author Robert Kurson unravels an adventure yarn about the discovery and perilous investigation of a U-boat found 65 miles off the New Jersey coast in 1991. Although John Chatterton and Richie Kohler began as adversaries, they came together with a team of other wreck divers to identify the sub that is a watery tomb for 56 German seamen. No U.S. or German records contained accounts of a U-boat being lost in New Jersey waters. Men would die and marriages would fail to satisfy the Americans' obsession with this World War II enigma.

Biography WORTH, A.
The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief by Ben Macintyre
He was labeled the Napoleon of crime by none other than Scotland Yard's head of criminal investigation. Conan Doyle immortalized him as the model for the fictitious Professor Moriarity. Yet American-born Adam Worth is mostly forgotten in this country. His criminal career began during the Civil War and eventually led him to England, where he reinvented himself as British aristocracy and moved easily among Victorian society. From 1875 to 1892 he was the mastermind of crimes largely executed by others. Worth's obsession with Gainsborough's portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, and his pursuit by the Pinkerton Detective Agency form the core of this portrayal of one of the great rogues of the 19th century.

February

363.349 SCO
Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 by R. A. Scotti
Although the great hurricane of 1938 is not a storm that most Americans would recall today, it was the fourth deadliest storm in U.S. history. The author, a native Rhode Islander, has written a well-researched, very readable and suspense-filled book about this hurricane, which hit the heavily populated coastal areas of Long Island and New England without warning on September 21, 1938, claiming almost 700 lives and costing $4.7 billion in today's dollars. She chronicles the events of that day in amazing detail and follows several groups of people in the afflicted areas. The author even places Katharine Hepburn and the racehorse Seabiscuit in the events of that day. This tragedy may pale in comparison to the epic tsunami of December 2004; however, in this vivid account we learn what happened that day when the Weather Bureau failed to warn people of a powerful oncoming hurricane that brought a storm surge of wind-driven water over land.

643.7 LAR
Gutted: Down to the Studs in My House, My Marriage, My Entire Life by Lawrence LaRose
This book follows the changes in a young couple's life that occur as a result of their purchase of a small 1950s-era "toenail-yellow" Cape Cod house in Sag Harbor, New York. The author/husband takes the reader through the emotional roller coaster that he and his wife undergo during the two years following their decision, which was based on financial necessity and a somewhat romantic outlook on the whole process. Always looking for the humor in a situation, the author also expresses his frustrations, anger and near-despair in his dealings with the local Zoning Board, numerous contractors and vendors, friends and family. The strain this venture puts on his very new marriage is another theme which keeps the reader interested to the last page.

974.3 WRE
Walking to Vermont: From Times Square into the Green Mountains—a Homeward Adventure by Christopher S. Wren
The author of this book is a seasoned journalist, with much of his career spent as a reporter and editor for the New York Times in various locations around the globe. He chose to enter retirement by walking from his office in Manhattan to his home in central Vermont, carrying a 50-pound pack on his back. His main route was the Appalachian Trail, which he reached at the New York/Connecticut state line, having first traversed a variety of jogging paths, side roads and busy highways. The author's life work and his skill as a writer are reflected in numerous memories of events from his career. This book will allow the reader to experience vicariously the physical and mental challenges of a hiking adventure and to contemplate whether he would have the stamina to set a goal like this and accomplish it.

January

031 JAC
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A.J. Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs writes in a wonderfully amusing conversational style. Follow his progress as he reads the entire Encyclopedia Britannica, sharing insights and observations on entries from A–Z. This book is a trivia-lover's delight, with only the best parts included. The book is more than just an enumeration of facts, however. It is also a quirky memoir as Jacobs reveals a lot about his life while making observations on what he has learned. He is able to laugh at himself by revealing episodes when he tried to work his newfound, obscure knowledge into conversations with his hapless associates. Don't miss this one.

332.644 LYN
Leg the Spread: A Woman's Adventures Inside the Trillion-Dollar Boys' Club of Commodities Trading by Cari Lynn
This is an eye-opening, "we're not in Kansas anymore" view of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The author explores the workings and culture of the Merc. She captures the frenetic speed and stomach-churning risk of daily trading while explaining the method of the seeming madness on the trading floor. Through interviews and observations, Lynn relates the lore and history of commodities, futures, and options trading and rubs elbows with the movers and shakers, among them several women who will earn your admiration as they pioneer their way through an unwelcoming men-only mentality. There is a Jekyll-and-Hyde nature to those working in the pits, where aggression, greed and self-interest are the qualities needed for success. This is a fascinating introduction to the roller coaster ride that is the Merc.

791.447 GRO
All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians, and Artists by Terry Gross
Terry Gross is the host of NPR's Fresh Air, an interview program where she talks with people in the public eye. This book is a compilation of conversations she has had with performers, writers and artists. Her goal was to find a connection between her guests' lives and their work. Gross chose to include conversations that are "entertaining, thought-provoking and worthy of your time." Find out what it was like for Nicholas Cage to eat a live cockroach for a scene in a movie or why Johnny Cash always wore black. Some of the interviews may spark your interest in the works of an actor or author that you had not considered before. You're sure to find a few of your favorite performers or authors included in this insightful and fast-reading collection.