Lu/Leslie at Regular Rumination asks us to Be/Become/Ask the Expert:
Share a list of titles that you have read on a particular topic, create a wish list of titles that you’d like to read about a particular topic, or ask your fellow Nonfiction November participants for suggestions on a particular topic.
Well, I have two three ongoing projects, and I’d love to have suggestions for either.
My U.S. Presidents Project is stalled at the moment, but I’d like to take it back up in January. I have a copy of David McCullough’s Truman waiting for me to get around to it. And here I have a list of presidential biographies I’d like to read. What books should I add to my list? Leave me a comment about any biographies of U.S. presidents that you’ve read and enjoyed, and please leave a link to your review, if you wrote one.
My Africa reading project is also ongoing. I was trying to focus on one are of Africa each year, but that idea fell by the wayside when I would find a book set in another part of Africa that I wanted to read. So any nonfiction about Africa or African countries?
I almost forgot about this list of 50 Nonfiction Books for 50 States. Do you have any suggestions to add to this list?
I am going to enjoy exploring other bloggers’ nonfiction reading lists and projects. I may have to restrain myself from taking on another reading project as a result of reading others’ lists.
I love your Presidents list–what a great project!
Since you don’t have a title listed yet for Bill Clinton, I’d suggest First In His Class by David Maranniss–I read it when it first came out and thought it was really interesting.
I’ve read a few of the books that you’ve already listed, including the Jimmy Carter title, the James Garfield book ( LOVED IT!!!) and the Robert Caro. I’ve actually read all 4 of Caro’s LBJ bios and am anxiously awaiting the 4th and final volume which should be ready in the next 2-3 years!
I’m hearing good things about George W’s biography of his father (I think it is a legitimate bio although I haven’t seen a copy yet), so that might make a good one to add to your President’s List. I’ve been trying to read at least a book a month on the Civil War, mixing in some historical fiction on the war as sort of a break. I’m pretty close to being on schedule so far.
Thanks so much for sharing your list of presidential biographies. You just saved me a lot of work for my future project 🙂
Long ago, I read the Truman biography written by his daughter. It was worth reading but no great shakes.
I have Gore Vidal’s Lincoln on my TBR pile – but that is probably more historical fiction or fictionalised history?
Several other bloggers have highlighted the Kennedy era, so I won’t go there. As an Aussie, the rest of my knowledge about American presidents and politics comes from West Wing 😛
As for Africa, I read a fascinating bio on the Leakey family called Ancestral Passions years ago, which featured their life and times working in various African nations. And there is, of course Isak Dineson’s Out of Africa.
I’m working on reading a book from every country, so I have some suggestions for Africa! The Antelope Strategy by Jean Hatzfeld is an oral history of the lives of the survivors and perpetrators of the Rwandan massacre that focuses on how they deal with living side-by-side after such terrible violence. A tough book, but a really fascinating one. Another interesting book is One Day I Will Write about This Place by Binyavanga Wainaina. It is an unusual memoir by a Kenyan author, full of word play and experimental writing.
I wish I could give you some recommendations, but these are topics I don’t know very much about! It sounds like you got some great recommendations in the comments, though.