Non-fiction books worth reading

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Unusual, radical and simply interesting non-fiction publications that you do not mind spending your time on.

"Formation. The story of one scene ", Felix Sandalov

One of the most unexpected books about life in the 1990s, dedicated to the "formation" environment - the unspoken association of "Moscow existential punk". The author - music journalist Felix Sandalov - interviewed almost every participant in this cultural phenomenon. Wild years, reflected in unintelligible memories of crazy deeds, readiness for revolution at any moment, songs about favorite films, vodka and wombats. To some, this book may seem completely uninteresting. But it is in her that you should look for stories about, perhaps, the most important cultural events of the 90s.

The Wars I Have Seen by Gertrude Stein

The final part of the autobiographical trilogy of a desperately controversial writer. A Jewish woman and a lesbian who sympathized with Nazism, joking that Hitler (Adolf Hitler) was worthy of the Nobel Prize, was one of the creators of modernism who survived the occupation of France. This book, written before the end of the war, but published in Russian only now, tells the reader about the life of Stein (Gertrude Stein) in the Nazi state. But you shouldn't look for something in it, at least a little like the usual memories of the war.

“Diaries. 1976-1987 ", Andy Warhol

Diaries of Andy Warhol from 1976 until the death of the maestro. Without art, culture, love and America, of which there are so many in his other books. Facts, and nothing more: trips, prices, outfits, negotiations, meetings and impressions. Surprisingly goofy, but terribly addictive and interesting reading. Fetishism in its purest form, but what else can you expect from an artist who gave permission for a fetish to everyone?

“Superobjects. Stars the size of a city ", Sergei Popov

Neutron stars are unique objects of the Universe, about which a person far from astrophysics knows nothing. However, this is not only entertaining. They are firmly woven into the universe, and understanding the processes of appearance and life of neutron stars makes us a little closer to the Truth. The well-known popularizer of science Sergey Popov told why this is so.

“Islamic State. Army of Terror ", Michael Weiss and Hasan Hassan

The interesting creative union of an American journalist and a Syrian political scientist, who had watched events in the Middle East for many years, resulted in a harsh warning to the whole world. This book is the most understandable explanation of where the mass of armed fanatics came from, how ISIS appeared and functions, and why it is so dangerous not only for Europeans.

“From ritual to record. The Nature of Modern Sports ", Allen Guttman

The classic work of the American sociologist and philosopher Allen Guttmann appeared in 1978 and, perhaps, became the first serious study of sports as a social phenomenon. Only in Russian it was published quite recently. Despite the ease and fascination of presentation, Guttman conducts a very serious cultural research. How did the idea of the record come about? How did sport become an incentive tool for workers under capitalism? You will learn about this and much more from the book.

“A century of ambition. Wealth, Truth and Faith in the New China ", Evan Oznos

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Evan Osnos has lived in China for eight years. The features of this amazing state, which rose from the plow only in the middle of the 20th century and conquered the whole world, are shown from all sides. Amazing, mysterious, mysterious, but very familiar.

How to Control Slaves by Jerry Toner

A kind of manual-instruction of an ancient top manager, a Roman patrician named Mark Sidonius Falx, dedicated to managing people. There is everything here: from the rules for acquiring an "employee" to methods of motivation and "disposal". On behalf of the patrician, the book was written by the famous British historian Jerry Toner, so the historical facts are verified according to dozens of sources from Aristotle to Cato. The collection of age-old advice on the art of management will be useful for leaders of organizations, teachers, and administrators, even the military, not to mention lovers of the history of Ancient Rome.

Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty

Thomas Piketty is an internationally renowned economist, Lead Research Fellow at the Paris Graduate School of Social Sciences (EHESS) and Professor at the Paris School of Economics (PSE). It reveals an interesting pattern: rapid economic growth reduces the role of capital and its concentration in private hands and leads to a decrease in inequality in society, while a slowdown in growth leads to an increase in the value of capital and an increase in inequality.

Another warning book on our list, because today the gap between the poor and the rich is steadily widening, and this will sooner or later lead to sad social and political consequences. But the author not only studies, he proposes solutions to problems.

Interstellar. Science behind the scenes ", Kip Thorne

An explanatory book for Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. It will help you understand gravity, black holes, the fifth dimension and other phenomena that are shown in the film. (It was Thorne who was the scientific advisor to this unique, most credible science fiction picture of recent years.) In addition, the book tells about how this knowledge was obtained and how scientists hope to clarify what remains unknown. …

The text is beautifully illustrated, stuffed with infographics and diagrams, so it will not be difficult to understand the most interesting mysteries of the Universe.