Thursday, February 22, 2007

Non-fiction 5 Challenge


UPDATE!

Here is my hopefully final list. Since I have already read Aman, and plan to read Desert Flower soon, I'm replacing these with two other books, both on my TBR challenge list.

Thank god this challenge isn't starting for a few months, or I might become challenged out.

This could change at the drop of a hat, as I might read some of these books before April. But, right now my five books are:
1. Aman: The Story of a Somali Girl by Virginia Lee Barnes
2. Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad by Waris Dirie

1. Nickel and Dimed - Barbara Ehrenreich
2. Survival in Auschwitz - Primo Levi
3. Jihad vs McWorld by Benjamin Barber
4. The Great Influenza by John Barry
5. Human Cargo by Caroline Moorehead

15 comments:

Happy Reader said...

Nyssaneala,
Quite interesting picks! I am looking forward to the reviews :)
Chitts

sally906 said...

I read Desert Flower a couple of years ago - was very moving.

kookie said...

I'm in the Non-fiction Five Challenge, too. A friend of mine recommended 'The Great Influenza' but I just couldn't get into it. I hope you enjoy it.

Nyssaneala said...

happy reader - Thanks! I took a break from reading books related to my work (with refugees); I decided it was time I got back to it.

sally906 - Desert Flower has been on my TBR list for years! I hope to finally get around to actually reading it.

kookiejar - It should be a fun challenge. I saw you have Reading Lolita in Tehran on your list, a great book!

Joy said...

Hi NyssaNeala! Glad to have you with us in the NFF Challenge. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody's picks. I don't recognize any of yours, but what's new? This is a great way to get new ideas!

Happy Reading!
Joy

twiga92 said...

The Great Influenza sounds interesting. So hard to pick isn't it?

Nyssaneala said...

Hi Joy! Mine will certainly change, as I will probably read 3 of my choices in the coming weeks.

twiga92 - it does sound interesting. My father-in-law gave it to my husband, but I will probably be the first to read it in our family!

Literary Feline said...

I admit that I can be quite picky about the nonfiction that catches my fancy and I have to say that all of your titles have done just that, Nyssaneala. I'll be curious to read your thoughts on each of them!

Lotus Reads said...

I LOVE your picks! I have #'s 1,2,4 and 5 on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I think I have more or less decided to include "Human Cargo" for the challenge...it will be interesting to discuss it with you especially as you know so much about how this ( the rights of refugees etc.) works.

maggie moran said...

Man, the flu is going around like a hot potato! Reading The Great Influenza would be very timely.

Amy said...

I have read Nickel and Dimed. I really enjoyed it. I am checking into some of your other titles as I am intrigued.

LK said...

Hello, I've read 1 and4 of your list -- very good. I have the Barber book, but never read it! I vow, since reading Dark Ages of America, that I will pick it up soon.

Nyssaneala said...

Maggie - don't I know it! I'm lucky I seemed to have evaded it for the most part this winter.

amy - I have heard a lot of mixed reviews for Nickel and Dimed. I'm looking forward to reading it.

lk - I'm hoping 3) will be able to keep my attention for the whole book, without making me feel as if I'm back working on my master's thesis! I've never heard of Dark Ages...will have to look that up.

Bookfool said...

I'm also relieved that the NFF doesn't start for a few months; one can become challenge-weary quickly.

Your title choices sound great. I'm still thinking about what I'll read. I have lots of nonfiction lying about, so it's a matter of narrowing down and trying to choose titles that I won't read before the challenge begins. Looks like you have that problem, too. :)

teabird said...

Nickeled and Dimed is a wonderful book - you'll never take anything about Walmart and other conglomerates for granted again, and you will look at workers such as waitresses with much more understanding of how grueling their lives can be.