This poor, neglected, red-headed step-child of a genre was sadly under-represented on my shelves.

Over the last month, I’ve attempted to remedy this and I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. In fact, I may be going a little overboard in trying to make up for such an oversight.

I have to admit, it’s been a challenge to find enjoyable non-fiction that can compete with the storytelling of gifted fiction writers.  But now that I have co-workers knowledgeable about its contents and bloggers I follow who’ve had some great recommendations, I’ve found it easier to sift through and find some real gems.  The following are one’s I’m reading, just finished reading, and hope to read some time this year.

Autobiographies:

My Life in France by Julia Child
The Color of Water by James McBride
Life by Keith Richards

Memoirs:

Roasting In Hell’s Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay
Kitchen Confidential and A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain
Just Kids by Patti Smith

History:

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis
The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir

Creative Non-Fiction:

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
On Writing by Stephen King
Half-Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls

Sciences:

Voices of the Winds: Native American Legends by Margot Edmonds & Ella E. Clark
Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

You may notice that when it comes to memoirs and biographies, I tend to go for those by chefs. No surprise really as I love to cook and if I had my choice between a kitchen or a bedroom, I would be sleeping blissfully snuggled up against my stove.

Running a close second are ones about musicians. That’s because of my husband who plays bass guitar. He doesn’t read as much as I do for enjoyment, but when he does, it’s invariably about a rock star or group. So I’ve been reading whatever he’s picked up. I have to say I’ve liked all I’ve read so far.

As for history, in the past I read mostly European (mainly British). But this year I decided to go domestic. In addition to what’s listed above, I have 1776 and John Adams – both by David McCullough and highly recommended.

Creative non-fiction surprised me. Turns out I’ve read some and didn’t know it. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is an excellent example. Later this year, I hope to get to The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe.

The last section on my list is the newest for me. Right now I’m thumbing through sections of Voices of the Winds and loving it.

After reflecting on all I’ve done over the last year to up my non-fiction reading, I feel better about what I’ve accomplished.

How about you? What are you doing to expand your reading repertoire?

The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band
by Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, and Nikki Sixx with Neil Strauss
Non-Fiction (Autobiography), 430 pages

itbooks an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

FTC Disclosure: Purchased

From the publisher: This unbelievable autobiography explores the rebellious lives of four of the most influential icons in American rock history.

Usually, I pay no attention to what’s written on a book jacket. But the reader, my husband, says this is nearly dead on. Especially the “unbelievable” part. In fact, many times while reading this story I heard him mutter, “How can these guys still by alive?”

He loved Nikki Sixx’s book The Heroin Diaries, so when a friend suggested this would be a great follow-up, he didn’t hesitate. This says a lot since he’s not a reader like me. He will only read recommendations and books about subjects he’s interested in.

Growing up and playing bass guitar, he has a knowledge and background I don’t have when it comes to rock bands like Mötley Crüe.

Yes, I listened to them, but I never knew all the members by name or could list any of their albums. My tastes at that time were a little south of that. Literally. (Think .38 Special, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Stevie Ray Vaughn)

That’s why this review is based on my husband’s impressions and not mine. The reviews I post here are based on and created from an honest, informed opinion. And I feel his are best in regards to this book.

The only observation I can share is that my husband could not put it down. In his exact words, the stories shared were “bizarre” and so well told, he had to keep reading.

Each story is recounted by different members of the group, giving you more than one version of things that happened.

Mick Mars has the most believable voice and is likeable throughout. He felt Mick’s was the most reliable.

However, he never got that impression from Tommy Lee. He felt the story lost steam and wasn’t as entertaining – at least when told from Tommy’s point of view. As a side note: the man loves the word “dude”. Not to mention dropping the “f” bomb. A lot. It’s expected though. We are talking about rock stars here; heavy drinking and drug taking rock stars – so it shouldn’t be a shock. It just gets tiring after a while.

The most compelling storyteller is Nikki. After reading his last book, I have to agree with my husband that his voice will be the one that impresses the reader most.

Vince rounds things out in a way that helps make this “chorus” of craziness work.

My husband highly recommends this book. As for me, I’d recommend getting The Heroin Diaries and The Dirt as they are great companions for each other.

I can’t wait to read The Dirt, which is weird because I’ve rarely ever say this about a non-fiction book. But I trust my husband.

I hope you do too. You won’t be disappointed.

Dracula Is Dead

FTC Disclosure: Book provided by publisher

This book is not what you think. In fact, it really should be pointed out what the full title is:

Dracula Is Dead: How Romanians Survived Communism, Ended It, and Emerged since 1989 as the New Italy.

Damn, that’s a mouthful. But a more accurate description as to what this book is all about.

There are many things Romania is known for, yet the most enduring is Vlad Tepes, otherwise knows as Vlad III – the man who inspired Romania’s most famous character: Dracula. (If you are wondering about other notable Romanians let’s not forget Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci, tennis player Ilie Nastase, or Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel)

But this amazing country has so much more to its history and culture. And this book describes the struggles to overcome this association while on its way to becoming the modern and culturally rich country it is today.

It’s unlikely Romania’s past issues and connection to Dracula will ever be forgotten. In many ways, it shouldn’t. As it is said, “Those that forget history are doomed to repeat it.” Considering what Romania has been through, this is a sentiment I hope is not only taken to heart, but never comes to pass.

Sheilah Kast and her husband Jim Rosapepe have a unique and knowledgeable perspective of the country. Jim was an ambassador to for three years. As they note, “We traveled all over Romania. Jim visited all forty counties, most of them more than once, and Sheilah went to some spots that Jim did not. We saw more of Romania and of Romanians – from the mines to the software labs, from the monasteries to the hospitals – than most foreigners and even many Romanians have.”

This book is more than a travel diary. It gives the reader a clearer perspective of a country that has many assumptions made of it, and how few of these are accurate.

In terms of detractions, there aren’t many.

The most irksome was the point-of-view technique used by the authors – as in plural, there are two. This is most evident when seeing “us” and “we” in the text. But whenever one party is relating something about the other or about something the other did, they use their names, as if talking about themselves in the third person.

If it’d been me, I would’ve changed the “we” and “us” into the third person plural to smooth out the transitions. Since they didn’t, I was initially confused about who was recounting their experiences. Afterward, I simply had to make a mental adjustment and not let it bother me.

However, one reader’s nitpicking may mean nothing to another. So take this observation accordingly. For me, it was something that wasn’t so detrimental that I couldn’t finish the book. It was  just an annoyance that popped up from time to time.

In terms of recommending Dracula Is Dead? 

If you are not much of a non-fiction reader, or a history buff, this may not be the book for you. But to those who are intrigued by modern history, political turmoil and change, the birth of a new democracy, and in increasing one’s knowledge of the world around them, I do recommend it.

I didn’t know much about Romania and am glad I was introduced to it through these two authors. I am intrigued and would consider traveling there if I ever had the means. I would love to see first hand this remarkable country.