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Recommendations based on The Bookseller of Kabulby Åsne Seierstad
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Infidel
by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
A memoir of a woman's journey of faith, identity, and self-liberation.
One of today’s most admired and controversial political figures, Ayaan Hirsi Ali burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened that she would ... (Goodreads)
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time
by Greg Mortenson
A man's mission to build schools in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan to promote peace.
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard Anyone who despairs of the individual’s ... (Goodreads)
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
by Azar Nafisi
Memoir of a professor's struggle in Iran, using literature to find freedom.
The book consists of a memoir of the author's experiences about returning to Iran during the revolution (1978–1981) and living under the Islamic Republic of Iran government until her departure in ... (Wikipedia)
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah
A gripping tale of a child soldier's journey to survive and reclaim his humanity.
My new friends have begun to suspect I haven't told them the full story of my life.,"Why did you leave Sierra Leone?","Because there is a war.","You mean, you saw people running around with guns and ... (Barnes & Noble)
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
by Irene Gut Opdyke
A young Polish woman's harrowing experiences during WWII, including hiding Jews and working for the German army, and her journey to America.
"You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis all at once. One's first steps are always small: I had begun by hiding food under ... (Goodreads)
One of Us: The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway
by Åsne Seierstad
Tragic account of the life of a mass murderer and the terror he inflicted on Norway.
A harrowing and thorough account of the massacre that upended Norway, and the trial that helped put the country back together On July 22, 2011, Anders Behring Breivik detonated a bomb outside ... (Goodreads)
Notes from a Small Island
by Bill Bryson
A humorous travelogue of Bryson's final tour of Britain before moving to the US. He reflects on the quirks and charms of British life.
"Suddenly, in the space of a moment, I realized what it was that I loved about Britain-which is to say, all of it." After nearly two decades spent on British soil, Bill Bryson - bestselling author of ... (Goodreads)
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
by Michael Pollan
Exploration of the modern food chain, examining the impact of food choices on our health and the environment.
What should we have for dinner? The question has confronted us since man discovered fire, but according to Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire , how we answer it today, at ... (Goodreads)
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
by Barbara Kingsolver
A family's journey to eat locally grown, sustainable food.
Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family abandoned the industrial-food pipeline to live a rural life—vowing that, for one year, they'd only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it ... (Goodreads)
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
by Jon Krakauer
An exploration of the fundamentalist Mormon faith, its history, and the power of religious extremism.
A Story of Violent Faith A multilayered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, savage violence, polygamy, and unyielding faith. This is vintage Krakauer, an utterly compelling work of ... (Goodreads)
Three Cups of Tea
by Sarah L. Thomson
The story of Greg Mortenson's mission to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the challenges he faced along the way.
This young readers edition of the worldwide bestseller Three Cups of Tea has been specially adapted for younger readers and updated by Greg Mortenson to bring his remarkable story of humanitarianism ... (Goodreads)
Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
by Deborah Rodriguez
An American hairdresser opens a beauty school in Kabul, Afghanistan, and discovers the power of female friendship and the challenges of living in a war-torn country.
Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation. Surrounded by men and women whose skills–as ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University
by Kevin Roose
An exploration of faith and culture at an evangelical college, through the eyes of an atheist.
The hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking memoir of a college student's semester at Liberty University, the "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelicals, that will inspire ... (Barnes & Noble)
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001
by Steve Coll
A detailed account of the CIA's involvement in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion to the events leading up to 9/11.
The news-breaking book that has sent shockwaves through the Bush White House, Ghost Wars is the most accurate and revealing account yet of the CIA's secret involvement in al-Qaeda's evolution. It won ... (Goodreads)
Seven Years in Tibet
by Heinrich Harrer
Exploration of Tibet, told through the story of a man who escapes internment and lives in the region for seven years.
The book covers the escape of Harrer and his companion, Peter Aufschnaiter , from a British internment camp in India. , Harrer and Aufschnaiter then traveled across Tibet to Lhasa , the capital. Here ... (Wikipedia)
The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus
by Richard Preston
An exploration of the discovery and containment of one of world's deadliest viruses.
A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret ... (Goodreads)
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
by Barbara Demick
Exploration of the lives of North Koreans during the famine and repression of the 1990s.
Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the unchallenged rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and the ... (Goodreads)
Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography
by Mark Mathabane
A memoir of growing up black in apartheid South Africa, detailing the author's journey to overcome poverty and oppression through education and tennis.
At his mother's insistence, Mathabane starts school and learns to love it, rising to the top of his class in spite of frequent punishments due to his family's late payments for school fees and ... (Wikipedia)
Under the Tuscan Sun
by Frances Mayes
A woman's journey of self-discovery and renewal through a move to Tuscany.
The story details the trials that Frances and her husband Ed had to go through to renovate their Tuscan property, an abandoned villa ( Bramasole ) in rural Cortona in Tuscany . As university ... (Wikipedia)
'Tis
by Frank McCourt
Sequel to Angela's Ashes, following Frank McCourt's journey to America and his struggles to adapt to a new life.
Dopo aver raccontato, nelle "Ceneri di Angela", la sua infanzia "infelice, irlandese e cattolica" come il più atroce e ilare dei mondi possibili, McCourt ci trasporta qui nell'America del secondo ... (Goodreads)
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
by Jon Krakauer
A gripping narrative of the 1996 expedition on Mount Everest that resulted in tragedy.
When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in fifty-seven hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. ... (Goodreads)
From Beirut to Jerusalem
by Thomas L. Friedman
A journalist's account of the Middle East, from the civil war in Lebanon to the first Palestinian intifada.
This extraordinary bestseller is still the most incisive, thought-provoking book ever written about the Middle East. Thomas L. Friedman, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize for international ... (Goodreads)
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
by Hampton Sides
An epic tale of survival and exploration in the unforgiving Arctic Ocean.
On July 8, 1879, Captain George Washington De Long and his team of thirty-two men set sail from San Francisco on the USS Jeanette. Heading deep into uncharted Arctic waters, they carried the ... (Goodreads)
Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucía
by Chris Stewart
A humorous memoir of an Englishman's move to a remote Spanish village, where he learns to farm and embrace the laid-back lifestyle.
No sooner had Chris Stewart set eyes on El Valero than he handed over a check. Now all he had to do was explain to Ana, his wife, that they were the proud owners of an isolated sheep farm in the ... (Goodreads)
Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog
by John Grogan
A heartfelt journey of a family and their beloved, but mischievous, dog.
John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of ... (Goodreads)
The Places in Between
by Rory Stewart
A pilgrimage across Afghanistan, uncovering the country's forgotten history.
Stewart arrives in Afghanistan in January 2002, beginning his journey in Herat and proceeding on foot to Kabul . He is initially accompanied by two armed guards, Qasim and Abdul Haq, at the ... (Wikipedia)
The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City
by David Lebovitz
A journey of culinary exploration in Paris, uncovering the secrets of its food culture.
From the, New York Times, bestselling author of, My Paris Kitchen, and, L'Appart,, a deliciously funny, offbeat, and irreverent look at the city of lights, cheese, chocolate, and other confections., ... (Barnes & Noble)
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
by John Perkins
A former economic hit man exposes the dark secrets of how the US government and corporations manipulate developing countries for profit.
From the author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man , comes an exposé of international corruption, and an inspired plan to turn the tide for future ... (Goodreads)
Hiroshima
by John Hersey
Tragic account of the devastating atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was destroyed by the first atom bomb ever dropped on a city. This book, John Hersey's journalistic masterpiece, tells what happened on that day. Told through the memories ... (Goodreads)
Girl, Interrupted
by Susanna Kaysen
A memoir of a woman's struggle with mental illness, her fight for survival, and her journey of self-discovery.
In April 1967, 18-year-old Susanna Kaysen is admitted to McLean Hospital , in Belmont, Massachusetts , after attempting suicide by overdosing on pills. She denies that it was a suicide attempt to a ... (Wikipedia)
