Recommendations based on Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleansby Don Brown

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Brown Girl Dreaming

    by Jacqueline Woodson
    A poetic memoir of a young girl's coming-of-age in the Civil Rights era.

    Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. ... (Goodreads)

  2. 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)

  3. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope

    by William Kamkwamba
    An inspiring tale of a young boy from Malawi who, against all odds, invents a windmill to power his village.

    Now a Netflix Film, Starring and Directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor of 12 Years a Slave William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Stitches

    by David Small
    A graphic memoir of a boy's struggle with illness, family secrets, and his own voice.

    One day David Small awoke from a supposedly harmless operation to discover that he had been transformed into a virtual mute. A vocal cord removed, his throat slashed and stitched together like a ... (Goodreads)

  5. Big Mushy Happy Lump

    by Sarah Andersen
    A collection of humorous comics exploring the struggles of everyday life.

    Sarah Andersen's second comics collection picks up right where the first left off - huddled under a pile of blankets avoiding the responsibilities of the real world. These new comics (and illustrated ... (Goodreads)

  6. How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life

    by Lilly Singh
    A motivational book that provides practical advice on how to achieve success and happiness in life.

    From actress, comedian, and YouTube sensation Lilly Singh (aka ||Superwoman||) comes the definitive guide to being a bawse—a person who exudes confidence, reaches goals, gets hurt efficiently, and ... (Goodreads)

  7. Hidden Figures

    by Margot Lee Shetterly
    A recounting of the true story of three African-American women's contributions to NASA during the space race.

    The uplifting, amazing true story—a New York Times bestseller This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly’s acclaimed book is perfect for young readers. It is the powerful story of four African-American ... (Goodreads)

  8. I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives

    by Caitlin Alifirenka
    True story of the meaningful friendship between an American teen and a girl from Zimbabwe, sparked by a letter.

    The true story of an all-American girl and a boy from an impoverished city in Zimbabwe and the letter that changed both of their lives forever. It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's ... (Goodreads)

  9. My Dog: The Paradox: A Lovable Discourse about Man's Best Friend

    by Matthew Inman
    A humorous and heartwarming comic book about the joys and challenges of owning a dog.

    Matthew Inman dishes another helping of hilarity from his online comic The Oatmeal in My Dog: The Paradox . After years of carefully observing his own dog, Rambo, Inman follows his #1 New York Times ... (Goodreads)

  10. Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope, and Repair

    by Anne Lamott
    A memoir on the author's journey through addiction, loss, and grief, finding hope and healing through faith, community, and creativity.

    “Lamott’s …most insightful book yet,, Stitches, offers plenty of her characteristic witty wisdom…this slim, readable volume [is] a lens on life, widening and narrowing, encouraging each reader to ... (Goodreads)

  11. Enrique's Journey

    by Sonia Nazario
    A young man's perilous search for his mother in the US, crossing the Mexican border.

    A true story from award-winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounting the odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States. In this astonishing true ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Monk of Mokha

    by Dave Eggers
    The true story of a Yemeni-American man's journey to revive the ancient art of Yemeni coffee and his struggle to bring it to the world.

    The Monk of Mokha, is the exhilarating true story of a young Yemeni American man, raised in San Francisco, who dreams of resurrecting the ancient art of Yemeni coffee but finds himself trapped in ... (Goodreads)

  13. Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir

    by Liz Prince
    A young woman's exploration of gender identity, and the challenges she faces growing up.

    Growing up, Liz Prince wasn't a girly girl, dressing in pink tutus or playing pretty princess like the other girls in her neighborhood. But she wasn't exactly one of the guys, either. She was ... (Goodreads)

  14. Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales

    by William M. Bass
    Investigative journey into a unique laboratory dedicated to solving crimes using forensic science.

    Dr. Bill Bass, one of the world's leading forensic anthropologists, gained international attention when he built a forensic lab like no other: The Body Farm. Now, this master scientist unlocks the ... (Goodreads)

  15. Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds

    by Joy Adamson
    The true story of how a lioness was raised and released back into the wild.

    There have been many accounts of the return to the wild of tame animals, but since its original publication in 1960, when, T,he, New York Times, hailed it as a “fascinating and remarkable book,”, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Small Wonder

    by Barbara Kingsolver
    A family's journey of self-discovery as they struggle to redefine their lives and their relationships.

    Sometimes grave, occasionally hilarious, and ultimately persuasive, Small Wonder is a hopeful examination of the people we seem to be, and what we might yet make of ourselves. In her new essay ... (Goodreads)

  17. The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey

    by Rinker Buck
    Exploration of 1800s America through the lens of a modern-day wagon journey.

    In the bestselling tradition of Bill Bryson and Tony Horwitz, Rinker Buck's "The Oregon Trail" is a major work of participatory history: an epic account of traveling the 2,000-mile length of the ... (Goodreads)

  18. Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

    by Douglas Stone
    A guide to navigating challenging conversations with empathy and honesty, leading to better relationships and outcomes.

    Whether you're dealing with an under performing employee, disagreeing with your spouse about money or child-rearing, negotiating with a difficult client, or simply saying "no," or "I'm sorry," or "I ... (Goodreads)

  19. Based on a True Story

    by Norm Macdonald
    A hilarious memoir recounting the author's experiences in stand-up comedy and life.

    When Norm Macdonald, one of the greatest stand-up comics of all time, was approached to write a celebrity memoir, he flatly refused, calling the genre "one step below instruction manuals." Norm then ... (Goodreads)

  20. A Long Way Home

    by Saroo Brierley
    Autobiography of a man's journey to find his family after becoming lost in India as a child.

    When Saroo Brierley used Google Earth to find his long-lost home town half a world away, he made global headlines. Saroo had become lost on a train in India at the age of five. Not knowing the name ... (Goodreads)

  21. Humans of New York

    by Brandon Stanton
    Collection of stories and photographs of people from all walks of life in New York City.

    A beautiful, heartfelt, funny and inspiring collection of photographs capturing the spirit of a city, In the summer of 2010, photographer Brandon Stanton set out on an ambitious project: to ... (Goodreads)

  22. Lafayette in the Somewhat United States

    by Sarah Vowell
    A humorous and insightful look at the role of the Frenchman Lafayette in the American Revolution and his complicated relationships with the Founding Fathers.

    From the bestselling author of, Assassination Vacation, and, Unfamiliar Fishes, a humorous and insightful account of the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette–the one Frenchman we could all ... (Goodreads)

  23. Vegan with a Vengeance: Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock

    by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
    A comprehensive vegan cookbook with easy-to-follow recipes for delicious, affordable meals.

    The classic first cookbook from the coauthor of, Veganomicon, is back with even more tasty recipes, chatty anecdotes, and money-saving tips for easy plant-based cooking, featuring tempting full-color ... (Barnes & Noble)

  24. Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule

    by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
    A collection of delicious vegan cupcake recipes to conquer the world with flavor.

    Vegan legends Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Romero offer vegan-friendly recipes for both classic and innovative cupcakes that dominate the baking world. The authors of Veganomicon take on the ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child

    by Donalyn Miller
    Strategies and techniques to inspire children to read, unlocking the potential of every reader.

    Known for her popular blog, "The Book Whisperer," Donalyn Miller is a dedicated teacher who says she has yet to meet a child she couldn't turn into a reader. Her approach, however, is not ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work

    by Shawn Achor
    Learn to be happier, unlocking higher levels of success and increased productivity.

    Our most commonly held formula for success is broken. Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we’ll be happy. If we can just ... (Goodreads)

  27. Wishful Drinking

    by Carrie Fisher
    An autobiographical account of the author's life and struggles with fame, addiction, and mental illness.

    In Wishful Drinking , Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star ... (Goodreads)

  28. Scar Tissue

    by Anthony Kiedis
    Autobiographical account of the highs and lows of a rock star's career.

    Now in paperback, the New York Times bestseller by one of rock's most provocative figures Scar Tissue is Anthony Kiedis's searingly honest memoir of a life spent in the fast lane. In 1983, four ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    by Martin Luther King Jr.
    A vivid account of MLK Jr.'s life, detailing his experiences in the civil rights movement.

    This definitive box set includes all the landmark speeches of the great orator and American leader Martin Luther King, Jr., from his inspirational "I Have a Dream" to his firey "Give Us the Ballot." ... (Goodreads)

  30. Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

    by Leah Remini
    An account of Leah Remini's journey of faith, fame, and a decades-long involvement with Scientology.

    The outspoken actress, talk show host, and reality television star offers up a no-holds-barred memoir, including an eye-opening insider account of her tumultuous and heart-wrenching thirty-year-plus ... (Goodreads)