Powered by a book like {foo}
Recommendations based on Desert Flowerby Waris Dirie
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Not Without My Daughter
by Betty Mahmoody
A woman's dramatic fight for freedom from an oppressive husband in a foreign land.
It was August 3, 1984. Moody, Betty, and Mahtob had spent two days traveling from their home in Detroit to Moody's native country of Iran. In preparation for their arrival, Betty, at Moody's request, ... (Wikipedia)
Mao's Last Dancer
by Li Cunxin
A poor farmer's son's journey of hardship and triumph, rising from poverty to become an acclaimed ballet dancer.
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER The extraordinary memoir of a peasant boy raised in rural Maoist China who was plucked from his village to study ballet and went on to become one of the greatest dancers ... (Goodreads)
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America
by Firoozeh Dumas
A humorous tale of a family's journey to America and their adaptation to a new culture and lifestyle.
In 1972, when she was seven, Firoozeh Dumas and her family moved from Iran to Southern California, arriving with no firsthand knowledge of this country beyond her father's glowing memories of his ... (Goodreads)
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
by Jung Chang
A family memoir spanning decades of Chinese history, exploring the power of resilience.
The story of three generations in twentieth-century China that blends the intimacy of memoir and the panoramic sweep of eyewitness history—a bestselling classic in thirty languages with more than ten ... (Goodreads)
The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices
by Xinran
Xinran shares the stories of women in China, revealing their struggles and triumphs in a male-dominated society.
When Deng Xiaoping's efforts to "open up" China took root in the late 1980s, Xinran recognized an invaluable opportunity. As an employee for the state radio system, she had long wanted to help ... (Goodreads)
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
A remarkable story of courage, perseverance and hope in the face of oppression.
Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel ... (Goodreads)
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)
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua
A memoir of a Chinese-American mother's strict parenting style and the cultural clashes it creates with her daughters.
An awe-inspiring, often hilarious, and unerringly honest story of one mother's exercise in extreme parenting, revealing the rewards—and the costs—of raising her children the Chinese way. "This is a ... (Goodreads)
A Child Called "It"
by Dave Pelzer
True story of a child's unbearable suffering at the hands of an abusive parent.
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE], ACE #1, This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of ... (Goodreads)
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall
A thrilling exploration of the Tarahumara tribe and their superhuman running abilities.
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does ... (Goodreads)
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
by Immaculée Ilibagiza
True story of a woman's faith and resilience in the face of the Rwandan genocide.
Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family ... (Goodreads)
Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster
by Svetlana Alexievich
An oral history of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, as told by the survivors.
Written by the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear reactor accident in history occurred in Chernobyl and contaminated as much as three quarters of Europe. ... (Goodreads)
The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life
by Francine Jay
A guide to living a minimalist lifestyle, focusing on decluttering, organizing, and simplifying one's possessions and surroundings.
Having less stuff is the key to happiness. Do you ever feel overwhelmed, instead of overjoyed, by all your possessions? Do you secretly wish a gale force wind would blow the clutter from your home? ... (Barnes & Noble)
Eating Animals
by Jonathan Safran Foer
An exploration of the ethical and environmental implications of eating meat.
Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his life oscillating between enthusiastic carnivore and occasional vegetarian. Once he started a family, the moral dimensions of food became increasingly important. ... (Goodreads)
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
by James Clear
A practical guide to creating and maintaining good habits, and breaking bad ones, using small, incremental changes.
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach ... (Goodreads)
The Happiest Refugee
by Anh Do
A memoir of an immigrant family's struggles and triumphs as they seek a better life in Australia.
Anh Do nearly didn't make it to Australia. His entire family came close to losing their lives on the sea as they escaped from war-torn Vietnam in an overcrowded boat. But nothing - not murderous ... (Goodreads)
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
by Sheryl Sandberg
An exploration of gender dynamics in the workplace and solutions for women to achieve success.
Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In is a massive cultural phenomenon and its title has become an instant catchphrase for empowering women. The book soared to the top of bestseller lists internationally, ... (Goodreads)
Burned Alive
by Souad
A survivor's account of her brutal, harrowing experience of being burned alive by her family.
When Souad was seventeen she fell in love. In her village, as in so many others, sex before marriage was considered a grave dishonour to one's family and was punishable by death. This was her crime. ... (Goodreads)
Escape
by Carolyn Jessop
Autobiography of a woman's struggle to escape an oppressive polygamous cult.
The dramatic first-person account of life inside an ultra-fundamentalist American religious sect, and one woman’s courageous flight to freedom with her eight children. When she was eighteen years ... (Goodreads)
What I Know for Sure
by Oprah Winfrey
A collection of personal reflections on life, love, and lessons learned.
As a creative force, student of the human heart and soul, and champion of living the life you want, Oprah Winfrey stands alone. Over the years, she has made history with a legendary talk show - the ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Last Black Unicorn
by Tiffany Haddish
A humorous, honest account of the comedian's personal life, struggles and successes.
NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER “An inspiring story that manages to be painful, honest, shocking, bawdy, and, hilarious.” ,—The New York Times Book Review, From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout ... (Barnes & Noble)
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord
An account of the fateful night of the sinking of the Titanic, told through the stories of survivors.
First published in 1955, A Night to Remember remains a completely riveting account of the Titanic 's fatal collision and the behavior of the passengers and crew, both noble and ignominious. Some ... (Goodreads)
The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Nonsmokers Using the Easyway Method
by Allen Carr
A step-by-step guide for quitting smoking using the Easyway Method.
A new edition of the revolutionary bestseller, with four million copies in print. Allen Carr’s innovative Easyway method—which he discovered after his own 100-cigarette-a-day habit nearly drove him ... (Goodreads)
Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
by Jean Sasson
An inside look at the life of a Saudi princess, filled with struggles and struggles for freedom.
Sultana is a Saudi Arabian princess, a woman born to fabulous, uncountable wealth. She has four mansions on three continents, her own private jet, glittering jewels, designer dresses galore. But in ... (Goodreads)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
by Atul Gawande
An exploration of the human experience of mortality and the importance of end-of-life care.
In, Being Mortal, author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending Medicine has triumphed in modern ... (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)
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
by Eckhart Tolle
A journey of self-transformation, learning to live in the present moment and liberate oneself.
Eckhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, ... (Goodreads)
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well
by Meik Wiking
A guide to embracing the Danish concept of Hygge, creating a cozy and content home life.
Denmark is often said to be the happiest country in the world. That's down to one thing: hygge. 'Hygge has been translated as everything from, the art of creating intimacy, to, cosiness of the soul, ... (Goodreads)
Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail
by Malika Oufkir
An autobiographical account of a family's struggle to survive two decades in a Moroccan prison camp.
A gripping memoir that reads like a political thriller–the story of Malika Oufkir's turbulent and remarkable life. Born in 1953, Malika Oufkir was the eldest daughter of General Oufkir, the King of ... (Goodreads)
The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story
by Hyeonseo Lee
A harrowing journey of escape from a repressive regime and the struggle to find a new life in freedom.
An extraordinary insight into life under one of the world’s most ruthless and secretive dictatorships – and the story of one woman’s terrifying struggle to avoid capture/repatriation and guide her ... (Goodreads)
