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Recommendations based on Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of Americaby Steve Almond
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Nickel and Dimed: On
by Barbara Ehrenreich
A journalist's exploration of poverty in the U.S., exposing the struggles of low-wage workers.
Millions of Americans work full-time, year-round, for poverty-level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which ... (Goodreads)
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
by Mary Roach
An exploration of the strange and often unknown history of cadavers, and their uses in science and medicine.
Okay, you're thinking: ,"This must be some kind of a joke. A humorous book about cadavers?", Yup — and it works. Mary Roach takes the age-old question, "What happens to us after we die?" quite ... (Goodreads)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
by Marjane Satrapi
Autobiographical account of a young girl's experience of the Iranian Revolution.
Note: The summary of the English editions of the novel is divided into two sections, one for each book. Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel ... (Wikipedia)
Embroideries
by Marjane Satrapi
An intimate gathering of Iranian women sharing stories of love, life, and sexuality.
From the best–selling author of Persepolis comes this gloriously entertaining and enlightening look into the sex lives of Iranian women. Embroideries gathers together Marjane’s tough–talking ... (Goodreads)
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
by Anne Lamott
A witty and honest guide to writing and life, encouraging writers to embrace imperfection and find their own voice.
A newer edition of this title can be found, here., "Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to ... (Goodreads)
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
by A.J. Jacobs
An exploration of knowledge and the pursuit of wisdom, through an attempt to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica.
Part memoir and part education (or lack thereof), The Know-It-All chronicles NPR contributor A.J. Jacobs's hilarious, enlightening, and seemingly impossible quest to read the Encyclopaedia Britannica ... (Goodreads)
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
by Daniel James Brown
An inspiring story of a rowing crew battling against the odds to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
This novel is about the University of Washington eight-oared crew that represented the United States in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and narrowly beat out Italy and Germany to win the gold medal. The ... (Wikipedia)
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way
by Bill Bryson
Fascinating exploration of the history and evolution of English language.
With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson—the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent —brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English ... (Goodreads)
Calypso
by David Sedaris
A collection of humorous and poignant essays about family, aging, and mortality, with Sedaris' signature wit and self-deprecating humor.
David Sedaris returns with his most deeply personal and darkly hilarious book., If you've ever laughed your way through David Sedaris's cheerfully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what ... (Goodreads)
Bad Feminist
by Roxane Gay
A collection of essays exploring feminism, race, and gender, and their intersections.
Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be, cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read, Vogue, and I’m not doing it ... (Goodreads)
I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
by Amy Sedaris
A hilarious guide to entertaining and living with style, grace, and a generous spirit.
The inspiration for the TV show, At Home with Amy Sedaris,, here is a hilarious, helpful, and informative guide on how to entertain.,Are you lacking direction in how to whip up a swanky soiree for ... (Barnes & Noble)
The World Without Us
by Alan Weisman
A thought experiment exploring how the Earth and its species would fare without the presence of humans.
A penetrating, page-turning tour of a post-human Earth In The World Without Us , Alan Weisman offers an utterly original approach to questions of humanity's impact on the planet: he asks us to ... (Goodreads)
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return
by Marjane Satrapi
A graphic novel memoir of Marjane Satrapi's return to Iran after living in Europe, exploring her struggles with identity and belonging.
Note: The summary of the English editions of the novel is divided into two sections, one for each book. Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel ... (Wikipedia)
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)
Consider the Lobster and Other Essays
by David Foster Wallace
Collection of essays exploring the human experience in a humorous, thoughtful and often absurd way.
Do lobsters feel pain? Did Franz Kafka have a funny bone? What is John Updike's deal, anyway? And what happens when adult video starlets meet their fans in person? David Foster Wallace answers these ... (Goodreads)
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
by Kai Bird
Biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, exploring his life and legacy.
American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the ... (Goodreads)
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
by Mindy Kaling
Humorous memoir reflecting on Mindy Kaling's life and career.
Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck - impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, ... (Goodreads)
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
by Michael Lewis
How an unconventional approach to baseball changed the competitive landscape.
Billy Beane, general manager of MLB's Oakland A's and protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball , had a problem: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that's smaller than that of nearly every ... (Goodreads)
A Room of One's Own
by Virginia Woolf
Examining gender roles and societal expectations with an eye to achieving independence and creative freedom.
A Room of One's Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf. First published on the 24th of October, 1929, the essay was based on a series of lectures she delivered at Newnham College and Girton ... (Goodreads)
Pretty in Plaid
by Jen Lancaster
A humorous memoir about the author's journey through fashion and self-discovery, from her childhood to adulthood.
The hardcover debut from the New York Times bestselling author- the prequel to Bitter is the New Black. In Pretty in Plaid, Jen Lancaster reveals how she developed the hubris that perpetually gets ... (Goodreads)
French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew
by Peter Mayle
A humorous and informative memoir of a man's culinary adventures in France, exploring the country's food, wine, and culture.
A delightful, delicious, and best-selling account of the gustatory pleasures to be found throughout France, from the beloved author of A Year in Provence . The French celebrate food and drink more ... (Goodreads)
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened
by Allie Brosh
A humorous and candid account of the author's life, exploring the highs and lows of everyday life.
#1, New York Times, Bestseller “Funny and smart as hell” (Bill Gates), Allie Brosh’s, Hyperbole and a Half, showcases her unique voice, leaping wit, and her ability to capture complex emotions with ... (Barnes & Noble)
John Adams
by David McCullough
Biography of the second President of the United States and his contributions to the founding of the nation.
The enthralling, often surprising story of John Adams, one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous ... (Goodreads)
Anne Frank's Tales from the Secret Annex: A Collection of Her Short Stories, Fables, and Lesser-Known Writings
by Anne Frank
A collection of Anne Frank's lesser-known writings, including short stories and fables, showcasing her talent as a writer beyond her famous diary.
Hiding from the Nazis in the "Secret Annexe" of an old office building in Amsterdam, a thirteen-year-old girl named Anne Frank became a writer. The now famous diary of her private life and thoughts ... (Goodreads)
Sleepwalk With Me and Other Painfully True Stories
by Mike Birbiglia
A collection of humorous and poignant autobiographical stories about love, life, and sleepwalking.
Hello, I am Mike Birbiglia and I want you to read my book. Too on the nose? Sorry. Let me dial it back. I’m Mike Birbiglia and I’m a comedian. You may know me from Comedy Central or, This American ... (Goodreads)
The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life
by Laurie Notaro
A collection of humorous essays about the author's misadventures and awkward moments in life.
NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER, “I’ve changed a bit since high school. Back then I said no to using and selling drugs. I washed on a normal basis and still had good credit.” Introducing Laurie Notaro, ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
by Marion Cunningham
Classic cookbook with over 1,400 recipes, including traditional American dishes and international cuisine.
Here is the great basic American cookbook–with more than 1,990 recipes, plain and fancy--that belongs in every household. Originally published in 1896 as The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie ... (Goodreads)
Where Am I Now?
by Mara Wilson
A memoir by former child actress Mara Wilson, reflecting on her life in and out of the spotlight.
For readers of Lena Dunham, Allie Brosh and Roxane Gay, this funny, poignant, daringly honest collection of personal essays introduces Mara Wilson—the former child actress best known for her starring ... (Goodreads)
Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines
by Nic Sheff
A young man's personal account of his struggles with addiction and how he overcame them.
The story that inspired the major motion picture, Beautiful Boy, featuring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet,., This, New York Times, bestselling memoir of a young man’s addiction to methamphetamine ... (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)
