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Recommendations based on A Fortunate Lifeby Albert B. Facey
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
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)
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)
Down and Out in Paris and London
by George Orwell
An exploration of the dark side of two cities, and how life can be different for the privileged and the destitute.
This unusual fictional memoir - in good part autobiographical - narrates without self-pity and often with humor the adventures of a penniless British writer among the down-and-outs of two great ... (Goodreads)
The Road from Coorain
by Jill Ker Conway
Autobiography of a young woman growing up in the Australian Outback.
Jill Ker Conway tells the story of her astonishing journey into adulthood—a journey that would ultimately span immense distances and encompass worlds, ideas, and ways of life that seem a century ... (Goodreads)
Mud, Sweat and Tears
by Bear Grylls
Autobiography of Bear Grylls, detailing his adventures and survival skills in extreme environments.
Bear Grylls is a man who has always loved adventure. After leaving school, he spent months hiking in the Himalayas as he considered joining the Indian Army. Upon his return to England after a change ... (Goodreads)
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
by Conor Grennan
An inspiring account of a man's journey to reunite lost Nepalese children with their families.
“Funny, touching, tragic….A remarkable tale of corruption, child trafficking and civil war in a far away land—and one man’s extraordinary quest to reunite lost Nepalese children with their parents.” ... (Barnes & Noble)
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)
Desert Flower
by Waris Dirie
A harrowing autobiographical account of a young Somali girl's journey from oppression to freedom.
Waris Dirie ran away from her oppressive life in the African desert when she was barely in her teens, illiterate and impoverished, with nothing to her name but a tattered shawl. She traveled alone ... (Goodreads)
It's Not about the Bike: My Journey Back to Life
by Lance Armstrong
A story of resilience and courage, detailing Armstrong’s fight against cancer and recovery.
In 1993 , 21-year-old Lance Armstrong becomes World Cycling Champion . In Austin, Texas, four years later on October 2, 1996, at age 25, Armstrong is diagnosed with testicular cancer with metastasis ... (Wikipedia)
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
by Vicki Myron
The heartwarming true story of a library cat who touched the lives of a small-town community.
How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually ... (Goodreads)
In a Sunburned Country
by Bill Bryson
Exploration of the unique and diverse land, people and animals of Australia.
A CLASSIC FROM THE, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF, ONE SUMMER , Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the ... (Goodreads)
My Family and Other Animals
by Gerald Durrell
A humorous memoir of a family's experiences living on the Mediterranean island of Corfu.
When the unconventional Durrell family can no longer endure the damp, gray English climate, they do what any sensible family would do: sell their house and relocate to the sunny Greek isle of Corfu. ... (Goodreads)
Open
by Andre Agassi
Autobiographical account of a tennis star's career, struggles, and personal growth.
From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography. Agassi’s incredibly rigorous ... (Goodreads)
Boy: Tales of Childhood
by Roald Dahl
A humorous and heartwarming memoir of Roald Dahl's childhood in Wales and England.
In Boy, Roald Dahl recounts his days as a child growing up in England. From his years as a prankster at boarding school to his envious position as a chocolate tester for Cadbury's, Roald Dahl's ... (Goodreads)
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
by Alfred Lansing
True story of a remarkable Antarctic expedition, a testament to the power of courage and tenacity.
The harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton's 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole, one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age. In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest ... (Goodreads)
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
by Lynne Truss
A humorous look at the importance of punctuation and its effect on language.
In Eats, Shoots & Leaves , former editor Lynne Truss, gravely concerned about our current grammatical state, boldly defends proper punctuation. She proclaims, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and ... (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)
Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child
by Cathy Glass
An inspirational true story of a foster carer's fight to save a neglected child.
Although Jodie is only eight years old, she is violent, aggressive, and has already been through numerous foster families. Her last hope is Cathy Glass.From the Sunday Times and New York Times ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Pacific
by Hugh Ambrose
A historical account of the Pacific Theater during World War II, told through the personal stories of soldiers and civilians.
Penguin delivers you to the front lines of The Pacific Theater with the real-life stories behind the HBO miniseries. Between America's retreat from China in late November 1941 and the moment General ... (Goodreads)
Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived
by Ralph Helfer
The incredible true story of a boy and his elephant, Modoc, and their journey through life together.
Modoc tells the true story of Bram, a German boy , and his elephant , Modoc. They’re both born on the same day and the same hour. Bram’s father – a third-generation elephant trainer in a circus – has ... (Wikipedia)
The Heart of a Woman
by Maya Angelou
A lyrical memoir of a woman's struggle for independence and self-fulfillment.
Maya Angelou has fascinated, moved, and inspired countless readers with the first three volumes of her autobiography, one of the most remarkable personal narratives of our age. Now, in her fourth ... (Goodreads)
Art Through the Ages
by Helen Gardner
Comprehensive survey of art history, from prehistoric times to modern day. Includes analysis of major works and movements.
The market-leading text for the art history survey course, GARDNER'S ART THROUGH THE AGES has served as a comprehensive and thoughtfully crafted guide to the defining phases of the world's artistic ... (Goodreads)
A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table
by Molly Wizenberg
A memoir of food, family, and life told through recipes and stories.
• An irresistible story of cooking that goes beyond the kitchen: Molly Wizenberg shares stories of an everyday life and a way of eating that is inspiring, playful, and mindful. From her father’s ... (Barnes & Noble)
Agatha Christie: An Autobiography
by Agatha Christie
A memoir documenting the life, struggles and successes of the world's best-selling author.
When Agatha Christie died on 12 January 1976, she was known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime, unrivalled as the best-selling novelist of all time with two billion books sold in more than ... (Goodreads)
Five Chimneys: A Woman Survivor's True Story of Auschwitz
by Olga Lengyel
A harrowing first-hand account of life and death in Auschwitz, detailing the horrors of the concentration camp and the resilience of the human spirit.
Olga Lengyel tells, frankly and without compromise, one of the most horrifying stories of all time. This true, documented chronicle is the intimate, day-to-day record of a beautiful woman who ... (Goodreads)
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
by Bill Bryson
A humorous account of a man's attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, reflecting on the beauty and history of the American wilderness.
The book starts with Bryson explaining his curiosity about the Appalachian Trail near his house. He and his old friend Stephen Katz start hiking the trail from Georgia in the South , and stumble in ... (Wikipedia)
Farewell to the East End: The Last Days of the East End Midwives
by Jennifer Worth
Memoir of a midwife in the East End of London, chronicling the lives of her patients.
This final book in Jennifer Worth's memories of her time as a midwife in London's East end brings her story full circle. As always there are heartbreaking stories such as the family devastated by ... (Goodreads)
Dark Emu
by Bruce Pascoe
A groundbreaking work that challenges the colonial myth of Indigenous Australians as hunter-gatherers, revealing their sophisticated agricultural practices.
Dark Emu puts forward an argument for a reconsideration of the hunter-gatherer tag for precolonial Aboriginal Australians. The evidence insists that Aboriginal people right across the continent were ... (Goodreads)
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
A poetic account of an idyllic childhood in the English countryside.
At all times wonderfully evocative and poignant, Cider With Rosie is a charming memoir of Laurie Lee's childhood in a remote Cotswold village, a world that is tangibly real and yet reminiscent of a ... (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)
