BookTalk.org

What non-fiction book should we discuss in Sept., Oct. & Nov. 2019?

We need suggestions for non-fiction books you think would be fun to talk about in the 90 day period stretching from September through November of 2019.
Please only make suggestions if you are an active member, have 5 or more total posts on the forums AND actually plan to read and discuss the book you suggest in the event that book is selected for community discussion. This is NOT the place for authors to suggest their own books so please don't do that.

We need to pick a new book within the next 15 days so please make your suggestions soon!

If we don't have a handful of non-fiction suggestions in the next few days I will look for some books myself.

I'm suggesting Colin Woodard's "American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good" for discussion.

In this book Woodard traces the two strands of individual liberty and the common good through through the full history of the United States from the first colonies to the Tea Party.

His earlier book, "American Nations: A History of The Rival Regional Cultures of North America" is a good foundation for "American Character", and he conveniently provides a summary of that book in chapter 3 of "American Character".

In the present political climate with the election on the horizon, I believe this book would generate some good discussions to better understand the big issues - for this interested Canadian observer anyway.

This is a great suggestion. I think you're right that this would stimulate a quality discussion.

I'm not sure if you have already looked at "Merchants of Doubt", but if not I would recommend it. No book is more important right now, and there are lots of tangents to comment on. But maybe the issue is a little too one-sided. "American Character" sounds good, if maybe a bit like others we have seen recently.

Woodward's "Fear" is interesting. Again the topic is one-sided, but there are still lots of juicy details.

Maybe something by Malcolm Gladwell, or by Michael Lewis? Their stuff is so readable.

Even though summer will be about over by the time the book's discussed, I like Harry's suggestion of something a little bit breezy. Some possibilities here: https://www.bookbub.com/blog/best-non-f ... ers-blurbs. I've been wanting to read Tara Westover's Educated, a companion to Hillbilly Elegy, perhaps? Lab Girl and High Achiever also look good.

That said, I'd be okay with Lev V's suggestion as well.

Cattleman has suggested Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover.

LevV wrote:A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good.

In a nutshell, these are the progressive and conservative positions. This book sounds interesting to me.

Thanks, Chris. I thought this was an ecellent and fascinating book. (Reference: "Educated: A Memoir," by Tara Westover.)

https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books ... al-history

Europe: The First 100 Million Years
Tim Flannery

It is hard to overstate just how unusual Europe was towards the end of the age of the dinosaurs. It was a dynamic island arc whose individual landmasses were made up of diverse geological types, including ancient continental fragments, raised segments of oceanic crust, and land newly minted by volcanic activity. Yet even at this early stage Europe was exerting a disproportionate influence on the world.

About 100 million years ago, the interaction of three continents—Asia, North America and Africa—formed the tropical island archipelago that would become the Europe of today, a place of exceptional diversity, rapid change and high energy.

Europe: The First 100 Million Years is full of surprises. Over the millennia Europe has received countless immigrant species and transformed them. It is where the first coral reefs formed. It was once home to some of the world’s largest elephants. And it played a vital role in the evolution of our own species.

When the first modern humans arrived in Europe 40,000 years ago, they began to exert an astonishing influence on the continent’s flora and fauna, and now, Europeans lead the way in wildlife restoration—there are more wolves in Europe today than in the USA. This enthralling ecological history is more than the story of Europe and the Europeans, it will change our understanding of life itself.

INTERVIEWS and REVIEWS

3RRR: Uncommon Sense (1:04:00)
ABC Hobart: Mornings interview
ABC Radio Adelaide: Conversations
ABC Radio National: Big Ideas
ABC Radio National: Late Night Live
Australian ($)
Australian Book Review
Noted
Radio New Zealand: Nine to Noon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Flannery is a paleontologist, explorer and conservationist, a leading writer on climate change, and the 2007 Australian of the Year. His books include the award-winning international bestseller The Weather Makers, Here on Earth and Atmosphere of Hope. He is currently chief councillor of the Climate Council.