Unique Non-Fiction Books as good as Fiction Books !!!
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the host introduces a selection of unique non-fiction books that transcend the typical genres of self-improvement and biographies. Starting with 'The Snow Leopard', a spiritual travelogue, the list includes 'An Immense World' exploring animal senses, 'Insomniac City', a personal account of New York City, 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' for a fun dive into science, 'The Devil in the White City' blending true crime with history, 'Give Me My Father's Body' on cultural exploitation, and 'The Library Book', an investigation into a library fire. The host emphasizes the power of reading and the diverse experiences non-fiction can offer.
Takeaways
- π The script introduces a variety of unique non-fiction books that go beyond the typical genres of self-improvement and biographies.
- ποΈ 'The Snow Leopard' by Peter Matthiessen is highlighted as a travel book with a spiritual element, detailing an expedition in the Himalayas and the author's internal journey.
- πΎ 'An Immense World' by Ed Yong is recommended for its exploration of animal senses, offering a different perspective on how animals perceive the world compared to humans.
- π 'Insomniac City' by Bill Hayes is praised for its simple yet beautiful writing, providing a personal account of New York City through the eyes of an insomniac.
- π 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson is described as an engaging and fun way to learn about various scientific disciplines.
- πΏ 'The Devil in the White City' by Erik Larson is a non-fiction book that reads like a thriller, intertwining the story of the 1893 World's Fair with a serial killer narrative.
- π» 'Give Me My Father's Body' tells the story of Minik, an Eskimo boy brought to New York, and explores themes of cultural exploitation and identity.
- π₯ 'The Library Book' by Susan Orlean investigates the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Library and delves into the emotional connection people have with books and libraries.
- π The video emphasizes the importance of reading and literature, encouraging viewers to appreciate and preserve the power of books.
- π₯ The speaker promises to be more consistent with video uploads, having taken a break while moving to a new place with a beautiful library.
Q & A
What is the common misconception about non-fiction books according to the video?
-The common misconception is that non-fiction is limited to self-improvement, biographies, and generic topics, whereas the video suggests there are many more unique and diverse non-fiction books available.
Why did the author move to a new place in the US?
-The author moved to a new place in the US because they found a beautiful library nearby, which provides a nice space for making videos and has a collection of cozy books and classics.
What is unique about the book 'The Snow Leopard' by Peter Matthiessen?
-The uniqueness of 'The Snow Leopard' lies in its blend of travel writing with a spiritual awakening, as the author explores not only the external journey to find the snow leopard but also the internal journey of self-discovery and emotional reflection.
What is the book 'An Immense World' by Ed Yong about?
-'An Immense World' discusses animal senses, exploring how different species perceive the world around them in ways that humans cannot, offering a perspective on the limited slice of reality that humans experience.
Why is 'Insomniac City' by Bill Hayes a personal account of New York City?
-'Insomniac City' is a personal account because Bill Hayes, suffering from insomnia, wandered the streets of New York City, observing and conversing with ordinary people, capturing their stories and the essence of the city.
What makes 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson a fun read?
-The book is a fun read because Bill Bryson presents complex scientific and historical topics in an engaging, light-hearted, and humorous manner, making learning about the world enjoyable and accessible.
What is the main theme of 'The Devil in the White City' by Erik Larson?
-The main theme of 'The Devil in the White City' is the juxtaposition of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, a celebration of progress and culture, with the dark story of a serial killer, H.H. Holmes, who was active during the same period.
What is the story behind the book 'Give Me My Father's Body'?
-The book tells the story of Minik, a Greenlandic boy brought to New York by explorers in the late 1800s. It explores his struggle with identity, cultural heritage, and the exploitation of his people by Westerners, as well as his quest to recover his father's remains.
What is the significance of the book 'The Library Book' by Susan Orlean?
-The significance of 'The Library Book' lies in its exploration of the 1986 fire at the LA Central Library, the impact on the community, and the broader themes of the importance of libraries, the love of books, and the preservation of literature.
How does the video script suggest reading can impact a person's life?
-The script suggests that reading can transport a person to different worlds, evoke deep emotional responses, and enrich one's understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives, ultimately changing the course of one's life.
What is the promise the author makes regarding the consistency of their video uploads?
-The author promises to be more consistent with their video uploads, acknowledging the long gap since their last upload and expressing their commitment to providing regular content.
Outlines
π Rediscovering Non-Fiction Gems
The speaker introduces the video by challenging the common perception of non-fiction as being limited to self-improvement and biographies. They highlight the existence of unique and diverse non-fiction books and announce their intention to recommend such titles in the video. The speaker also shares their recent relocation to a place with a beautiful library, which will be the setting for future videos. The first book mentioned is 'The Snow Leopard' by Peter Matthiessen, a travelogue and spiritual journey through the Himalayas in search of the elusive snow leopard, which also delves into themes of self-discovery and inner reflection.
π Exploring Animal Senses and NYC's Insomniac Tales
The speaker discusses two favorite non-fiction books of theirs from 2023. 'An Immense World' by Ed Yong explores the fascinating realm of animal senses, revealing how different creatures perceive the world in ways far beyond human capabilities. The book challenges the notion of human supremacy and invites readers to consider the richness of animal experiences. 'Insomniac City' by Bill Hayes is a personal account of the author's encounters and observations in New York City during his struggle with insomnia. Hayes' narrative is described as a love letter to NYC, capturing the essence of its people and culture through simple yet profound storytelling.
π A Whimsical Journey Through Science and History
The speaker recommends 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson, praising the author's ability to make science enjoyable and accessible. The book provides a comprehensive overview of various scientific disciplines in an entertaining manner, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a fun and educational read. The speaker also mentions 'The Devil in the White City' by Erik Larson, a gripping non-fiction narrative that intertwines the story of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago with the exploits of a serial killer, offering a thrilling and historically rich reading experience.
π Unveiling Cultural Exploitation and the Power of Books
The speaker presents two unique non-fiction books that delve into historical and cultural themes. 'Give Me My Father's Body' tells the story of Minik, an Eskimo boy brought to New York during the late 1800s, and his struggle with identity and cultural heritage after discovering the truth about his family's fate. The book serves as a lens into the exploitation of indigenous cultures by Westerners. The final recommendation, 'The Library Book' by Susan Orlean, investigates the devastating 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Library and explores the profound impact of the loss on the community, the importance of libraries, and the love of books.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Non-fiction
π‘Self-improvement
π‘Biography
π‘Travel writing
π‘Spiritual awakening
π‘Animal senses
π‘Insomnia
π‘Cultural exploitation
π‘Historical perspective
π‘Library
π‘Reading
Highlights
Introduction to the video discussing unique non-fiction books beyond self-improvement and biographies.
Recommendation of 'The Snow Leopard' by Peter Matthiessen, a travel book with elements of spiritual awakening.
Discussion on 'An Immense World' by Ed Yong, exploring animal senses and perceptions beyond human capabilities.
Insight into 'Insomniac City' by Bill Hayes, a personal account of New York City and its people.
Review of 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson, a fun and informative look at science and history.
Intriguing narrative of 'The Devil in the White City' by Erik Larson, blending true crime with historical events.
Story of 'Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik, the New York Eskimo', touching on cultural exploitation and identity.
Investigative account in 'The Library Book' by Susan Orlean, detailing the 1986 Los Angeles Central Library fire.
Emphasis on the importance of libraries and the love for books as a civilization's cornerstone.
Personal connection to the power of reading and the impact it has on one's life.
Promise of more consistent video uploads and a sneak peek into upcoming content.
Encouragement for viewers to explore theζ¨θη books for a broader understanding of non-fiction genres.
Reflection on the transformative potential of literature and its ability to resonate with readers on a profound level.
Acknowledgment of the gap between video uploads and a commitment to regular content creation.
Final thoughts on the importance of preserving and promoting the culture of reading in the digital age.
Transcripts
whenever people hear the term
non-fiction the first thing that pops
into their mind is self-improvement
biography and all the generic stuff but
I think there are many more great unique
non-fiction books out there hey you
beautiful people welcome back to a new
video on our Channel R travel become I
know it's been quite some time that I've
uploaded a video almost a month now
actually I was moving places uh there's
a new place which I have moved to in the
US and surprisingly this place has a
beautiful Library around me the one
which you see behind me it's a library
it's a very nice space with some cozy
books some Classics so I'm going to make
my videos here uh videos are going to be
regular so let's talk about this video
in this video I'm going to talk about
some very very unique non-fiction books
which do not fall into the spectrum of
the quintessential self-improvement or
the biography books non-fiction has much
more to it than just biographies and
self-improvement books it's not just
about you know business success you know
how to do things there's much more
things in the non-fiction category and
the recommendations that I'm going to
give in this video are going to be super
super unique and fantastic in the videos
that I'm going to make from now on the
last book is is going to be my personal
favorite recommendation it's going to be
always at the end so make sure you watch
the video till the end you may never
know which thought or fact May resonate
with you and change the course of your
life so let's get started the first book
on the list is the snow leopard by Peter
matys so it's an old book from the 1900s
and it's actually a travel book this
book came at a time when travel writing
was very very popular if you if you have
heard about the endurance mission of
Ernest Shackleton which was like a crew
of people crew of explorers who went to
the Antarctic this book is is also on a
similar line but this author this writer
Peter along with his biologist
environmentalist friend they both went
to the upper Himalayas on a tiban
plateau they basically wanted to
research on a particular type of blue
Himalayan sheep and they also wanted to
spot the snow leopard during that time
very few people in the world had spotted
the snow leopard so these two people
went out on an expedition to find out
about that snow leopard now what
happened on this Expedition how did
these people travel is all about the
book but the differentiating factor the
fact that this is a very very popular
book and a very unique non-fiction book
is that this book is also a spiritual
awakening kind of a book it's not just
travel outside but it's also a travel
inside while Peter was traveling he has
written his feelings about loss sorrow
deep Melancholy and how an external
environment has helped to refine his
internal environment it's a deep
meditative philosophy book in a way but
written beautifully like the whole
concept of finding a rare animal while
he was on that expedition he actually
found himself which according to him was
more precious than finding the snow
leopard what happens is the book for
forms the Crux of the book very very
unique non-fiction book you must read
next on the list is one of my favorite
non-fiction books of all time uh so much
so that I've made a separate video a ful
length separate video on this particular
non-fiction book the book is called an
immense World by Ed Yong uh this book
talks about animal senses we always feel
that humans are at the top of the chain
and we have conquered the world we so
much we know so much about the
environment about the world but this
writer has has specifically researched
about animals and how they have
different kinds of Senses the humans
just have five senses some animals can
hear different sounds some animals can
see different colors see different
wavelengths they have extremely
different sense of communicating with
the environment how do these
interactions happen and how we are just
experiencing a slice of reality forms
the Crux of this book if you want to
know more about this book please find
that video which I uploaded it's a
beautiful book I can't stop recommending
it in 2023 it was one of the best books
I read so go ahead and watch that video
if you want to know more about this book
next on the list is again one of my
favorite non-fiction books of 2023 the
book is an insomaniac City by Bill Hayes
Bill Hayes has suddenly become one of
the best writers that that I've ever
read I've read a lot of books in my
course of reading Journey but uh Bill
Hayes has something very very beautiful
to him his writing is so simple it's
stripped of all the heavy literature
that you want to expect is just simple
Beautiful Life uh he reminds me a lot of
Ruskin bond with his writing insomaniac
city is basically his personal account
about New York City he was experiencing
insom Mania because of some personal
reasons which he would find out in the
book and he basically went out on the
streets of New York and talked to people
just observed people simple people
regular people he was not looking out
for people with extraordinary abilities
he was just looking out for normal
people and trying to learn about their
stories in New York City uh if you have
a teeny tiny fascination with New York
City uh its iconic nature it's iconic
architecture its people you should
definitely read this B book it hits on a
different level if you have you know
some kind of an inclination towards New
York City it's like a love letter to New
York City in many ways so yeah it's a
it's a beautiful beautiful book it's not
exactly a memoir it's not exactly a
personal story it's just his
observations it's just his his musings
basically it's it's it's basically a
musings next there is a very very
popular book which you all might have
heard and many of you might have read a
short history of nearly everything super
fun book if you want to learn just
general knowledge about the world learn
about science Astron om biology in the
most fun way possible then this book is
for you Bill Bryson is known for his
writing I love his other book The a walk
in the woods uh he's he's a fantastic
writer like if if he can make you learn
science in the best way possible I think
that's a great skill to have for any
author because he just makes science so
much fun so much interesting I remember
when I first picked up this book I was I
was so dragged into the world of history
sciences and you know astronomy I
remember after reading this book that I
had picked up sapiens which I
appreciated even more because I had got
a fun background and a and a fun pretext
to reading sapiens so if you want to
learn about history in the most fun way
possible just just pick up this book you
won't be disappointed many of times it's
hilarious many of times it's amusing and
it's it's written in a very
light-hearted way basically you would
love it sometimes it becomes sciency but
in a fun way and the only problem is
it's a bit long so it's not meant to be
read in one shot it's just like a book
which you can have on your coffee table
when you're just browsing around a
chapter here and there you know it's
that kind of a book so so yeah a very
very unique non-fiction book in my
opinion next on the list is non-fiction
book which almost reads like a thriller
fiction book which like which is like an
unput downable page Turner I I
surprisingly had this book lying around
when I came into this room the book is
the Devil in the White City by Eric
Larson um this is a non-fiction book but
when you read it you would feel that you
are actually reading a spy Thriller
which is written by both Dan Brown and
Agata Christi it talks about the 1893
World's Fair which happened in Chicago
so apparently one of the world's best
Architects came together to Design This
World Fair where many eminent people
were invited it was like a big show
during that time and during this world
fair the world's first ferris wheel was
also invented it's like a quintessential
Chicago thing about the World's Fair and
in this Fair there was also a serial
killer HH Holmes which you might have
heard of he's a very popular uh pop
culture figure he was also active during
this time so there are two parallel
stories running in this book one is of
the architect who's designing the world
fair and the other is of the Cal killer
how these two stories into time is is
basically the book this is a page Turner
in most ways and one of the best
thriller writers in a non-fiction
category you could say uh you won't be
disappointed it's got a bunch of awards
it's I think made into a lot of
documentaries it's gotten a you know
it's like the national book finalist
award and stuff like that great
recommendation very very unique read if
you want to learn more about history but
like in the most fiction way possible
next unique non-fiction recommendation
is again very very unique I was actually
talking to a historian one day and we
started talking about books books and he
mentioned this book to me and apparently
this book is very popular in America
many people know about this particular
incident which happened the book is
called give me my father's body the life
of Minik the the New York Eskimo so what
happened was again this is during that
time late 1800s during which many
westerners were going out in the world
trying to figure out how other cultures
work finding new lands this was during
that time there were a bunch of
explorers American explorers New York
explorers in particular who went to
Greenland and they found a tribe of
people and there were was a meteor which
had strugg this particular land this
meteor was used by the local people to
hunt to make tools and a bunch of other
things so these westerners decided to
bring that meteor back to New York and
the process of bringing the meteor to
New York these westerners also got some
local Greenland people to New York to
study how their culture is to study
their habits so think about it like it's
a different world alog together in which
they live it's extremely cold it's it's
sparely populated their primary source
of food is hunting they have a different
culture they don't speak the language
they're like a different form of human
beings in a way so these westerners
brought this family down to New York
just to study them in this family there
was a little boy called Minik so
obviously naturally these people
couldn't survive the conditions which
were there in America because everything
is different right as some years passed
the most of the family died some of the
family were sent back and this boy this
little boy Minik who who became very
popular later on was just left all alone
in New York some Foster Family took him
in they took care of him but that Foster
family also was not very well to do so
so in a couple of years that boy had to
struggle a lot as that boy was growing
up he forgot everything about Greenland
when he became a man he started
questioning his you know his identity
his roots his cultural Roots where did
he come from and that's when he found
out about his cultural heritage he found
out about how he had been bought to New
York by these westerners and he started
this whole investigation he started this
whole plea to you know find my parents
where they are right now and later on
they found out that the parents of this
particular boy had been used in the
museums as well they had been shown on
display they actually don't know where
exactly the remains were some remains
were here and there so this boy became
particularly torn with this particular
information he was he went back to
Greenland to study where he came from he
came back and for all of this there was
a book written the book is called give
me my father's body so if you want to
know more about different cultures how
different people think how different
tribes originated and how these
westerners exploited them in a way if
you guys have seen killers of the flower
Moon which Martin coresi celebrated on a
grand scale of how some some people
exploited local tribal uh Native Indians
uh in the same way this book is also a
very very relevant read if you want to
know more about history from this
particular lens of how colonialism
happened of how people were just
exploiting natural tribes this way this
book is a very very cultural read if you
are interested remotely interested in
these kind of things do give it a try
you won't be disappointed the plot is
very very important and the last
recommendation for this particular video
is my strongest recommendation in this
video the mystery book as I like to call
it the book is the life library book by
Susan aliens which I think every reader
should read particularly readers
particularly people who love books this
book is about the fire which took place
in La particularly in the LA Central
Library the public library in La which
was like a huge Library a big fire broke
out in this library in 1986 Susan
Orleans has written this book to find
out why did that fire take place in that
fire thousands and thousands of books
were destroyed very very important
manuals which are read rare manuals rare
manuscripts were destroyed uh almost
400,000 to 700,000 books were burned
down and a lot of manuscripts were
forever last in time now where does
Susan Oran come into play she definitely
has an investigative angle to this book
as to who started this fire why did the
fire happen because there was a
conspiracy theory during that time that
there was a stage actor who wanted to be
popular and he started that fire but
apart from this lens this book will talk
about how some people were so attached
to the library she has interviewed
Librarians she has interviewed people
who used to visit that Library she has
interviewed people who are frequent
visitors to this library and the just
the love of books and the Deep sense of
loss that these people feel because of
the library being burned down she's
talked about all of that so if you are
remotely a reader if you are remotely
interested in book if you are if you
like to surround yourself with books
like like I am surrounded right now I
love being surrounded by books and it
gives me a sense of you know Comfort it
give me a sense of you know just just
some inexplicable feeling you should
read this book because she's written
about books in such a beautiful way
she's talked about how different
Horizons are experienced through books
how libraries are such an integral part
of a civilization you know I just
resonated with her idea a lot because
even I believe like in in today's times
when people are just you know totally
into social media and you know
non-reading stuff basically where
they're not much interested into
literature per se but there are people
like me who are trying the level best to
make reading fun to make reading cool
making people believe in the power of
reading because it's just one of the
most beautiful things you can experience
I can I can assure you that like you're
reading the book in one world but your
heart would be beating in some other
world I can assure you that if you are
interested in this space you you should
you should read this book you you would
start appreciating the power of books
the power of knowledge the power of
literature and how important it is to
preserve literature to talk about
literature talk about books uh but again
this book is written in a different way
it's not exactly a philosophy book or
anything it's like an investigative book
about this particular incident but I
just like The Meta commentary that she
has around it about the love of books so
yeah that was the list guys uh I hope
you like these recommendations you read
these books and I'm I'm very very sorry
I'm uploading the videos very late but
from now on I'm going to be consistent
again I know um 1 month is a long time
for me for to not upload videos I I have
been reading books very interesting
books and there are many interesting
videos uh lined up so stay tuned and
thank you so much for watching this
video till here that's all for this
video see you in the next one bye-bye
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