The best books for the eclectic reader of nonfiction

When Rona Maynard’s husband of nearly 50 years said one evening, “Let’s get a dog,” she was inclined to say, “Let’s not.” Indeed, as an online review of Starter Dog notes, this book is “an irresistible tale of reluctant dog ownership full of heart, humor, and wisdom.”

It’s all that and more. And so, as a person who loves to read books about dogs, I was delighted to come across this one.

Maynard writes beautifully (no surprise she was Editor In Chief at Chatelaine for 20 years), hence it is not only the captivating tale itself but also her way with words that makes this such a moving collection of 36 short chapters. You’ll smile, laugh out loud, and weep (I did), and be grateful for Maynard’s gift to readers.

I had never heard of Rinker Buck—nor of C-Span Book TV, for that matter—when one day, flipping through channels, I landed on him giving a talk about his then-new book, The Oregon Trail. I was smitten. As soon as his talk ended, I rushed to my local library to check out a copy.

Part travelogue, part memoir, part history lesson, The Oregon Trail had me mesmerized from the first page. “Exceptional” is not too strong a word to describe Buck’s skill as a writer and his extraordinary 2000-mile journey in a real covered wagon pulled by mules, tracing the pioneers’ arduous trek.

His insights, humor, and a personality that “doesn’t suffer fools gladly” provide a true understanding of the difficulty such a journey posed 150 years ago.

Many readers are familiar with Laura Hillenbrand’s book, Seabiscuit. I had not heard of her book Unbroken, but when a houseguest left it behind recently, I picked it up. I was immediately captivated. 

This book pulls us into the real-life story of Louis Zamperini, a young man on his way to breaking the 4-minute mile as an Olympian when he is thrust into service during World War II. His tale on its own is interesting enough but the other story here, which is inextricably entwined with his—the United States’ entry into war with Japan—is horrifically gripping and enlightening. 

Zamperini’s and his fellow POW's will to survive (and, ultimately, to forgive) is a testament to the human spirit. Here’s a book that should be “required reading” for every American.

I expected a book of insider stories about the hidden world of commercial airline travel from the people who make it possible, but instead I found a beautifully written, lyrical, and awestruck look at what it means to travel high above the Earth’s surface day after day, zooming between cities on opposite sides of the world.

I have never had the physics of flight, gravitational pull, wind, storms, and clouds explained so clearly and compellingly. I frequently reread passages for their beauty and emotion and completely unique fresh perspective. I knew flying was a sophisticated skill, but this book made it clear how truly complex a pilot’s job is.

The author’s love of his hard-won occupation is enthralling, making this a book to share with aspiring aviators in your life.  

I read Atul Gawande’s first book, Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science, soon after it was published. I loved his writing, and as someone who reads (and writes) about health, healthcare, and medicine, I went on to read every book he’s written since then.

Being Mortal crossed my path at the same time my beloved father was making his way out of this life to whatever lies beyond.

Gawande’s book—an examination of modern medicine’s reluctance to acknowledge the “inescapable realities of aging and death” to focus on “what medicine can do often runs counter to what it should do”—hit close to home. But the book was the genesis for a much needed, ongoing national conversation on a topic that will, sooner or later, touch us all.