Anyone have book recommendations?

[Everglaze]

Well, I got the whole month of October off before going to a writer's craft course...but um, anyone got any books that they can recommend? I might as well spend some time reading books..

More educational than fictional please.

[younggiftedandblack]

I haven't read all of these but I hear they're all good.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0881333123.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
This scholarly, carefully researched book studies one of the most overlooked minority groups in America--the Chinese of the Mississippi Delta. During Reconstruction, white plantation owners imported Chinese sharecroppers in the hope of replacing their black laborers. In the beginning they were classed with blacks. But the Chinese soon moved into the towns and became, almost without exception, owners of small groceries. Loewen details their astounding transition from "black" to essentially white status with an insight seldom found in studies of race relationships in the Deep South.

[younggiftedandblack]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0471176893.01._PE_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?: How Reginald Lewis Created a Billion Dollar Business Empire

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/081310887X.01._PE30_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
To assemble this 1978 volume on the notorious hate group, Sims interviewed its members, who were remarkably cooperative. Though it offers a history of the Klan, the book focuses mainly on present-day members. "A commendable effort is made toward comprehending both family backgrounds and individual factors that encouraged particular persons to seek membership" (LJ 11/1/78). This reissue updates their stories.

[kitty]

http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=8130

Asian American studies books up there.

Al Franken's "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them" is great.

[Everglaze]

Cool, cool...I'll consider checking into those books.

Anyone know any good books on entreprenueralism?? or is that book "Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?: How Reginald Lewis Created a Billion Dollar Business Empire" an entreprenuer book?

[kboy75]

The Tipping Point (not really entreprenueralism, but it kind of delves into the phenomenon behind successes; fascinating book))
The Alchemist (my fav)

[kimpossible]

Short History of the World. It's not so short though.

[bluemonq]

*looks around* hmm. haven't seen any other book recs. well, anyway...
The Da Vinci Code - Incredibly interesting book, with the entire Mary Magdelene thing and all. It's more entertaining if you try to solve the clues left behind; only managed to get the last one. 5/5
The Getaway Special - It defies the laws of physics, but whatever. 3/5

[>:^|]

James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me is an interesting look at history. Ever wonder why history bored you so much in school?

I need to read The Mississippi Chinese now. Thanks, younggiftedandblack.

Da Vinci Code was a fun read, but Opus Dei was not too happy about its portrayal in the book. I'd like to read non-fiction about the sect to learn more about it.

[My Name Is...]

Read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

It touches on environmental and ecological and anthropological stuff without making it boring. Makes you rethink our roles as humans in the universe.

[rice cracker]

Yann Martel's "Life of Pi." I also enjoyed "Wicked" and "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister," both by Gregory Maguire.

[Hiroshi2]

I just read Sunday You Learn How to Box by Bil Wright. Probably only about a 10th grade reading level, honestly. But it's about a gay black boy growing up in the 1960s named Louis and basically his coming of age and the experiences he has growing up and falling in love with a man for the first time, etc.