Blog Posts by Subject: Nonfiction

A mystical history of NYC below Chambers Street… the link between our financial and environmental crises… the life and photographs of Ansel Adams… our always-on, simultaneous society… the 

Have you ever wondered what happens when a ghetto is unmade? Or what the future of Saudi Arabia means to the rest of the world? Or how overachievers do it? Do you think you know what real New Yorkers look like? Do you want to believe that

Is Detroit City really the place to be? What happens in a typical day at a busy NYC hospital? How does a traveler lose himself all over the globe? Is it possible for the government to achieve full employment in the U.S.? How can government in the 21st century 

Each year multiple literary prizes are awarded to recognize the works of great writers. Some of these awards are well known and much anticipated like the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature, while others are lesser known. Here is a list of some of the more popular literary awards given out this year.

The Nobel Prize for Literature was established in 1901 at the bequest of Alfred Nobel (Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator and inventor of dynamite). It is awarded by the Swedish Academy in 

Luckily for criminals and unluckily for the rest of us, the advent of the Internet provided a new trolling ground for serial killers to scroll for victims. Millions of people are available at the click of a mouse on Internet dating sites. Easier, perhaps, then cruising the streets on the hunt. Easier to present a likeable, easy-going, good-guy image 

Thank you for your service. That phrase, the dust jacket; everyone can recognize immediately the title of this book is ironic. Or...is it?

Thank You for Your Service, the latest book from author David Finkel, is about the after-war. Everyone knows the wars: Iraq; Afghanistan. And we have all heard at least a little 

The kids of Korphe, a village in Pakistan, lived in a very do-it-yourself environment. They were a society of farmers and weavers. The people made their own clothes and produced their own food. The kids even made their own toys. Prior to having a school, they held classes outside and drew lines in the dirt with sticks. So it comes as no surprise that the people of Korphe were able to 

The centrality of sunshine… the most fascinating New York Times obits of the year… the riddle of the

"The great demand is for fiction!"

"Among all classes of people, do you think?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you mean to say," persisted the reporter, "that the principal portion of the reading public of New York is composed of novel readers."

"That is it exactly, so far as library patrons are concerned," replied the librarian.

—The New York Times, January 22, 1882

Welcome back to the Reader's Den. I hope you enjoyed reading

What is it like to be a convicted murderer just released from prison? What company was the Apple of the 1960s and 70s? Can you forage for edible plants in New York City? How much do you know about life in Palestine? What does America owe to its

If you enjoy weird mysteries and separating truth from fiction, then you'll definitely enjoy Dead Strange: The Bizarre Truths Behind 50 World-Famous Mysteries by Matt Lamy.

This book covers different topics from alchemy to zombies, and the author discusses the difference between the myth and the reality of each topic. Along the way you'll learn about mysteries like Area 51, Easter Island, ESP, the Loch Ness Monster, Men in Black, and poltergeists. And hey, if you learn how to prepare for 

Common perceptions of what it means to be a "fit person" contribute to the idea that gyms and exercise are suited only for the outgoing and the genetically gifted, but it is possible to thrive within fitness culture without being terminally optimistic or a natural athlete.

The fitness industry's persistent focus on attractiveness and social acceptance has created an image of vain or even anti-intellectual athletes. In much of popular culture, muscle-bound motivational speakers and infomercial aerobics instructors 

Looking for beach reading? New York Times Dealbook columnist (and author) Andrew Ross Sorkin provides his recommendations—"Essential Wall Street Summer Book List"—on the first page of the Business Day section for July 2nd, 2013.

Most of these titles are oldies-but-goodies. Wishing for something newer? Stay tuned for a list of business best-sellers.

Follow the links on his 

Dangers of the 'foodopoly'... secrets of the original West Village... how Manhattan became capital of the world... a survey of time in love, war, crime, art, money and media... the spectrum of

Should we worry about a Medicare Meltdown? Is a newly identified autoimmune disease responsible for instances of demonic possession recorded in the past? What is the Secret History of Coffee, Coca & Cola? How can we best care for

How interesting could a book about a long walk possibly be? In the case of Cheryl Strayed's book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, the answer is very. Some may have foolishly initially shied away from this book because it's an Oprah's Book Club selection and a memoir, a combination that proved problematic for James Frey's

Horse reproduction! I never thought that I would learn so much about this subject by reading a book about wild horse scientists, but I guess that it makes sense. After all, managing the numbers of wild horses on islands, especially publicly protected land in which predators are few and far between, is a challenge.

And what to do with the excess