Great Non-Fiction (warning: lots of history books)

Submitted by ender22d on Tue, 02/20/2001 - 09:59
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  • King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa--Adam Hochschild
  • Freedom at Midnight--(end of British India) Collins and LaPrierre
  • Pax Brittanica trilogy--James (Jan) Morris
  • Ashes of Glory: Richmond at War--Ernest Furgurson
  • The Transformation of Virginia 1740-1790--Rhys Issac
  • The Invasion of America:Indians, Colonialism, and the Cant of Conquest--Francis Jennings
  • Stars in Their Courses: The Gettysburg Campaign June-July 1863--Shelby Foote
  • The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark--Carl Sagan
  • Deep Time: How Humanity Communicates Across Millennia--Gregory Benford
  • Ishmael--Daniel Quinn (not really nonfiction, but an environmental masterpiece)
buber01/30/2001

Hi ender22d,

I had a question about Sagan's book. How is the tone? How does Sagan approach "the demon-haunted world"? Is he condecending, or is he just trying to explain things from a scientific point of view?

ender22d01/30/2001

Good question:Sagan uses many many anecdotes to help make his points, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him condecending. I thought it was well-thoughtout, and I am reminded of the book's premise whenever I see TV commericals for tarot readings, psychics, and the like. It's a quote from Albert Einstein "All our science measured against reality, is primative and childlike--and yet it is the most precious thing we have."

buber01/30/2001

Ah, thanks. It sounds good. I will have to add it to my wish list.