The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot; Crown Publishers

“Documents the story of how scientists took cells from an unsuspecting descendant of freed slaves and created a human cell line that has been kept alive indefinitely, enabling discoveries in such areas as cancer research, in vitro fertilization, and gene mapping.”
Robin’s Note: This is a gripping bestseller for a reason: while the summary here emphasizes the scientific side of the story, the engaging part is the story of Henrietta Lacks herself.  The complications of scientific research, racial prejudice, medical ethics, and a personal relationship with the Lacks family drove Skloot to write an astounding, affecting work.

1969: The Year Everything Changed, Rob Kirkpatrick; Skyhorse Pub.

“Chronicles American music, news, politics, art, publishing, and sports during 1969, from Woodstock to the Manson family and Richard Nixon’s presidency to the gay rights movement.”
Robin’s Note: Kirkpatrick is a free-wheeling writer, and this look at the end of the decade is both far-ranging and not too serious.  He addresses some grim moments (the Zodiac Killer, for example) but also rhapsodizes about the Mets and jazz.  As a journey through the last year of the decade, it’s a strong read, and while it doesn’t cover every aspect, it’s an enjoyable ride through some major historical beats.

On The Road To Freedom: A Guided Tour Of The Civil Rights Trail, Charles Cobb Jr., Cobb, Charles E. Jr; Algonquin Books

“An award-winning black journalist takes a pilgrimage through the sites and landmarks of the civil rights movement as he journeys to key locales that served as a backdrop to important events of the 1960s, journeying around the country to pay tribute to the people, organizations, and events that transformed America.”
Robin’s Note: For anyone interested in the 1960s and the struggle for civil rights, this personal view of history illuminates.  Cobb was a part of these events and has a vast memory for the people, places, and situations, and the narrative presented as a travelogue is an engaging and different way to present recent history.  If you’re curious for more, you might also try Freedom Riders by Raymond Arsenault.

Running In The Family, Michael Ondaatje; Vintage International

“An autobiographical journey of discovery gathers together fragments of memory, experience, and family history in order to understand the meaning of his parents’ legacy and his own heritage.”
Robin’s Note: Michael Ondaatje is famous for writing the novel The English Patient, bu this is his memoir of childhood and his own family’s quirks and secrets.  As with all of his writing, the language is rich and absorbing, and his fondness for his homeland shines through even with the breakdown of his family.  His sense of place is unmatched.

Bringing Down The House : The Inside Story Of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas For Millions, Ben Mezrich; Free Press

“Recounts the story of how a notorious gang of MIT blackjack savants devised and received backing for a system for winning at the world’s most sophisticated casinos, an endeavor that earned them more than three million dollars.”
Robin’s Note: Bringing Down the House is another competition/sports-related title that’s high on action and well-written (and, of course, there’s the particular fun of knowing it’s all true.)  If you like heist movies or the satisfaction of a well done prank, this book will appeal.

Have Board, Will Travel: The Definitive History Of Surf, Skate, And Snow, Jamie Brisick, None; Harper Paperbacks

“Describes the ins and outs of surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding, covering the histories of each sport, the best places to ride, leading personalities, performance details, and insider tips.”
Robin’s Note: This sports nonfiction title is a great pick for anyone keen on sports fiction and curious about the real-life talent and skill it takes to succeed.  The major connection here is sports that require boards – surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding.  Also check out Skate and Destroy (skateboarding) and Streetball (basketball) for more engaging nonfiction titles on sports.  If you prefer memoirs, you might enjoy Senior Year: A Father, A Son, and High School Baseball by Dan Shaugnessy.

Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode The Internet Out Of Idaho, Jon Katz; Villard

“Jesse and Eric were roommates in the tiny town of Caldwell, Idaho, nineteen-year-old working class kids eking out a living with their seven-dollar-an-hour jobs selling and fixing computers. College was never in the cards. Their families had been torn apart by divorce and hard times, separation and illness. They had almost no social lives, and little to look forward to. Geeks is the story of how Jesse and Eric—and others like them—used technology to try and change their lives and alter their destiny.”
Robin’s Note: This is an intriguing memoir about two guys who became part of the dotcom boom in the 1990s, and gives a strong portrait of the time and place that allowed them to escape their fate trapped in a small town with no community outside message boards.  The rise of the internet and internet business is featured in this book, and it’s fascinating to see how much the world has changed since in terms of both the Internet and in terms of the opportunities technology still brings.

The Perfect Store: Inside EBay, Adam Cohen; Little, Brown

“Adam Cohen, the only journalist to get full access to eBay, tells the remarkable story of its rise and how it formed one of the most passionate communities in cyberspace.”
Robin’s Note: This title is great for anyone interested in business, and in particular how some of the brand name companies we all recognize today got their start.  This title, about EBay as a company and as an online mecca for collectors, combines company history with a look into how Ebay brands itself successfully.  Particularly interesting is the way that EBay has cultivated the reputation of being built around community despite behavior that may make its “community” more constructed than naturally occurring.

The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester At America's Holiest University, Kevin Roose; Grand Central Pub.

“Armed with an open mind and a reporter’s notebook, Roose dives into life at Liberty University with the goal of connecting with his evangelical peers. He experiences their world first-hand, in this hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking chronicle.”
Robin’s Note: Roose, a student at Brown, is upset that when he meets a group of Evangelical college students, he discovers they can barely have a conversation.  He sets out to do a “semester abroad” at Jerry Falwell’s Evangelical Liberty University to try to figure out whether he can find common ground.  This memoir is funny, thoughtful, and above all well-intentioned—Roose is determined to reject the stereotypes he knows he has and attend this college with an open mind.  He grows an enormous amount, encountering the expected and unexpected, and ultimately the friendships he makes are what he gladly takes away from the experience.