LATE DECEMBER
Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood, by Michael Lewis (2009)
Michael Lewis is one of the best nonfiction authors alive right now. This is mainly a series of humorous journal entries he kept about what it's like to be a father, in all of its mundaniety.
The Old Ball Game: How John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, and the New York Giants Created Modren Baseball, by Frank Deford (2005)
This was a fantastically well-written history of the late 19th century and the early part of the 20th, and how the game of base ball evolved from a profession worse than acting into the hallmark of American patriotism.
Total - 2 nonfiction.
JANUARY
One Helluva Ride: How NASCAR Swept the Nation, by Liz Clarke (2008)
A great history of NASCAR from a journalist who has covered the sport for twenty-five years.
A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck, by Trace Adkins, Keith Zimmerman and Kent Zimmerman (2007)
I agree with most of Trace Adkins's opinions, though not all. I don't like his music much, but that's okay. Most interesting tidbit was that he survived near-death experiences at least five times, including once when his wife shot him through the lung during an argument. Also, the guy who signed him to Capitol Records was the exec who Garth Brooks fired.
Myths and Mysteries of Oklahoma: True Stories of the Unsolved and Unexplained, by Robert L. Dorman (2013)
Some of these were much more interesting than others. A lady involved with a lawsuit over working with radiation dying in a car wreck? Custer possibly having an affair with an Indian woman and having a son by her? Meh. The Osage County Reign of Terror, a series of murders related to oil reserves which led to a house being blown up and being one of the FBI's earliest cases? An Oklahoma City lawman possibly being murdered by his wife? Yes, more information please! Political shenanigans between Guthrie and OKC over which would be the capitol were fascinating to read about.
Over Here, by Edgar Guest (1918)
A collection of poems dealing with the just-concluded Great War. Many of them were far too patriotic to take seriously, but there were lots than dealt with the small, minor parts of a war, both on the front lines and back on the homefront. These sketched outlines of the humans who lived through those bewildering times.
Tulsa's Daily World: The Story of a Newspaper and Its Town, by Randy Krehbiel (2007)
This history of the Tulsa World is really interesting. And niche. Found in the Okmulgee Library's state history section.
The Writer's Voice, by A. Alvarez (2005)
A writer's voice is something like a fingerprint. There was a lot of academic stuff I didn't understand, but this book was sitting on a "Free" shelf.
The Game's Not Over: In Defense of Football, by Gregg Easterbrook (2015)
Nonfiction author Gregg Easterbrook had a column called "Tuesday Morning Quarterback," which I loved. It was deleted by ESPN after his criticism of the NFL proved too popular. (This was also around the same time they shut down Grantland for the same reason.) From the RSU library.
Total this month: 7, bringing nonfiction total to 9.
FEBRUARY
The Gothic Tradition, by David Stevens (2000)
This was a textbook.
Shakespeare's Restless World: A Portrait of an Era in Twenty Objects, by Neil MacGregor (2012)
Really cool history of random objects and their explanation of their function or significance in Shakespeare's England.
Hilliblly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, by J.D. Vance (2016)
A memoir of an Ohio kid from white-trash roots to the Ivy League; heartbreaking but extremely wroth reading. Research for my capstone project.
Burning Bush 2.0: How Pop Culture Replaced the Prophet, by Paul Asay (2015)
A look at how God can speak through pop culture, written by a PluggedIn reviewer.
Total this month: 4, bringing nonfiction total to 13.
MARCH
Play Ball! The Story of Little League Baseball, by Lance and Robin Van Auken (2001)
I'm not sure whether this was intended to be a textbook or an informercial for the giant monolith that is Little League Baseball, but either way, this book was not written very well at all. From the RSU library.
A Letter to My Cat: Notes to Our Best Friends, collected by Lisa Erspaner (2013)
Title pretty much explains it all. On sale at the RSU bookstore.
The Virtues of Captain America: Modern-Day Lessons in Character From a World War II Superhero, by Mark D. White (2014)
For a book on philosophy, this was fairly understandable. It was interesting. From the RSU library.
Total this month: 3, bringing nonfiction total to 16.
APRIL
Agatha Christie: A Biography, by Janet Morgan (1984)
Ponderous but extremely thorough look at Agatha Christie's life, which would have been better if it was read concurrently with Christie's autobiography.
Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose, by Flannery O'Connor (1957)
Essays on peacocks, writing, faith and the South.
How To Live Well Without Owning a Car: Save Money, Breathe Easier, and Get More Mileage Out of Life, by Chris Balish (2006)
Not especially helpful at the moment, but it gave me hope that people can do that.
Jesus, Continued...Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better Than Jesus Beside You, by J.D. Greear (2012)
Very good book on the Holy Spirit.
Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate, by Justin Lee (2012)
This author claims to be a "gay Christian." I don't think that exists, and I didn't like the book much, but it was interesting to know more about how they see the world. He wrote well about his personal experiences of growing up somewhere in the chasm between Baptist and Gay, but his interpretations of Scripture are horribly off-base.
The Gospel According to Peanuts, by Robert L. Short (1965)
The first book of its kind, examining pop culture through a Biblical lens.
Total this month: 6, bringing nonfiction total to 22.
MAY
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity, by Nabeel Qureshi (2014)
A really interesting history of how a Muslim man came to Christianity.
If You Want To Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit, by Brenda Ueland (1938)
Saige gave me her used copy of this, because that's what you do with a helpful nonfiction book - pass it along to the next person it might help. I thought it was largely dreadful, but there were some good things hidden in there.
Ruined By Reading: A Life in Books, by Lynne Sharon Schwartz (1996)
A very long essay more than a book, ruminating on the practice of reading. Mildly interesting.
Comma Sense: A FUNdamental Guide to Punctuation, by Richard Lederer and John Shore (2005)
The most hilarious book on punctuation I've ever read. And a useful one, too. Found at a book sale and picked up because Lynne Truss is one of the blurbs.
The Art and Craft of Playwriting, by Jeffrey Hatchet (1995)
This was pretty useful.
Yes Please, by Amy Poehler (2014)
Amy Poehler's interesting, well-written and strange memoir.
Blue Tarp, by Rachel Joy Watson (2017)
A small collection of beautiful, heartbroken poetry.
Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus, by Kyle Idleman (2011)
Solid theology, though not especially deep.
The Triggering Town: Lectures and Essays on Poetry and Writing, by Richard Hugo (1978)
It was fine, considering that it was free from Dr. Mackie's pile of giveaway books.
Total read this month: 9, bringing nonfiction total to 31.
JUNE
Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want, by Nicholas Epley (2014)
Very good popular science book. Found on sale at the RSU bookstore.
Damn! Why Didn't I Write That? How Ordinary People are Raking In $100,000 or More Writing Nonfiction Books and How You Can Too!, by Marc McCutcheon (2001)
Aside from a horrendously clunky subtitle and really outdated reference information, this book was fantastically motivating.
Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality, by Scott Belsky (2010)
The title is self-explanatory. I was busy with my internship while reading, so I didn't quite catch everything here.
Sitcom Style: Inside America's Favorite TV Homes, by Diana Friedman (2005)
Exploring the blueprints of the homes that TV characters inhabit. It was pretty cool.
Porch Talk: Stories of Decency, Common Sense and Other Endangered Species, by Philip Gulley (2007)
More good Philip Gulley esays on living. I don't always agree with him, but I enjoy talking with him through his books.
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, by Malcolm Gladwell (2013)
Not as good as Outliers, but still well worth reading.
Total read this month: 6, bringing total to 37.
JULY
Soda Pop: The History, Advertising, Art and Memorabilia of Soft Drinks in America, by Lawrence Dietz (1973)
I was disappointed by this one.
The Letters of E.B. White, by E.B. White. Edited by Martha White (2006, Revised Edition)
His granddaughter edited this collection of his letters, which gave a lot of insight and humanity into who he was.
Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs: The Unknown Story of the Men and Women of World War II's OSS, by Patrick K. O'Donnell (2004)
Journalistic in style, this book tells about the adventures, triumphs and tragedies of the OSS, which evolved into the CIA.
Down a Sunny Dirt Road: An Autobiography, by Stan and Jan Berenstain (2002)
Until they have a third-party biography written, this is probably the most information we can find on Stan and Jan Berenstain. They made a great team.
Ukulele for Dummies, by Alistair Wood (2015)
How-to guide for playing the ukulele.
Reference Manual for Stenographers and Typists, by Ruth E. Gavin and E. Lillian Hutchinson (1961)
Exactly what it sounds like. The section on proper care of typewriters was interesting.
Mansfield's Book of Manly Men: An Utterly Invigorating Guide to Being Your Most Masculine Self, by Stephen Mansfield (2013)
Kind of a devotional for masculinity.
VO: Tales and Techniques of a Voice-Over Actor, by Harlan Hogan (2014)
Part memoir and part guidebook on voice acting.
Girls of Summer: In Their Own League, by Lois Browne (1992)
A history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Total this month: 9, bringing total to 46.
AUGUST
The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself, by Susan Bell (2007)
Good advice and reminders to know.
A History of Reading, by Alberto Manguel (1994)
An interesting idea, to track the history of reading. Found in Dr. Mackie's pile of giveaway books.
The Brand Called You: Make Your Business Stand Out in a Crowded Workplace, by Peter Montoya and Tim Vandehey (2008)
One of Dad's business books, on marketing. It was interesting.
The Pony Express, by Samuel Hawkins Adams (1950)
This is a fifth-grade-textbook-from-the-1950's style of history, which is always fun to go through.
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter, by Thomas Cahill (2004)
A good introduction to Greek culture for those who don't know about it.
The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels, by Thomas Cahill (2001)
Part of his Hinges of History series, this book focuses on the Jews. It wasn't quite as good as the others.
Total read this month: 6, bringing total to 52.
SEPTEMBER
Rhinocerotic Relativity, by Scott Alexander (1983)
Another Rhinoceros Success book.
Twenty-Five Books That Shaped America: How White Whales, Green Lights, and Restless Spirits Forged the National Identity, by Thomas C. Foster (2011)
A professor summarizes the books that he felt most represented America throughout its history. Most of the time I agree with him.
My Life as a Ten-Year-Old Boy, by Nancy Cartwright (2000)
The voice actress behind Bart Simpson writes about the character, the show and her career in this memoir. I've read better memoirs.
Fields of Honor: The Golden Age of College Football and the Men Who Created It, by Sally Pont (2001)
Examining the family trees of Midwest coaching generations, through a lens of the coaches' children, as the author is a coach's daughter herself. So kind of like a history of the Dillon Panthers as written by Julie Taylor.
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Education, by John Taylor Gatto (1992)
I don't think I agree with everything that Gatto says, but most of his arguments against public schooling make sense. I just don't know how they can be fixed. Borrowed from the Grahams' library.
Animals Welcome: A Life of Reading, Writing, and Rescue, by Peg Kehret (2012)
A fine-though-forgettable memoir written by a children's author living in rural Washington state.
Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford, by Scott Eyman (1999)
568 pages of the life of the director of John Wayne Westerns is about 300 pages too many.
A Friday Night Lights Companion: Love, Loss and Football in Dillon, Texas, edited by Leah Wilson (2011)
Essays on the show, from a variety of interesting viewpoints.
Non Campus Mentis: World History According to College Students, compiled by Anders Henriksson (2001)
A professor shares some of his students' most ludicrous essay mistakes.
Season of Life: A Football Star, a Boy, and a Journey to Manhood, by Jeffrey Marx (2003)
A sentimental Hallmark-y story of how a football coach taught his players to be men, and a journalist how to be friends with his father.
Total read this month: 10, bringing total to 62.
OCTOBER
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)
A Ph.D goes on an undercover mission investigating the plight of low-wage workers across the coutnry, from housekeeping and cleaning services to Wal-Mart and assisted-living facilities.
Going to School in 1876, by John J. Loeper (1984)
Quick vignettes about schooling during the Centennial.
God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible, by Adam Nicolson (2001)
This was tedious.
American Talk: The Whys and Ways of American Dialects, by Robert Hendrickson (1986)
Very academic, but interesting read on the differences and peculiarities of regional speech patterns.
All the President's Pastries: Twenty-Five Years in the White House, A Memoir, by Roland Mesnier and Christian Malard, translated by Louise Rogers Lalaurie (2006)
Rather disappointing read, because it's hard to take dessert preparation this seriously.
Total read this month: 5, bringing nonfiction total to 67.
NOVEMBER
No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days, by Chris Baty (2004)
An introduction to National Novel Writing Month, from the guy who created it.
Voices from the Hill: The Story of the Oklahoma Military Academy, by John Wooley (2005)
Before it was Rogers State University, or RSC, or Claremore Junior College, it was OMA.
Our Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II, by Emily Yellin (2004)
This was meticulously researched and it was amazing. Just a little dense to try to absorb everything. Definitely going to need to reread it.
Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography, by Rob Lowe (2011)
For a celebrity autobiography, this was really good.
Mavericks, Miracles and Medicine: The Pioneers Who Risked Their Lives to Bring Medicine into the Modern Age, by Julie M. Fenster (2003)
A layman's guide to medical history.
Total read this month: 5, bringing nonfiction total to 72.
DECEMBER
The First Family Detail: Secret Service Agents Reveal the Hidden Lives of the Presidents, by Ronald Kessler (2014)
"With great power comes..." uh, great corruption? Not surprising, some of the exploits and facts recorded here, but there were some good quotes about character towards the end.
Home-spun Schools: Teaching Children at Home - What Parents Are Doing and How They Are Doing It, edited by Raymond and Dorothy Moore (1982)
Early homeschoolers were...weird.
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way, by Bill Bryson (1990)
A highly entertaining look at the peculiarity that is the English language.
Total read this month: 3, bringing total to 75. When added to the 80 fiction titles read, that means I read 155 books cover-to-cover in 2017.
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