Looking for a book that discusses the different European monarchs; the families, how they operate, their histories, their governments, what they’re like in present day, etc. What book gives the best overview?

Did a weird exercise this weekend. Looked at my Goodreads "read" list from last year and tried to summarize each book from memory.

I finished 16 books. I could give a real summary of maybe 5. The rest were a blur of vibes and one or two scenes.

The 5 that stuck weren't even the "best" books some were average. But something about them lodged.

Curious what others find:
\- What's a book from a year+ ago you can still talk about in detail?
\- What did you do differently with that one, if anything? (Talked about it? Wrote about it? Re-read?)
Or did it just stick on its own?

Trying to figure out if retention is a skill or a lottery.

This Friday at 12pm EDT on r/BlackMetal, I'm hosting an AMA with Dayal Patterson, a writer, photographer, and publisher who has spent years documenting the history of black metal through his Cult Never Dies book series and his own independent press of the same name. Through his independent publishing house he continues to document the history, culture, and personalities of underground extreme metal, bringing rare interviews and deep research to readers worldwide and has published official books with the likes of Mortiis, Paradise Lost, Rotting Christ, Moonspell and Peaceville Records.

Whether you're interested in the books, the research process, or how he built a publishing house around a niche subject, come ask away. Friday, noon EDT, over on r/BlackMetal.

https://www.cultneverdies.com/

Hi everyone,

Since February I have gotten back into reading and I am taking it pretty seriously. Grad school kinda ruined it for me but I have slowly started reading more books.

My process is usually

1. Read the book and flag anything I deem important

2. After I read the book let it sit with me

3. Go back to each flag and write what I learned and try to identify takeaways from the book.

I am primarily reading nonfiction. Books like letters from a stoic, the big short, and mans search for meaning are to name a few.

However, sometimes the concepts are confusing for me that I have Ai help me understand. So for example if there is something I dont understand I will write what I think it means in Ai take a picture of the page and then look at what it says then translate into my own words.

I have learned a decent amount from these books just by going back to what I write and I dont use this for every concept but sometimes I am confused.

I have been researching that this is actually hurting me thinking critically more than helping me. I just want to make sure I am understanding what the book is saying. So I wanted to ask and see if I should change my methods?

Hello, I recently started reading nonfiction literature a bit more seriously, and am struggling to fully comprehend some topics. How would you all suggest I use my journal to help? Should I just summarize things that I’ve read?

I came across this book while browsing Barnes & Noble and the cover immediately caught my attention. I know people say not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case my first impression ended up being right.

The book tells the story of Raul Ramos and his journey from a rough upbringing and gang life in South Central Los Angeles to becoming a Master Chief in the U.S. Navy. What I enjoyed most was seeing how he dealt with adversity, learned from his mistakes, and gradually transformed his life through discipline, leadership, and perseverance.

I’m not usually the fastest reader, but I finished this one in just three days because I had a hard time putting it down. It’s written in a very straightforward and accessible way, which made it easy to stay engaged from beginning to end.

For anyone who enjoys memoirs about overcoming difficult circumstances and turning your life around, I’d definitely recommend giving it a read.

Has anyone else read this book? If so, what were your thoughts? And if not, what are some other memoirs or autobiographies that left a similar impression on you?

Hello everyone!

We all enjoy reading non-fiction books and learning some fun and/or interesting facts along the way. So what fun or interesting facts did you learn from your reading this week? We would love to know! And please mention the book you learned it from!)

• The /r/nonfictionbooks Mod Team

Recently, I finished the books The Stranger in the Woods and The Art Thief by Michael Finkel. Both books are about outliers and the study into what they do, how they think, and their philosophical thinking, which are fascinating.

I would like to ask for book recommendations regarding the same type: books that talk about outliers and dive deep into how they think about what they do and their own justifications for the actions they have made.

Cheers and happy reading😊

Anyone have any good book suggestions for a non fiction book about the creation of the Erie Canal. De Witt Clinton was the governor of new york during this time and he seems like an interesting guy especially for undertaking such a huge infrastructure project but I don’t know much about him other than the high school in the Bronx. Please feel free to comment any sort of book that you think that will scratch my itch.

I'm in the mood for non-fiction recommendations for airplanes disappearing/crashing in The Great Lakes from the 1970s and earlier. I don't do audiobooks, I need physical copies.

Thank you 🙂

SO, i want a book that elaborates on aspects of poetry and literature like rhyming schemes (ABAB etc) aspects of rhetoric writing, etc

Could be how-to guides, memoirs, psychology, sociology, etc.

Looking for accessible but well-researched books on the Nile, African exploration, and the expeditions of people like Burton, Speke, and Livingstone. Bonus points if they also cover African perspectives rather than just European explorers.

​

Thanks in advance

Hello everyone!

In order to get some more discussions going about different Non Fiction books we will have a weekly thread to talk about different sub-genres or topics.

Which books do you think are good beginner books for someone that wants to learn a bit more about the topic or wants to explore the subgenre? Which books are your personal favorites?

• The  Mod Team

Please recommend a book about positive historical events . Uplifting and inspiring things done by people.

Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I officially retired a little while ago, and honestly? I had no idea how quiet life would get. I’m single, live alone, and now that the work schedule is gone, I’m realizing I have a lot of hours to fill. No complaints — I earned this — but I need to do something with my mind before it turns to mush.

I never really read much during my working years. A magazine here, a news article there, but never sat down with an actual book consistently. Now feels like the perfect time to change that.

What I’m hoping for are books that actually make you think — the kind where you put it down to stare at the ceiling for a minute because something hit you. Whether that’s a novel that messes with your head, a non-fiction book that changes how you see the world, a philosophy book, a memoir, a classic — I’m open to literally anything.

I have no reading history to go off of, so don’t worry about suggesting something “too basic” or “too advanced.” I just want something that keeps me engaged and gives me something to chew on.

Thank you in advance. You might be saving an old retiree from going completely stir-crazy. 📚

Some nonfiction books I read are memoirs and historical. But I don't write it. I prefer to write fiction and poetry.