Nonfiction Wrap Up 2013

There seems to be an overwhelming number of "best books" lists this time of year. Here is an abbreviated list of nonfiction that has been popular here in Glenview in 2013.

Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in A Storm-ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink 

Reconstructs five days at Memorial Medical Center after Hurricane Katrina destroyed its generators to reveal how caregivers were forced to make life-and-death decisions without essential resources.

Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World by Rosalind Wiseman

Wiseman (Queen Bees and Wannabes) reveals how boys think, showing parents, educators, and coaches how to reach out and help boys overcome their most common yet difficult challenges. 

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown

Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans.

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the prison of belief by Lawrence Wright

Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former scientologists, both famous and less well known, and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uncovers the inner workings of the Church of Scientology.

Gulp: Adventures on the alimentary canal by Mary Roach

The humor scientist behind Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife takes a tour of the human digestive system, explaining why the stomach doesn't digest itself and whether constipation can kill you.

Lawrence in Arabia: war, deceit, imperial folly and the making of the modern Middle East by Scott Anderson

A look at the men and events involved in the Arab Revolt in the Middle East during the first World War.

Still Foolin' 'Em: where I've been, where I'm going, and where the hell are my keys? by Billy Crystal 

Billy Crystal is turning 65, and he's not happy about it. With his trademark wit and heart, he outlines the absurdities and challenges that come with growing old, from insomnia to memory loss to leaving dinners with half your meal on your shirt.

What was the best nonfiction book you read this past year?