CHECK IT OUT:Delve into nonfiction shelves
The Crean Mariners Branch Library of the Newport Beach Public Library is now open Sundays from noon to 5p.m. Going to the library is a wonderful way to spend a restful Sunday afternoon.
If you savor true, well-told stories, narrative nonfiction is your genre. Great narrative nonfiction authors exhibit deep subject knowledge, a passion for the subject and enjoy telling a good story.
Here is a look at a few fabulous, page-turning titles.
“Salt: A World History” by Mark Kurlansky: One of mankind’s most commonplace, elementary, basic, salt-of-the-earth necessities was a literal lifesaver for food preservation throughout the ages. Learn how table salt has shaped history and is still one of the most sought-after commodities, influencing not only eating, but economics, politics, science, religion and individual fortunes.
“Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World” also by Mark Kurlansky: A fish changed the world? Yes! This fascinating look at the lowly cod will change the way you view world exploration, human migration, history and hunger. Of particular interest are the colored maps that detail the cod’s route around the world.
“Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time” by Dava Sobel: Jeremy Irons starred in the movie as John Harrison, the determined, English country carpenter who solved one of the greatest historical mysteries that plagued unpredictable and deadly maritime navigation during the age of exploration in the 1700s. His story is riveting and heartbreaking at the same time.
“Compass: A Story of Exploration and Innovation” by Alan Gurney: For thousands of years, sailors faced disastrous positional miscalculations and the resulting shipwrecks as the fate meted out for traveling into the unknown watery world. The history of the compass changed the course of exploration and early commercial shipping in determining the use and misuse of earth’s magnetic field for navigation.
“The Northern Lights: The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis” by Lucy Jago: Kristian Birkeland, a Norwegian scientist, was obsessed with the mystery of the aurora borealis. Traveling great distances and enduring hardships during his quest, his work transformed the modern understanding of electromagnetism, comets and the sun.
“Savage Kingdom: The True Story of Jamestown, 1607, and the Settlement of America” by Benjamin Woolley: Especially relevant as we celebrate the 400th year of the founding of Jamestown, this fascinating study uses previously unpublished British archival sources to limn the actions of European and Native Indian individuals in the colonization of America. Challenge your preconceptions about popular history myths.
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