Last year I wrote this blog post about what the non-fiction collection has to offer. Well, I’m back with what could be called volume two! This time I’ve spent over a year getting to know the non-fiction collection here at Lawrence Public Library and good non-fiction books do not stop rolling in. Like I said back then, non-fiction does not mean not interesting. For example this book Red Zone, written by a former Chiefs player who also holds a medical degree and helped them win the Superbowl in 2020, then put his degree to work during the first year of the pandemic. And then there’s this book, American Table, in addition to being a cookbook it dives into the history of America’s favorite dishes. And these are just two examples, I have so many more.
You can also find a ton of good practical books about improving yourself, your habits, your hobbies, or your trivia skills. How to Keep House While Drowning, is one such book that could revolutionize the way you view your home and how to go about the chores that just need to get done but aren’t always easy to do. And if you thought I was kidding about improving your trivia skills, think again, The Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless History Fact-o-pedia will up your trivia skills and lead your teammates to victory, or you’ll just learn a bunch of cool facts to replace small talk with, either way, win-win.
If the previous mentions above don’t interest you, here are some eye-catching books I’ve come across, and maybe they’ll catch your eye too.
I have recently taken up knitting, and while I’m at the very, very, beginning of my journey the ultimate goal is little knit creatures! Whether you are ready to make these woodland knits or want to have a goal to strive for, this book has the cutest little critters that you’ll absolutely go nuts for!
There are always celebrity memoirs being released, this is nothing new and likely will never change. This is however the first member of Fall Out Boy to write a memoir and as a Fall Out Boy fan that is very exciting! And with Fall Out Boy about to release a new album and go on tour now is the perfect time to read this book. Sadly, Joe Trohman has recently announced a personal hiatus from the band in order to work on his mental health, his guitar skills will be heavily missed this tour.
What's cooler than a dinosaur story? A dinosaur story with local ties that's what! This is the story of the discovery of the T-Rex and how it saved the natural history museum in New York City. Barnum Brown, the person who actually made the discovery was from Kansas and attended KU.
I so desperately want to have a jungle in my house, but knowing the proper care for all the different plants is a lot of work. This book is a godsend! Murray has arranged it in such a way that is easy to understand and makes caring for all your different plants seem like a breeze. Maybe now I will finally achieve jungle status in my house!
What a wild ride the animal kingdom is! This book highlights some of the most unusual animals in a really fun and entertaining way. Complete with illustrations, you can learn all kinds of fun facts about Vampire Finches, Naked Mole Rats, and Sea Walnuts, just to name a few.
Where are my Titanic girlies at! This book is for you. As a former Titanic kid, Sinkable really is fascinating because it offers something new to the saga of the Titanic that most books I've read don’t touch upon, the search for the shipwreck that is the Titanic. Not only does Stone dive into all those who tried, and failed, to find the Titanic but he discusses why we obsess over shipwrecks and tragic events from history.
Are your interests not the same as mine, don’t worry, this is just the tip of the iceberg for what you can find in the non-fiction collection!
-Mary Leibold is a Cataloging Assistant at Lawrence Public Library.
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