Kylie Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I can think of a few authors who don't stick to one particular subject, and I think this makes them really interesting and worth following. I guess I admire them because their interests are so wide-ranging and they seem to be able to make any topic interesting. Bill Bryson has done a lot of writing about travel, of course, but he's also delved into language (Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, Mother Tongue and Made in America), history (At Home, One Summer), science (A Short History of Nearly Everything) and biography (Shakespeare). Erik Larson has written about the Chicago World's Fair and a serial killer (The Devil in the White City), the first American ambassador to Nazi Germany (In the Garden of Beasts), deadly hurricanes (Isaac's Storm) and the sinking of the Lusitania (Dead Wake), among others. Simon Winchester has long interested me too. I haven't read any of his books yet, but I have many of them on my TBR pile, including Atlantic, Krakatoa, The Map That Changed the World, The Men Who United the States and The Surgeon of Crowthorne (about madness and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary). Lastly, Australia's Peter FitzSimons writes about a wide range of subjects relating to Australia, including history (Batavia, Eureka), war (Kokoda, Tobruk, Gallipoli) and biography (Ned Kelly, Mawson, Charles Kingsford Smith). What other authors can you recommend who write about a broad and interesting range of topics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 When I read the topic heading, my first thought was Bill Bryson, but I see you have already mentioned him. Mary Roach writes on a variety of topics: Stiff (about cadavers), Gulp (all about the digestive system), Bonk (about sex), Packing for Mars (space travel), Six Feet Over (the afterlife, etc). Also, Deborah Cadbury - though I have only read one of hers - the fantastic The Dinosaur Hunters (about the history of fossil discoveries). She has written about engineering (Seven Wonders of the Industrial World), the history of Cadbury chocolate (Chocolate Wars), the space race (Space Race), and the British royal family during WW II (Princes at War). I can't think of any others, as most of the non-fiction I read are by authors who tend to stick to their field of study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Bill Bryson has done a lot of writing about travel, of course, but he's also delved into language (Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, Mother Tongue and Made in America), history (At Home, One Summer), science (A Short History of Nearly Everything) and biography (Shakespeare). I have no idea why I still haven't read any of his books to this day Especially when I have a feeling I'd like his books. Must get to them sooner rather than later!! Simon Winchester has long interested me too. I haven't read any of his books yet, but I have many of them on my TBR pile, including Atlantic, Krakatoa, The Map That Changed the World, The Men Who United the States and The Surgeon of Crowthorne (about madness and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary). I've never heard of Simon Winchester. The Surgeon of Crowthorne sounds mighty interesting Mary Roach writes on a variety of topics: Stiff (about cadavers), Gulp (all about the digestive system), Bonk (about sex), Packing for Mars (space travel), Six Feet Over (the afterlife, etc). Bobblybear beat me to it Stiff is one of the best and quite oddly funniest non-fiction books I've ever read! It was hilarious! Also, Deborah Cadbury - though I have only read one of hers - the fantastic The Dinosaur Hunters (about the history of fossil discoveries). She has written about engineering (Seven Wonders of the Industrial World), the history of Cadbury chocolate (Chocolate Wars), the space race (Space Race), and the British royal family during WW II (Princes at War). Wow, that's a mixed bunch. Any idea if she's of the Cadbury family? (If there is such, and the name wasn't just invented.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I've read The River at the Centre of the World: A Journey Up the Yangtze, and Back in Chinese Time by Simon Winchester. It was fascinating but a bit dry at times (no pun intended). I think I started The Surgeon of Crowthorne and didn't get very far, but it was a very long time ago, so not sure why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Wow, that's a mixed bunch. Any idea if she's of the Cadbury family? (If there is such, and the name wasn't just invented.) I've read that she is a distant relative of the family - an article in the Telegraph says a distant cousin. I don't actually know much about the company (aside from the takeover by Kraft), but apparently two brothers (Richard and George Cadbury) inherited their fathers chocolate drink business in 1861 and it all started from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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