2012 Nonfiction Staff Favorites

For a successful society, thinkers are just important as doers, yet in the last century we have come to emphasize action over thought. This is an eloquent, incisive examination of how our culture came to devalue introversion, and why the suppression of this trait is to all our detriment. This excellent book will empower introverts and educate extroverts.

If you’ve ever had a hard time deciding whether to knit or read, you’ll understand how 100% awesome this book is. How could you not love mittens based off civil war-era patterns and a copy of Little Women? Or a cabled fisherman’s sweater and Moby Dick? A lined hood with a color-worked ermine and The Golden Compass? A hand warmer muff and Anna Karenina? It’s time: knitters and bookworms, UNITE! 

You may know the atomic symbol for Carbon and which column features the Noble Gases but, did you know that Phosphorous can be extracted from urine? This little gem of a book details the fascinating history of some of the Periodic Table's biggest stars! Aldersey’s storytelling is fun and engaging and makes this book an easy and interesting read for anyone!

I'm a relative newcomer to the NYT Ethicist - I started reading when Chuck Klosterman had already taken over - but Randy Cohen is the OG arbiter of right and wrong, and his philosophy is compiled in this thought-provoking volume of answers to your ethical dilemmas.

Confession: I am obsessed and fascinated with handwriting, calligraphy, and graphology. I refuse to believe that (even as you read these typed words) handwriting is a dying art, when it has such an interesting history and important role in literature. Philip Hensher takes us through the history and evolution of this essential and interesting art.

I'd never considered what it would have been like if Vader had been the one to raise Luke, but I'm glad that Jeffrey Brown did. Turns out, it would have been delightfully, adorably hilarious. Full of awesome movie references, this book makes me ridiculously happy. Now this would be a Star Wars movie I could get behind!

This vividly detailed book follows the lives of several slum dwellers, all with different positions and castes, whose lives intersect through one event. Boo completely removes herself from the narrative, letting the people pull you in, and the result is a fascinating look at a violently different culture that reads like a novel. This is non-fiction at its best.

I'm not usually a fan of "self-empowerment" books, but this one certainly has the strength of science behind it. Duhigg presents a fascinating break down of how habits are formed and what you can do to change them. With lots of supporting materials, anecdotal evidence, and a "Reader's Guide to Using These Ideas" this book can help you overcome a habit, or better understand yourself.

Each day has one question, and a place for you answer it—simple, yet so wonderful. Encourage a kid in your life to write and contemplate life with three years of prompts. Questions range from basic (“what are you wearing that’s green?”) to soul searching (“who loves you a lot?”). Fun all year long. And check out the original version for adults!

This nifty how-to will help you add savvy and glamour to your camping experience--whether that means hitting the road in your Airstream or creating a refuge in your own backyard. Maryjane, a 30 year camping veteran, has DIY advice on absolutely everything: buying and restoring a trailer, delicious open-flame cooking, toilets, mechanics, décor, and much more.