Book Recommendations (Sort Of)

I say sort of because I realize these books have a more limited audience (among my children's lit readers, at least), partly because they’re nonfiction and partly because of the subject matter. Still, I found both fascinating, but for different reasons.

Of these two, FREAKONOMICS: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner is the more recent one I've read. I’ve been meaning to check this one out for a while, since I majored in Economics, and it didn’t disappoint. Steven and Stephen investigate, among other things, the similarities between school teachers and sumo wrestlers and the correlation between given names and success. In fact, if you enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell’s OUTLIERS (which had a few things to say about success as well), you’ll probably like this one, too.

On a completely different note, I found COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen positively captivating. Indeed, few nonfiction books hook me as thoroughly as this one did. Mr. Cullen was one of the first journalists on the scene that day, arriving at the school about an hour after the first shots were fired, but what makes his coverage of the tragedy so compelling is that he spent the first few weeks telling one story and then the next several years trying to tell the right one. Definitely an eye-opening read.

Have you read either of these books? If so, what did you think? If not, have you come across any nonfiction lately that you found as engaging as your usual fiction fare?