What particularly good non-fiction book have you read?

[bluebell]

I listened to A Well Trained Wife by Tia Levings.  It's about her life in fundamental/covenantal Christianity and how she was finally able to leave.  She uses the F word sometimes, and because her husband was abusive with sex, there are sexual references a few times as well.  So if you are going to listen to it on audio you can't listen to it around kids.

It's a very interesting story, and she is a very good writer.

"Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders. Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.”

Tia knew that to their neighbors her family was strange, but she also couldn't risk exposing their secret lifestyle to police, doctors, teachers, or anyone outside of their church. Christians were called in scripture to be “in the world, not of it.” So, she hid in plain sight as years of abuse and pain followed. When Tia realized she was the only one who could protect her children from becoming the next generation of patriarchal men and submissive women, she began to resist and question how they lived. But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice: stay and face dire consequences, or flee with her children.

Told in a beautiful, honest, and sometimes harrowing voice, A Well-Trained Wife is an unforgettable and timely memoir about a woman's race to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage."

[Tacenda]

On 9/20/2025 at 9:41 AM, bluebell said:

I listened to A Well Trained Wife by Tia Levings.  It's about her life in fundamental/covenantal Christianity and how she was finally able to leave.  She uses the F word sometimes, and because her husband was abusive with sex, there are sexual references a few times as well.  So if you are going to listen to it on audio you can't listen to it around kids.

It's a very interesting story, and she is a very good writer.

"Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders. Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.”

Tia knew that to their neighbors her family was strange, but she also couldn't risk exposing their secret lifestyle to police, doctors, teachers, or anyone outside of their church. Christians were called in scripture to be “in the world, not of it.” So, she hid in plain sight as years of abuse and pain followed. When Tia realized she was the only one who could protect her children from becoming the next generation of patriarchal men and submissive women, she began to resist and question how they lived. But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice: stay and face dire consequences, or flee with her children.

Told in a beautiful, honest, and sometimes harrowing voice, A Well-Trained Wife is an unforgettable and timely memoir about a woman's race to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage."

This looks good, and hopefully a warning to women how things can go terribly wrong in the name of religion. Or maybe it's not what I think it is. 

[bluebell]

4 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

This looks good, and hopefully a warning to women how things can go terribly wrong in the name of religion. Or maybe it's not what I think it is. 

She's very fair with the topic.  She makes sure that her readers know that her experiences were her own, and her sister (who grew up in the same faith) did not have the same negative connotations connected to the things she learned, because they have different personalities.  She's also clear that her ex husband has mental health challenges that needed a doctor, not church leaders.  The form of patriarchy that he was trying to enforce (and she was trying to live up to) was extreme.  It was the kind where the wife was supposed to say "yes Lord" after everything her husband told her.  And they made her life worse and her husband's life worse as well.  

But I think you are right in that it does highlight how things can go wrong in the name of religion.  Especially for people with certain ways of seeing and interpreting the world.

[Tacenda]

40 minutes ago, bluebell said:

She's very fair with the topic.  She makes sure that her readers know that her experiences were her own, and her sister (who grew up in the same faith) did not have the same negative connotations connected to the things she learned, because they have different personalities.  She's also clear that her ex husband has mental health challenges that needed a doctor, not church leaders.  The form of patriarchy that he was trying to enforce (and she was trying to live up to) was extreme.  It was the kind where the wife was supposed to say "yes Lord" after everything her husband told her.  And they made her life worse and her husband's life worse as well.  

But I think you are right in that it does highlight how things can go wrong in the name of religion.  Especially for people with certain ways of seeing and interpreting the world.

Stumbled across this YouTube with the author of the book. Looks interesting, haven't listened yet. 

 

[Devobah]

I guess you could call this Non-Fiction. I really enjoy reading “The Anthropocene Reviewed” by John Green. It’s a group of essays written by Green about Earth and giving reviews (from one to five stars) about the various things. It’s geared towards a younger audience, as he is a YA author mostly, and you can definitely tell. But it also celebrates humanity, our world, and all of our wacky creations, missteps, and other things. 
 

I revisit this book probably once every year. I’ve even added it to my curriculum that I teach as part of my Sophomore English class. (Students choose essays that they would like to read, annotate, add footnotes, and present on) Students usually enjoy things like this. Something they can choose and even relate to. 

[Calm]

55 minutes ago, Devobah said:

Sophomore English class

Oh no!  Another English teacher.  I must be vigilant.  I will never escape!

(The prequel to this is in another thread)

Edited October 19, 2025 by Calm

[bluebell]

I just started Sharon Eubank's book "Doing Small Things with Great Love:  How Everyday Humanitarians are Changing the World" and I am so in love with it.  Her style of writing makes it so easy to read and you just want to go out and do something good when you read it.

[Calm]

4 hours ago, bluebell said:

I just started Sharon Eubank's book "Doing Small Things with Great Love:  How Everyday Humanitarians are Changing the World" and I am so in love with it.  Her style of writing makes it so easy to read and you just want to go out and do something good when you read it.

She has always had that vibe for me. 

[Rain]

On 1/25/2025 at 7:17 PM, rpn said:

Krakatoa  by Simon Winchester

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig 

I finally got Zen from the library!  It has been on hold for a LONG time! I'm listening to it now. I'm never going to be traveling by motorcycle, but we do love traveling those backroads like he talks about.

[Tacenda]

On 9/21/2025 at 5:56 PM, bluebell said:

She's very fair with the topic.  She makes sure that her readers know that her experiences were her own, and her sister (who grew up in the same faith) did not have the same negative connotations connected to the things she learned, because they have different personalities.  She's also clear that her ex husband has mental health challenges that needed a doctor, not church leaders.  The form of patriarchy that he was trying to enforce (and she was trying to live up to) was extreme.  It was the kind where the wife was supposed to say "yes Lord" after everything her husband told her.  And they made her life worse and her husband's life worse as well.  

But I think you are right in that it does highlight how things can go wrong in the name of religion.  Especially for people with certain ways of seeing and interpreting the world.

I finally got to listen to this book on Libby. It was very difficult to listen to in many spots. Made me worry for those in that faith, the women are being trained in ways that are so harmful. It makes me hate the Bible. I really wish there was Bible information before people read it, to take serious note that the Bible is man made, unless it's God breathed. Even Jimmy Carter who is a stalwart Christian has mentioned that it can be harmful. 

Edited November 17, 2025 by Tacenda

[Rain]

On 1/25/2025 at 4:17 PM, MustardSeed said:

I’m audio booking “the let them theory” by Mel Robbins.  I really like it. But I think it will be over quoted within a year time and I’ll be sick of hearing about it. But for now, I really enjoy it. She does a great job of reading her own text. It sounds as if she’s just speaking rather than reading. I really appreciate that.
 

This is a topic that I really need to embrace myself. 

Did you end up still liking it when you got done?  I've just started listening (it has been on hold this entire time) to it with kindle assisted reader so I am hearing the digital reader and not the author's voice.

[Tacenda]

Listening to "Atomic Habits" on audible. I really love it. At first it was a little boring but I kept listening and sure glad I did.

[sunstoned]

I enjoy military history, and I have just finished "The Winter War: The Russo-Finnish War of 1939-40" by William R. Trotter.

[Rain]

On 1/11/2026 at 9:49 AM, Tacenda said:

Listening to "Atomic Habits" on audible. I really love it. At first it was a little boring but I kept listening and sure glad I did.

I loved the first part.  The last part I felt kind of went against the principles of the first part. They pressed it so hard that for me it was like, "Wait! No. Goals are not just for showing you a direction, but the thing you should focus on rather than the habits and systems." Maybe I felt that way just because it was the last part, but it kind of felt to me like the editor said, "this part isn't strong enough. We need to press it more so that it will compete with other "be the best you can be" books.  I've not run into anyone who felt the same way though.

[Tacenda]

15 hours ago, Rain said:

I loved the first part.  The last part I felt kind of went against the principles of the first part. They pressed it so hard that for me it was like, "Wait! No. Goals are not just for showing you a direction, but the thing you should focus on rather than the habits and systems." Maybe I felt that way just because it was the last part, but it kind of felt to me like the editor said, "this part isn't strong enough. We need to press it more so that it will compete with other "be the best you can be" books.  I've not run into anyone who felt the same way though.

I only liked the middle. I don't think I finished it because Libby took it back into the system. Or a lot of times I listen during the night and miss a lot because I fall asleep. So I'm thinking your experience is probably spot on. 

[Rain]

18 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

I only liked the middle. I don't think I finished it because Libby took it back into the system. Or a lot of times I listen during the night and miss a lot because I fall asleep. So I'm thinking your experience is probably spot on. 

I understand the falling asleep thing.  I actually listen to some books to help me sleep. Did you know Libby has a sleep timer? It is the moon at the top. Touch it once to set it. Twice to change the amoint of time. I'll bookmark when ready to sleep and put the timer on so there is only that amount of time to search through to find where I fell asleep.

[Tacenda]

2 minutes ago, Rain said:

I understand the falling asleep thing.  I actually listen to some books to help me sleep. Did you know Libby has a sleep timer? It is the moon at the top. Touch it once to set it. Twice to change the amount of time. I'll bookmark when ready to sleep and put the timer on so there is only that amount of time to search through to find where I fell asleep.

This is such good advice, I didn't even know there was that feature, thanks so much. Often it will get clear to the end in my sleep and then I have to figure out how to re-play the chapters before it's put back in the system. 

[Rain]

19 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

This is such good advice, I didn't even know there was that feature, thanks so much. Often it will get clear to the end in my sleep and then I have to figure out how to re-play the chapters before it's put back in the system. 

You're welcome! Before I found that it just wasn't worth it to go back sometimes because too much time had passed and sometimes finding the right place in an audiobook is difficult even if you weren't half asleep. That is one advantage of paper books - so much easier to flip through to find spots you're looking for. 

[rodheadlee]

There are non-fiction books? Who knew? I live in a make believe world.