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Thursday, April 16, 2015

Non-fiction is sometimes an unforgettable story


Like most of you, I prefer fiction books for my reading pleasure, but I’ve read some non-fiction books that have left a lasting impression on me.  Sometimes a true story can be unimaginable and chilling.  I want to tell you about three such books here.




Tales from a Mountain City by Quynh Dao
            The book is about growing up in Vietnam during the war when a change of government turns the life of one family upside down.  Soldiers move into their home burn their books and take over the neighborhood.  This story is about a young girl growing up under the communist regime.  The family tries to hang on to their traditions, their hometowns and provinces, but the pervasiveness of the communist value system eventually drives them to suicide or exile.




The Black Wall by Jiazhen Qi
            This story is a full account of a family in China during the rise of communism.  This powerful story is told by one of the daughters in the family who is imprisoned at the age of twenty under a charge of being a counterrevolutionary.  Her father is already serving a sentence for the same crime.  The remaining family must scrape by selling what they can to buy food to survive.  They under constant surveillance and not allowed to leave the house unless it is to go to the communist school or to buy food.  As you can imagine, prison life is no better.  Conditions are deplorable there.  At times, this book is graphic and the things these people endured are beyond imagination.  This story is one you won’t forget.


Far Outside the Ordinary by Prissy Elrod
            The book is about a family living in FL.  The father discovers he has a brain tumor at age 50.  Glioblastoma gives no warning until it’s too late.  The diagnosis leaves his wife and two daughters stunned, but they don’t let go of hope as they struggle for a cure and survival against all odds.  Southern black caregivers move into the home to aid the family around the clock.  After all avenues are exhausted, they must accept what’s coming.
            The second half of the book is about how the family copes with his loss and shows them that sometimes there are second chances at happiness.  Love can come disguised and when least expected.

Have you read any memorable books?

15 comments:

  1. The Memoir Perfection has stuck with me for a long time!

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    1. Andrea,

      I haven't heard of that one. I'll have to look it up. Thanks for that tidbit. I love good books.

      Thank you for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  2. I mostly read non-fiction whether it be film books, art books or history. Since I love film I have read a number of biographies. "The Moon's a Balloon" is written by David Niven and it is often a very humorous take on life in Hollywood. he had great flair. "Dark Star" is written Leatrice Joy Gilbert Fountain. Her father was the great John Gilbert who was the biggest star in the 1920's and discusses his horrible childhood, rise to fame and decent into alcohol with the help of Louis B Mayer

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    1. Hi Birgit,

      More nice book suggestions to look up. Thank you and for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  3. I mostly read non-fiction whether it be film books, art books or history. Since I love film I have read a number of biographies. "The Moon's a Balloon" is written by David Niven and it is often a very humorous take on life in Hollywood. he had great flair. "Dark Star" is written Leatrice Joy Gilbert Fountain. Her father was the great John Gilbert who was the biggest star in the 1920's and discusses his horrible childhood, rise to fame and decent into alcohol with the help of Louis B Mayer

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  4. I have seen the last one on multiple blogs. I am interested now...

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

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    1. Hi Tarka,

      You really saw the last book on several blogs? That's interesting. It's a good book, will make you laugh and cry.

      Thanks for leaving a comment.
      Sunni

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  5. I prefer fiction, as well, but it's nice to shake things up with a bit of nonfiction now and then. I've mentioned two on my blog this month as part of my 1940's A to Z theme: Letters Home and Summer at Tiffany (It's not my "S" but I used it for a quote today about nylons of all things!)

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    1. Shonna,

      Thanks for reading and the comment with names for some NF books. I'll check them out and your blog too.

      Sunni

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  6. These look interesting; I'm keeping a list of the books people have been highlighting during the challenge and plan to read a lot afterwards. I do prefer fiction, but these three here that you listed do sound interesting, especially the last one.

    betty

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    1. Betty,

      I just finished the last one before the challenge started. It's a fast read because it's written in a style that's really interesting. Plus it's a good story.

      Thanks for reading.
      Sunni

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  7. I like a mix of both fiction and non-fiction, although I find fiction to be a quicker read.

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    1. Rhonda,

      I think fiction probably is a quicker read most of the time, but the books here are very interesting and hard to put down.

      Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

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  8. I love non-fiction, I will add all these to my Goodreads list. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang is an excellent read too.

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    1. Pilch,

      Thanks for that book suggestion. I'll have to look for it. I normally read fiction but if it's an engrossing book, I enjoy non-fiction.

      Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete

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comment on my posts. I appreciate it.
Sunni