Non-Fiction Nuggets

Do you prefer reading non-fiction? Sometimes I need to read some non-fiction to "cleanse the palate" after too much fiction. The lure of the factual for me often outshines the fictional. So, here are three books that I have recently enjoyed for those who need to add some "real" to their reading diet.

Beneath the Metropolis: the secret lives of cities, by Alex Marshall.

What lies beneath? Alex Marshall dissects the layers of major cities of the world from below. What amazing things are lying beneath the surface! Subways and catacombs, secret tunnels and abandoned rooms, vertical layers of previous building and tunneling projects comprise underground worlds that few people realize exist. Each chapter outlines the archaeology, industrial networks, terrain and tunnels beneath the ground. Excellent maps and illustrations accompany solid text on the history and future of the underground of the world's greatest cities.

Museum of the Missing: a history of art theft, by Simon Haupt.

How are art capers really done? Through the skylights with special equipment? Via a ladder propped against a wall beneath a window? The canvas cut out of the frame and rolled up into a backpack? Oddly enough, all of the above.

Art is a commodity, and this compelling treatment of the growth of high-profile art theft is fascinating. Art theft in war time, robbery techniques, famous forgeries, international investigations, and the use of art as a trade item in drug deals are all detailed. In addition, there is coverage of the current gallery of missing art that show what is still "at large" in the art world.

Operation homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front, in the words of the U.S. troops and their families, edited by Andrew Carroll.

Gripping, poignant, often heart-rending personal narratives of the experience of war for our troops. Poetry, diaries, eyewitness accounts, journals, short stories and other material by troops and their family members bring the reality of war into sharp focus.

The compilation is divided into topical sections covering combat, daily life, home front issues, etc. Some entries are hilarious and some are heartbreaking. Balanced and sensitive, this is a collection that offers an intimate window into the feelings and experiences of soldiers and their loved ones that is fresh from current events.