Friday Favourites - Non-fiction Authors

I tend to avoid non-fiction. To me those two little words, joined with that small hyphen, scream boredom. But the truth is, every time I do reach for a non-fiction book I am always pleasantly surprised by how readable it is and how much I get out of it.

Do you read non-fiction?
Who are your favourite non-fiction writers?

My list is steadily growing. I've broken my favourites into a few different categories.

 Life Stories
The most profound and moving story I've ever read was written by a Dutch lady - Corrie Ten Boom. She harboured Jews during World War 2 and was eventually captured. She spent the rest of the war surviving the horrific conditions of Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. She faced many horrors and tragedies, but her book, The Hiding Place, is written with grace and wit. I haven't read her other books, but I'm sure I would enjoy them.

Humor
I have never laughed so much reading a book than when I read I Should Have Seen It Coming When The Rabbit Died by Teresa Bloomingdale. It was such a fantastic book and her writing was so heartfelt and personal.

 Educational
Being a writer, I have obviously read quite a few books on writing. My list of recommendations is ridiculously long, but I can say that one of the most enjoyable books to read was On Writing by Stephen King. His easy style and points of advice made for almost light reading with impacting content. I didn't feel bogged down by information, but more inspired with a list of new strategies to execute.


Self-Help
The most enjoyable and helpful "self-help" book I've ever read has been Personality Plus by Florence Littauer. Once again, it is peppered with humor, but also laid out in a very practical, easy to follow manner with charts and lists. I love that kind of thing.

So, that's me.
Which non-fiction authors do you keep an eye out for?