'Whatever It Is, I Don't Like It' – Howard Jacobson
The book collects Jacobson's newspaper columns from The Independent and he ranges from a discussion of ballet (and why he hates it) to airing his views on Calvin Klein tighty-whities. Here's a good place to borrow some ideas on style for that magazine article you may be asked to write
'Becoming' – Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address.
'Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident' – Donnie Eichar
In February 1959, a group of nine experienced hikers in the Russian Ural Mountains died mysteriously on an elevation known as Dead Mountain. Eerie aspects of the mountain climbing incident―unexplained violent injuries, signs that they cut open and fled the tent without proper clothing or shoes, a strange final photograph taken by one of the hikers, and elevated levels of radiation found on some of their clothes―have led to decades of speculation over the true stories and what really happened.
'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion' - Robert Cialdini
In this highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Dr. Robert B. Cialdini—the seminal expert in the field of influence and persuasion—explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these principles ethically in business and everyday situations.
'Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen' - Christopher McDougall
At the heart of Born to Run lies a mysterious tribe of Mexican Indians, the Tarahumara, who live quietly in canyons and are reputed to be the best distance runners in the world; in 1993, one of them, aged 57, came first in a prestigious 100-mile race wearing a toga and sandals. A small group of the world's top ultra-runners (and the awe-inspiring author) make the treacherous journey into the canyons to try to learn the tribe's secrets and then take them on over a course 50 miles long.
'Natural Born Heroes: The Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance' - Christopher McDougall
When Chris McDougall stumbled across the story of Churchill's 'dirty tricksters', a motley crew of English poets and academics who helped resist the Nazi invasion of Crete, he knew he was on the track of something special.
To beat the odds, the tricksters – starving, aging, outnumbered – tapped into an ancient style of fitness: the lost art of heroism. They listened to their instincts, replaced calories with stored bodily fat and used their fascia, the network of tissue which criss-crosses the body, to catapult themselves to superhuman strength and endurance.
Soon McDougall was in the middle of a modern fitness revolution taking place everywhere from Parisian parkour routes to state-of-the-art laboratories, and based on the know-how of Shanghai street-fighters and Wild West gunslingers. Just as Born to Run got runners off the treadmill and into nature, Natural Born Heroes will inspire casual athletes to dump the gym membership for cross-training, mud runs and free-running.
'52 Ways of Looking at a Poem' - Ruth Padel
‘Part of the joy of 52 Ways is the ongoing discussion you feel you can have with Padel and the poem. The book marks an important milestone and continues to have resonance for poets, readers and academics alike.’ Mslexia: Groundbreaking Books in the History of Women’s Literature
Some of you are asking whether there are ways to improve your reading of, and confidence with, poetry. This book is a good way to do this. You can read and analyse a poem for yourself and then look at Padel's approach.
'On Poetry' - Glyn Maxwell
Writing in The Guardian, Adam Newey describes this as the best book on poetry he's ever read and I second this.
On Poetry is one of the most demanding books on this list. However, if you are looking to enrich your appreciation for the craft of poetry then this is a great place to go.