Recommendations based on The Diary of a Booksellerby Shaun Bythell

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family

    by Garrard Conley
    A young man's struggle with his sexuality and the pressure from his religious family to undergo conversion therapy.

    A beautiful, raw and compassionate memoir about identity, love and understanding. Now a major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Lucas Hedges, directed by Joel Edgerton.. The ... (Goodreads)

  2. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics

    by Tim Marshall
    Geopolitical exploration of global events and the impact of geography on politics.

    In the bestselling tradition of Why Nations Fail and The Revenge of Geography , an award-winning journalist uses ten maps of crucial regions to explain the geo-political strategies of the world ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny

    by Robin S. Sharma
    A spiritual journey of self-discovery, learning to live life to its fullest.

    Wisdom to Create a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Peace This inspiring tale provides a step-by-step approach to living with greater courage, balance, abundance, and joy. A wonderfully crafted fable, ... (Goodreads)

  4. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

    by Jung Chang
    A family memoir spanning decades of Chinese history, exploring the power of resilience.

    The story of three generations in twentieth-century China that blends the intimacy of memoir and the panoramic sweep of eyewitness history—a bestselling classic in thirty languages with more than ten ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Art Book

    by Phaidon Press
    A comprehensive guide to 500 of the world's greatest works of art.

    An A to Z guide to 500 great painters and sculptors from medieval to modern times, it debunks art historical classifications by throwing together brilliant examples of all periods, schools, visions ... (Goodreads)

  6. Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures

    by Stephen Fry
    Stephen Fry retells the classic Greek myths with his signature wit and humor, exploring the timeless themes of heroism and humanity.

    here are Heroes - and then there are Greek Heroes. Few mere mortals have ever embarked on such bold and heart-stirring adventures, overcome myriad monstrous perils, or outwitted scheming vengeful ... (Barnes & Noble)

  7. City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi

    by William Dalrymple
    Exploration of Delhi's vibrant culture, history and people over the course of a year.

    Sparkling with irrepressible wit, City of Djinns peels back the layers of Delhi's centuries-old history, revealing an extraordinary array of characters along the way-from eunuchs to descendants of ... (Goodreads)

  8. I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous and insightful collection of essays about Bryson's experiences returning to America after living in England for two decades.

    After living in Britain for two decades, Bill Bryson recently moved back to the United States with his English wife and four children (he had read somewhere that nearly 3 million Americans believed ... (Goodreads)

  9. Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

    by Reni Eddo-Lodge
    A critical exploration of the UK's relationship with race and racism.

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, "This is a book that was begging to be written. This is the kind of book that demands a future where we’ll no longer need such a book. Essential." —Marlon James “The most ... (Barnes & Noble)

  10. The Twelve Caesars

    by Suetonius
    Detailed biographies of the twelve Roman Emperors, from Julius Caesar to Domitian.

    As private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, Suetonius gained access to the imperial archives and used them (along with eye-witness accounts) to produce one of the most colorful biographical works in ... (Goodreads)

  11. Just Kids

    by Patti Smith
    Chronicles of two young artists in New York City, finding friendship and inspiration in each other.

    In Just Kids , Patti Smith's first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal ... (Goodreads)

  12. M Train

    by Patti Smith
    A memoir of Patti Smith's travels, musings, and creative inspirations, from cafes in New York to graves in Paris.

    M Train begins in the tiny Greenwich Village café where Smith goes every morning for black coffee, ruminates on the world as it is and the world as it was, and writes in her notebook. Through prose ... (Goodreads)

  13. The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss

    by Edmund de Waal
    A journey through time, tracing the history of a family's collection of art and their struggles with loss.

    The Ephrussis were a grand banking family, as rich and respected as the Rothschilds, who “burned like a comet” in nineteenth-century Paris and Vienna society. Yet by the end of World War II, almost ... (Goodreads)

  14. So You've Been Publicly Shamed

    by Jon Ronson
    An exploration of the impact of public shaming in the digital age, and its implications for justice.

    For the past three years, Jon Ronson has travelled the world meeting recipients of high-profile public shamings. The shamed are people like us - people who, say, made a joke on social media that came ... (Goodreads)

  15. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

    by Lawrence Wright
    An investigative look into the controversial religion of Scientology, its origins, practices, and impact on its followers.

    A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the now-classic study of al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack, the Looming Tower . Based on more ... (Goodreads)

  16. Reasons to Stay Alive

    by Matt Haig
    A memoir exploring mental illness and its effects on the author's life.

    Matt Haig’s accessible and life-affirming memoir of his struggle with depression, and how his triumph over the illness taught him to live. Like nearly one in five people, Matt Haig suffers from ... (Goodreads)

  17. H is for Hawk

    by Helen Macdonald
    A journey of grief and healing, told through the eyes of a goshawk.

    Obsession, madness, memory, myth, and history combine to achieve a distinctive blend of nature writing and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator. When Helen Macdonald's father died suddenly ... (Goodreads)

  18. The Story of Art

    by E.H. Gombrich
    Comprehensive overview of art history, from prehistoric to modern times.

    The Story of Art, one of the most famous and popular books on art ever written, has been a world bestseller for over four decades. Attracted by the simplicity and clarity of his writing, readers of ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers

    by Will Durant
    History of the philosophical thought, spanning centuries of influential thinkers.

    A brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophers, from Plato to Dewey. Few write for the non-specialist as well as Will Durant, and this book is a splendid example of ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design

    by Richard Dawkins
    A detailed exploration of the evidence for evolution, and its implications for our understanding of the world.

    ***30th Anniversary Edition*** Cover note: Each copy of the anniversary edition of, The Blind Watchmaker, features a unique biomorph. No two covers are exactly alike. Acclaimed as the most ... (Goodreads)

  21. The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry

    by Jon Ronson
    Exploration of the psychiatric industry, examining the definition and diagnosis of psychopathy.

    In this madcap journey, a bestselling journalist investigates psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and everyone else who studies them. The Psychopath Test is a fascinating journey ... (Goodreads)

  22. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

    by Stephen King
    A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.

    "Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)

  23. Twelve Years a Slave

    by Solomon Northup
    A man's journey of survival and resilience after being kidnapped and sold into slavery in the antebellum South.

    Twelve Years a Slave, sub-title: Narrative of Solomon Northup, citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the Red River in ... (Goodreads)

  24. Get Your Sh*t Together: How to Stop Worrying About What You Should Do So You Can Finish What You Need to Do and Start Doing What You Want to Do

    by Sarah Knight
    A humorous self-help book that provides practical advice on how to organize your life and achieve your goals without stressing out.

    The, New York Times, bestseller from the author of, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck, and, You Do You,. The no-f*cks-given, no-holds-barred guide to living your best life. Ever find ... (Barnes & Noble)

  25. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

    by Lynne Truss
    A humorous look at the importance of punctuation and its effect on language.

    In Eats, Shoots & Leaves , former editor Lynne Truss, gravely concerned about our current grammatical state, boldly defends proper punctuation. She proclaims, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and ... (Goodreads)

  26. Chronicles: Volume One

    by Bob Dylan
    A memoir tracking Bob Dylan's musical journey from humble beginnings to iconic status.

    WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. “I’d come from a long ways off and had started a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  27. First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety

    by Sarah Wilson
    A personal account of living with anxiety and how to transform it into a positive force.

    New York Times Bestseller "Probably the best book on living with anxiety that I’ve ever read.” – Mark Manson, #1, New York Times, bestselling author of, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,, The ... (Barnes & Noble)

  28. Eggshell Skull

    by Bri Lee
    A memoir of a young woman's experience as a judge's associate in the Australian legal system, and her own journey seeking justice for sexual assault.

    EGGSHELL SKULL: A well-established legal doctrine that a defendant must 'take their victim as they find them'. If a single punch kills someone because of their thin skull, that victim's weakness ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Lost Child of Philomena Lee: A Mother, Her Son and a 50 Year Search

    by Martin Sixsmith
    A true story of a mother's search for her son, who was taken away from her by nuns and sold for adoption in America.

    When she became pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to a convent to be looked after as a “fallen woman.” Then the nuns took her baby from her and sold him, like ... (Goodreads)

  30. The God Delusion

    by Richard Dawkins
    Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.

    A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)