Recommendations based on How to Travel with a Salmon and Other Essaysby Umberto Eco

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

  1. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

    by William Zinsser
    Comprehensive guide to writing nonfiction, covering craft, style, and technique.

    On Writing Well has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity and the warmth of its style. It is a book for everybody who wants to learn how to write or who needs to do some writing to get ... (Goodreads)

  2. On Ugliness

    by Umberto Eco
    A philosophical exploration of the concept of ugliness in art, culture, and society, challenging our perceptions and prejudices.

    In the mold of his acclaimed "History of Beauty," renowned cultural critic Umberto Eco's "On Ugliness" is an exploration of the monstrous and the repellant in visual culture and the arts. What is the ... (Goodreads)

  3. Consider the Lobster and Other Essays

    by David Foster Wallace
    Collection of essays exploring the human experience in a humorous, thoughtful and often absurd way.

    Do lobsters feel pain? Did Franz Kafka have a funny bone? What is John Updike's deal, anyway? And what happens when adult video starlets meet their fans in person? David Foster Wallace answers these ... (Goodreads)

  4. Down and Out in Paris and London

    by George Orwell
    An exploration of the dark side of two cities, and how life can be different for the privileged and the destitute.

    This unusual fictional memoir - in good part autobiographical - narrates without self-pity and often with humor the adventures of a penniless British writer among the down-and-outs of two great ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Medium is the Massage

    by Marshall McLuhan
    Examining how media shapes and influences society.

    The Medium is the Massage is Marshall McLuhan's most condensed, and perhaps most effective, presentation of his ideas. Using a layout style that was later copied by Wired , McLuhan and ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help

    by Amanda Palmer
    A memoir about the power of asking for help and the importance of connection in art and life.

    Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked thousands of passersby for their dollars. ... (Goodreads)

  7. And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic

    by Randy Shilts
    A history of the AIDS epidemic and its impact on the world, politics, and individuals.

    By the time Rock Hudson's death in 1985 alerted all America to the danger of the AIDS epidemic, the disease had spread across the nation, killing thousands of people and emerging as the greatest ... (Goodreads)

  8. A Moveable Feast

    by Ernest Hemingway
    A memoir of Hemingway's life in 1920s Paris, exploring its rich bohemian culture.

    Hemingway's memories of his life as an unknown writer living in Paris in the twenties are deeply personal, warmly affectionate, and full of wit. Looking back not only at his own much younger self, ... (Goodreads)

  9. The White Album

    by Joan Didion
    Collection of essays exploring 1960s counterculture in America.

    First published in 1979, Joan Didion's The White Album records indelibly the upheavals and aftermaths of the 1960s. Examining key events, figures, and trends of the era—including Charles Manson, the ... (Goodreads)

  10. Civil Disobedience

    by Henry David Thoreau
    Reflection on moral responsibility in the face of unjust laws.

    Resistance to Civil Government, called Civil Disobedience for short, is an essay by American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau that was first published in 1849. In it, Thoreau argues that ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution

    by Richard Dawkins
    A journey through the history of life on Earth, tracing the emergence of species.

    The renowned biologist and thinker Richard Dawkins presents his most expansive work yet: a comprehensive look at evolution, ranging from the latest developments in the field to his own provocative ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. The World of Yesterday

    by Stefan Zweig
    Autobiography of a Jewish writer, describing the intellectual and social life of fin de siècle Europe.

    The World of Yesterday, mailed to his publisher a few days before Stefan Zweig took his life in 1942, has become a classic of the memoir genre. Originally titled “Three Lives,” the memoir describes ... (Goodreads)

  13. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  14. Orientalism

    by Edward W. Said
    Exploration of the Middle East through the West's prejudiced lens.

    More than three decades after its first publication, Edward Said's groundbreaking critique of the West's historical, cultural, and political perceptions of the East has become a modern classic. In ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Origin of Species

    by Charles Darwin
    Comprehensive scientific exploration of the evolution of species and the natural world.

    Darwin's theory of natural selection issued a profound challenge to orthodox thought and belief: no being or species has been specifically created; all are locked into a pitiless struggle for ... (Goodreads)

  16. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

    by Haruki Murakami
    Reflections of a runner, exploring the physical and mental challenges of the sport.

    In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he'd completed a solo course from Athens to Marathon, and now, after dozens of such ... (Goodreads)

  17. Whiskey, Words, and a Shovel I

    by R.H. Sin
    A collection of poems about love, heartbreak, and healing. Raw and honest emotions expressed through simple yet powerful language.

    Completely revised and expanded brand-new edition of Volume I, the first book in the Whiskey poetry trilogy!,Whiskey, Words, and a Shovel, Vol. 1,, is about reclaiming your power on the path to a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Love Her Wild

    by Atticus Poetry
    A collection of romantic poems that explore the beauty and complexity of love, nature, and the human experience.

    The first collection of poetry by the, New York Times, bestselling author of, The Dark Between Stars., Love Her Wild is a collection of new and beloved poems from Atticus, the young writer who has ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. The Republic

    by Plato
    A philosophical discourse on justice, examining morality, politics, and virtue.

    Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, this classic text is an enquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. ... (Goodreads)

  20. 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)

  21. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

    by Christopher McDougall
    A thrilling exploration of the Tarahumara tribe and their superhuman running abilities.

    Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Prince

    by Niccolò Machiavelli
    A timeless political treatise on the art of acquiring and maintaining power.

    Machiavelli needs to be looked at as he really was. Hence: Can Machiavelli, who makes the following observations, be Machiavellian as we understand the disparaging term? 1. So it is that to know the ... (Goodreads)

  23. A Short History of Nearly Everything

    by Bill Bryson
    A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.

    In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)

  24. Agatha Christie: An Autobiography

    by Agatha Christie
    A memoir documenting the life, struggles and successes of the world's best-selling author.

    When Agatha Christie died on 12 January 1976, she was known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime, unrivalled as the best-selling novelist of all time with two billion books sold in more than ... (Goodreads)

  25. Venture Deals

    by Brad Feld
    A comprehensive guide to venture capital deals, from term sheets to negotiations, for entrepreneurs and investors alike.

    Praise for Venture Deals "My biggest nightmare is taking advantage of an entrepreneur without even realizing it. It happens because VCs are experts in financings and most entrepreneurs are not. Brad ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection

    by Michael A. Singer
    A memoir of Singer's journey to surrendering to life's flow, leading to unexpected opportunities and personal growth.

    From the author of the New York Times #1 bestseller The Untethered Soul comes this thought-provoking, inspirational memoir on the magic that happens when you just let go Spirituality is meant to ... (Goodreads)

  27. Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose

    by Joe Biden
    A personal, reflective account of a momentous and difficult year.

    The Instant #1, New York Times, Bestseller,From President-Elect Joe Biden,, Promise Me Dad , is his deeply moving memoir about the year that would forever change both a family and a country.,“Biden ... (Goodreads)

  28. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen

    by Lucy Knisley
    An autobiographical exploration of food, cooking, and how it shapes relationships.

    A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny ... (Barnes & Noble)

  29. Moab Is My Washpot

    by Stephen Fry
    Autobiography of an English comedian, exploring his childhood, life struggles, and eventual success.

    Stephen Fry is not making this up! Fry started out as a dishonorable schoolboy inclined to lies, pranks, bringing decaying moles to school as a science exhibit, theft, suicide attempts, the illicit ... (Goodreads)

  30. High Tide in Tucson

    by Barbara Kingsolver
    A collection of essays exploring the natural world and human nature, with a focus on the author's experiences in the American Southwest.

    With the eyes of a scientist and the vision of a poet, Barbara Kingsolver explores her trademark themes of family, community and the natural world. Defiant, funny and courageously honest, High Tide ... (Goodreads)