[This article might appear to be asking, what are some good nonfiction books.  Which I acknowlege would be a stupid question; stupid in its broadness.] When putting together my list of books-on-which-I-have-an-opinion for the mailing list I started, I found that there was scarcely anything on it other than novels.  I'm soliciting suggestions for nonfiction that appeals to a general (lay) reader, [and here's the limiting clause] whether or not that reader has any interest in the subject. Which probably usually means where the author is actually writing about much more than the ostensible topic of the book, but might in some cases mean that she's so brilliant at being writerly that the book is fun or rewarding because of fancy prose _style_.  Perhaps alternately nutshellable: nonfiction you'd discuss in part of the arts heirarchy, though the topic need not pertain in any direct way to the arts. As an example of the type of thing I'm looking for, someone here recently mentioned Ravens in Winter, which is a field study of a particular raven behavior.  I picked it up though I had no interest in ravens or the research methods of biologists, and found it fascinating, a fun read.  Yesterday I found a book called Mayordomo which is about making irrigation ditches in New Mexico, a topic I expect fewer than half of rabbers are passionately interested in, but a book I expect most rabbers would enjoy. Other examples I can cull from my pathetically small experience with non-novels: * The Art of Walking.  Ostensible topic, technical aspects   of backpacking.  Neat facts about animals; some fine writing;   some impressive neuroses; some intriguing self knowlege/self   ignorance. * Other Peoples Trades.  Essays by Primo Levy in which he dares   to opine about the implications of fields of study   in which he has no formal training. * Saint Cinema. Herman Weinberg on classical Cinema. (I *think* this   would appeal to non-movie buffs, but it's hard to judge, my being   one.)  Mostly in the form of movie reviews; really a celebration   of the pleasures of being a connoisseur.   Classics on the canonical lists