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Bill Marriott grew up in the family business. In his more than fifty years at the company’s helm, Bill Marriott was the driving force behind growing Marriott into the world’s largest global hotel chain. Bill Marriott: Success is Never Final gives readers an intimate portrait of the life of this business titan and his definition of success. Bill shares details about his private struggles with his domineering father’s chronic harsh criticism; his innovations n the hotel industry; and the boundless passion and energy he demonstrated for his work, family, and faith.
Hellooooo, nonfiction fans!
It is, once more, me, Alice, co-host of Book Riot’s nonfiction podcast For Real and your substitute Kim for today’s True Story newsletter. While I have neither the calm grace nor journalistic background of a Kim, I do have a lot of enthusiasm for FACTS.
With that in mind, today we’re going to do a roundup of some good nonfiction reads to shove in your bookbag, stow in your work satchel, or carefully fold into your bindle as you roam this country in a rail car. I don’t know your life. None of these are super long or overly ponderous, if you know what I mean (side-eyes Chernow’s Hamilton).
Good On-the-Go Reads
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Obviously. Super readable, great info, and a story that should have been told well before this.
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean. I read this and started throwing out amazing facts at everyone I met.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X. This book will stay with you for a long, long time.
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It’s pocket-sized! And you can read it in an afternoon and then feel a proud sense of ACCOMPLISHMENT.
The Boys in the Boat: Nine American and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. Ok, I haven’t read this, but everyone else has and they love it.
Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream by Joshua Davis. I recommended this on For Real this week and I am saying it again here because: robots! Teen angst! Immigration! Hope! A classic underdog story! This book has it all.
That’s it for now! An honor to be here subbing, as always. You can find me and Kim on For Real every other Tuesday (don’t forget to subscribe). Happy weekend and keep nonfictioning!