×
Get Book Smart

While Melvil Dewey devised a good method for categorizing books, some books just defy categorization. For example, where would you find a guide that shows "Tools for Food"?  Would you even think of looking in the "tools section"? Even if you love all forms of art, Would you even think to look for a book about the "Art of Protest"?

In this list, you will find all manner of quirky, fascinating, thoroughly-researched, comprehensive, marvelous and mind-blowing nonfiction books. Books you never knew you needed.


The 12-Hour Art Expert by Noah Charney
book cover
The 12-Hour Art Expert

by Noah Charney


All That She Carried by Tiya Miles
book cover
All That She Carried

by Tiya Miles


Art of Protest by De Nichols
book cover


Atom Land by Jon Butterworth
book cover


Bad Days in History by Michael Farquhar
book cover
Bad Days in History

by Michael Farquhar


The Beachcombers Companion by Anna Marlis Burgard
book cover
The Beachcombers Companion

by Anna Marlis Burgard


Butter A Rich History by Elaine Khosrova
book cover
Butter A Rich History

by Elaine Khosrova


Camp Girls by Iris Krasnow
book cover


Clutter by Jennifer Howard
book cover


Creativity the perfect crime by Philippe Petit
book cover
Creativity the perfect crime

by Philippe Petit


Did You Just Eat That? by Paul L Dawson
book cover
Did You Just Eat That?

by Paul L Dawson


Drinks: a User's Guide by Adam McDowell
book cover
Drinks: a User's Guide

by Adam McDowell


Engineering for Cats by Mac Delaney
book cover
Engineering for Cats

by Mac Delaney


Entertainment Nation by Kenneth Cohen
book cover
Entertainment Nation

by Kenneth Cohen


Gardening Hacks by Jon VanZile
book cover
Gardening Hacks

by Jon VanZile


Goodnight Mind by Colleen Carney
book cover
Goodnight Mind

by Colleen Carney


Have You Eaten Yet? by Cheuk Kwan
book cover
Have You Eaten Yet?

by Cheuk Kwan


How to Bake Pi by Eugenia Cheng
book cover
How to Bake Pi

by Eugenia Cheng


How to Be an American by Silvia Hidalgo
book cover
How to Be an American

by Silvia Hidalgo


How to be an Artist by Jerry Saltz
book cover
How to be an Artist

by Jerry Saltz


How to Know the Birds by Ted Floyd
book cover
How to Know the Birds

by Ted Floyd


How to Tell a Story by Meg Bowles
book cover
How to Tell a Story

by Meg Bowles


Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton
book cover
Humans of New York

by Brandon Stanton


In Intimate Detail by Cora Harrington
book cover
In Intimate Detail

by Cora Harrington


The Incredible Journey of Plants by Stefano Mancuso
book cover
The Incredible Journey of Plants

by Stefano Mancuso


Just My Type by Simon Garfield
book cover
Just My Type

by Simon Garfield


Keep the Memories Lose the Stuff by Matt Paxton
book cover
Keep the Memories Lose the Stuff

by Matt Paxton


Kitchen Yarns by Ann Hood
book cover


Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
book cover


The Last Resort by Sarah Stodola
book cover
The Last Resort

by Sarah Stodola


Letters to a Young Scientist by Edward O Wilson
book cover
Letters to a Young Scientist

by Edward O Wilson


The Library by Stuart Kells
book cover


The Little Book of Life Hacks by Yumi Sakugawa
book cover
The Little Book of Life Hacks

by Yumi Sakugawa


The Little Book of Life Skills by Erin Zammett Ruddy
book cover
The Little Book of Life Skills

by Erin Zammett Ruddy


Long Live the Queen by Bryan Kozlowski
book cover
Long Live the Queen

by Bryan Kozlowski


Lost Places by Heribert Niehues
book cover
Lost Places

by Heribert Niehues


Made by Dad by Scott Bedford
book cover


Mindful Thoughts at Home by Kate Peers
book cover
Mindful Thoughts at Home

by Kate Peers


Modern American Manners by Frederic Mayo
book cover
Modern American Manners

by Frederic Mayo


Napkin Finance by Tina Hay
book cover


Nectar of the Gods by Liv Albert
book cover
Nectar of the Gods

by Liv Albert


A New Way of Seeing by Kelly Grovier
book cover
A New Way of Seeing

by Kelly Grovier


Nonstop Metropolis by Rebecca Solnit
book cover
Nonstop Metropolis

by Rebecca Solnit


Novel Destinations by Shannon McKenna Schmidt
book cover
Novel Destinations

by Shannon McKenna Schmidt


Patch Work, a life amongst clothes by Claire Wilcox
book cover
Patch Work, a life amongst clothes

by Claire Wilcox


On Flowers by Amy Merrick
book cover


Phoning Home by Jacob M. Appel
book cover
Phoning Home

by Jacob M. Appel


Pleased to Meet Me by Bill Sullivan
book cover
Pleased to Meet Me

by Bill Sullivan


Red Notice by Bill Browder
book cover


Shelf Respect by Annie Austin
book cover


Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
book cover
Show Your Work

by Austin Kleon


Smarter Living by Karen Barrow
book cover
Smarter Living

by Karen Barrow


Snowflakes, Sunbursts and Stars by Ayako Brodek
book cover
Snowflakes, Sunbursts and Stars

by Ayako Brodek


The Suffragist Playbook by Lucinda Robb
book cover
The Suffragist Playbook

by Lucinda Robb


Talking to My Daughter About the Economy by Yanis Varoufakis
book cover
Talking to My Daughter About the Economy

by Yanis Varoufakis


Tenafly by Alice Rigney Renner
book cover
Tenafly

by Alice Rigney Renner


Tenafly: Images of Modern America by Paul Stefanowicz
book cover
Tenafly: Images of Modern America

by Paul Stefanowicz


Things to Look Forward To by Sophie Blackall
book cover
Things to Look Forward To

by Sophie Blackall


Tools for Food by Corinne Mynatt
book cover
Tools for Food

by Corinne Mynatt


Turkish Delight and Treasure Hunts by Jane Brocket
book cover
Turkish Delight and Treasure Hunts

by Jane Brocket


Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein
book cover


The Useful Book by Sharon Bowers
book cover
The Useful Book

by Sharon Bowers


What We Bring to the Practice of Medicine by Kimberly Greene-Liebowitz
book cover
What We Bring to the Practice of Medicine

by Kimberly Greene-Liebowitz


The World's Most Romantic Destinations by Abbie Kozolchyk
book cover
The World's Most Romantic Destinations

by Abbie Kozolchyk