1947 Where Now Begins by Elisabeth Asbrink, Fiona Graham In a little over a year after the end of WWII, the seeds for all of today's conflicts and much of today's culture were laid. An excellent book for the advanced teen reader with an interest in history and world events. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah A former child soldier from Sierra Leone recalls how he was transformed from an innocent 12-year-old into a cold-blooded killer. A story of resilience and survival that will interest all teens. ARage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil, from Tahrir Square to Isis by Robert F. Worth An excellent first-hand reporting of the Arab Spring, from the early days in Tunisia and Egypt in 2011 through the tragic aftermath, particularly in Syria, through 2015. What happened and why. For teens interested in world affairs. A Wolf Called Romeo by Nick Jans A large, wild black wolf initiates friendly relations with a number of Juneau residents and their dogs. The inevitable negative consequence for wildlife interacting with humans creates the tension for this book. A moving story filled with the history and biology of nature in the far north, this book will particularly appeal to teens who have a soft spot for dogs and/or wild animals. Always Another Country by Sisonke Msimang Born to an exiled South African freedom fighter, Msimang grows up an international citizen. After South Africa is liberated from Apartheid, and after she graduates from college, she returns to be part of the new country. She is intensely reflective of her place in the world as female, black, and privileged. Great for experienced teen readers with an interest in the wider world. Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos Osnos, staff writer for The New Yorker, lived in China from 2008 to 2013. With humor, detail, and keen observation, he brings to light for our eyes life in modern China. This book would interest older teens with an interest in sociology and travel. %American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey Into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer Bauer, a reporter for Mother Earth News and a survivor of a stint in an Iranian prison, goes undercover in a for-profit prison in Louisiana as a nine-dollar-an-hour prison guard. He intersperses that story with vignettes of the history of incarceration in America. An excellent book for mature teens interested in American history and social justice. American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee Blakeslee tells the story of the reintroduction of the wolf into Yellowstone National Park and the effect on the environmental balance of the park, the wolves who made their lives there, the neighbors of the park, and the people who came to know the wolves. Excellent for teens who like the wild; also of interest for students of human nature. America's Great Game: The CIA'S Secret Arabists and the Shaping of the Modern Middle East by Hugh Wilford How America got involved in the politics of the Middle East (1940s-1960s): this clear, in-depth accounting will be of interest to advanced teen readers with a particular interest in foreign affairs. Annals of the Former World by John McPhee Rightly called a masterpiece in nonfiction writing, this fascinating book unpacks the geological history of the United States, leaving no stone unturned. Mature teen readers with an interest in geology and/or top notch non-fiction writing will enjoy perusing this book. Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific by Robert D. Kaplan In this fascinating account, Kaplan explains the central issue in the second decade of the 21st century in the South China Sea: the military rise of China and the strengthening nationhood of smaller neighbors, all bordering a globally-critical sea trade route. Older teens with a global interest will like this book. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates This elegant and timely memoir of a black child born out of the sixties, recounts racial history in America alongside the trajectory of his own childhood in the post Civil Rights era. All teens with an interest in history and culture would like this book. Beyond the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo Boo tells the true story of families living on the margins in a Mumbai slum as if she was telling a fictional story. Appropriate for teens of all ages and both genders--it is a complete immersion into a different culture, a different life. Bossy Pants by Tina Fey Saturday Night Live comedian Tina Fey recounts her life and her experiences being a comedian with great humor and verve. Excellent book, particularly for girls, for both avid readers and for less enthusiastic readers who might not yet know how much fun it is to read books. Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides The legendary trapper, scout, and soldier Kit Carson is at the center of this fascinating account of the conquest of the American Southwest. Great history and thought-provoking. For teens of all ages, both genders. Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy Prisoners stage a revolt against inhumane treatment; the reprisal and aftermath are even more inhumane. For advanced teen readers interested in social policy. Boys Among Men: How the Prep-to-Pro Generation Redefined the NBA and Sparked a Basketball Revolution by Jonathan Abrams From 1995 to 2005, the NBA allowed high school basketball players to go right from high school into the NBA. This is the story of how those kids made (or did not make that leap). Great for sports fans and basketball players and of interest for those preparing to make that amazing leap from high school into the challenges of competition in an adult world. Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain--for Lifeby David Perlmutter and Kristen Loberg For teens who are interested in food, health, and medicine, this thorough exploration on the microbiome of the human body will fascinate.. China 1945: Mao's Revolution and America's Fateful Choiceby Richard Bernstein Diplomacy is the other option from war and good intentions are not enough. This wonderfully well-written and well-researched book tells the story of how America failed to get it right on the cusp of the Chinese Revolution and serves as a good study for today's foreign conflicts. Excellent for experienced teen readers with an interest in history and foreign service. Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap? by Graham Allison The meteoric rise of China in the last few decades positions it to surpass America as the world's superpower. Easily accessible for the advanced teen reader with an interest in history and the world that awaits, this book lays out the case that war can be avoided with an astute knowledge of precedent and clear minds. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard This spell-binding tale of the short presidency and the painful death of James Garfield paints a clear portrait of America in the late nineteenth century, ranging from politics to social struggles to technological and medical breakthroughs. For experienced teen readers who love history. Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King This extremely accessible and well-written narrative tells the story of how talent, hard work, courage, and dedication brought about significant social change in a democratic society. For teens of all ages, both genders. Down From the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear by Bryce Andrews Andrews captures the intersection between wilderness and human expansion with this very personal story of the life of the most feared North American mammal. Precise and riveting. For all teen readers who see books as avenues to new territory. Educated by Tara Westover A girl born into a survivalist family topped off with mental illness overcomes her preordained life by pursuing higher education. Teen girls will enjoy this book. Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of the Young Women Who Are Transforming the Arab World by Katherine Zoepf For teens interested in travel and the wider world, there is no better book than this one for getting to know how girls in Arab countries live. For mid to older teens. Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracyby Douglas Smith The early twentieth-century Russian revolution removed the centuries-old hereditary upper class. This is the first book to clearly explain what happened to those people. Excellent reading and thought-provoking about change and adaptivity, it will appeal to older teens who love history. How Music Works by David Byrne After playing, writing, and recording music for decades, Byrne published this accessible exploration about how music is written, recorded, distributed, and received. Great for all teens who love music. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Talibanby Malala Yousafzai Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced when the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan. She fought for her right and the rights of all girls to an education. For that, she was shot in the head when she was fifteen years old. She survived. This is her story, a story of inspiration and courage. Appreciated mostly by teen girls of all ages. In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White A young man reaches for professional and financial success and goes a step too far when facing failure. He is sentenced to a federal prison in Mississippi that also houses lepers. A funny, yes funny, memoir about what really matters. Good for any teen with broad interests. % Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson A memoir of the young lawyer who has dedicated his life to bringing justice to the innocent, the underage, and the mentally ill who have been wrongfully convicted and/or brutally treated in our nation's "justice system" will appeal to all teens who want to better understand the wider world. Kill 'Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul by James McBride Not only is this a complete and sympathetic biography of the Godfather of Soul, it is a fascinating treatise on soul music within the march of American history. For older teens who like music, history, and social commentary. Killing a King: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel by Dan Ephron Kudos to Dan Ephron for giving us this concise account of the complexities of Israel that resulted in the one and only assassination of a Prime Minister and by one of their own. For all teens interested in international affairs and politics. Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle Eastby Scott Anderson Advanced teen readers who like history will enjoy this highly readable and fascinating story of WWI and the beginnings of today's Middle East. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick Every American child learns how the Mayflower brought the Pilgrims across the ocean to establish a colony on the New England Coast. For the older teen reader, Philbrick's enthralling book fills in the detail of that journey and the first half-century of their lives on that shore. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward A Black girl growing up in poor, rural Mississippi learns to love books, climbs that ladder out to a Master's Degree in Fine Arts, then returns to write this honest intimate account of the people she grew up loving. Teen girls in particular will like this book. Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham A riveting story well-told of the science, the history, and the political dynamic that spawned the world's largest man-made disaster, this book will appeal to well-read, mature teens with an interest in science, politics, and human nature. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder A specialist in infectious disease, Dr. Farmer has a goal to reverse the inaccessibility to medicine of the world's poor. From Haiti to Peru to Cuba to Russia, each challenge is a mountain, and behind each mountain is another mountain. This is an uplifting, inspiring book and would be of interest to older teen readers who are interested in medicine and/or humanitarian service. My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit Born in Israel, living in Israel, and willing to die for Israel, center-left journalist Ari Shavit has written an immensely illuminating and personal account of the history of the State of Israel. Mature teen readers with an interest in international politics will enjoy this book. Narconomics: How to Run a Drug Cartel by Tom Wainwright By telling the story of the western hemisphere drug trade through the lens of an economist, Wainwright both makes the subject of economics fascinating and makes the operation and potential dismantling of this devastatingly destructive business clear. Will interest older teen readers. No Good Men Among the Living: America, The Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes by Anand Gopal Gopal moved to Afghanistan in 2008 and spent four years looking at America's longest war through the eyes of the Afghans.. His story is clear, well-written and a fine example of the value of excellent journalism. This would be a good book for a mature teen with an interest in foreign service. However, it is a harsh and heartbreaking story: teens who already have a sense of world realities will handle it best. On Writing by Stephen King From one of the best-selling authors of all time comes this highly readable and entertaining guidebook to the craft/memoir. A great book for any teen who not only loves to read, but also loves to write. Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954 to 1963 by Taylor Branch This Pulitzer Prize-winning account of America's Civil Rights Movement is jaw-dropping and humbling. Advanced teen readers with an interest in American history will enjoy this book. Pumpkinflowers: A Soldiers Story by Matti Friedman A young Israeli soldier serves his country on a hilltop outpost bordering Lebanon in the late 1990s. A beautifully written memoir that captures the experience of a soldier at the onset of what has become today's style of military conflict. For all mature teens. Return of the King: LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Greatest Comeback in NBA History by Windhorst and McMenamine Behind the scenes with the career of basketball great LeBron James centering on how and why he left his team for greater glory and then returned for even more glory. Of interest to basketball players and fans. Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal Has there ever been anyone who has done more wild and crazy things and lived to a ripe old age? Henry Morton Stanley was just a kid with nothing in the world but his own wits when he set out on this life. He is best known for finding Dr. Livingston in Africa, mid-eighteen hundreds, but that episode doesn't even scratch the surface. Pure adventure for any teen so inclined. Ten Drugs: How Plants, Powders, and Pills Have Shaped the History of Medicine by Thomas Hager Hager tells the story of how the discovery of significant drugs have eased human suffering over the centuries and how the motive for discovery has slowly evolved from one primarily of empathy to one primarily of money. For all teens interested in medicine and science. The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story createdby Nikole Hannah-Jones A series of essays on both the history of Black Americans in the United States and on how that history effects every aspect of our governing and social institutions, this book will be appreciated by any advanced teen reader with an appetite for knowledge of their wider world. The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, A Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell Is there a place in the worst of situations for the best of intentions? Gladwell addresses that dream that arose out of the ashes of the First World War and floundered during the Second World War. For advanced teen readers with an interest in history and international relations. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer William Kamkwamba grew up besieged by drought, hunger, and corrupt government in Malawi. No longer able to afford to go to school, he turned to old science books donated by the British, improved his English enough to understand them and to then build a windmill out of discarded scraps, and to generate electricity. Fascinating as a story in itself, it will interest teens who like to tinker. The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War by Stephen Kinzer This is a joint biography of two brothers, the first a secretary of state, the latter a director of the CIA who, during the 1950s, shaped and drove US foreign policy during that decade and arguable shaped world opinion of the US for ensuing decades. Mature teen readers who have an interest in US history and political science will find this book interesting. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson Set in Chicago circa 1893, this multiple award-winning book narrates the intertwined tales of the architect who overcame enormous obstacles to build the ground-breaking Chicago World's Fair, and the twisted doctor who used the World Fair to lure multiple victims to their deaths. Nonfiction portrayed in novelistic style, this book will appeal to serious teen readers of both genders., The Devil's Highway: A True Storyby Luis Alberto Urrea In 2001, 26 men crossed the border from Mexico into the United States and attempted to cross a portion of the Arizona desert known as The Devil's Highway. Only 12 made it across. Urrea reconstructs in biting detail the ordeal those men underwent, battling hypothermia, crushing heat, thirst, rattlesnakes, and vigilantes. For all teens. 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 Renown science writer Sam Kean delivers a series of riveting histories that follow every element on the periodic table. This is a great book for teens both enthusiastic and timid about science . The Emerald Mile:The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko The sub-title of this book does not do it justice. This is a history/wilderness/engineering/philosophy/human endurance story that demands the reader's participation and rewards it in spades. For older, experienced teen readers and especially those who love outdoor sports . The Emperor of all Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee Winner of the Pulitzer and numerous other prizes, this book is a history of the evolution (ongoing) of medical treatment for cancer as well as our understanding of the disease. It is a great book for any teen entertaining the idea of becoming a doctor. The Fate of Food by Amanda Little In a fine example of good non-fiction writing, Little recaps the hunter-gatherer/farmer/ industrial farmer history of our food supply and then plunges into the new frontier of food: technology and science labs. Great for teens interested in the production and business of food, or for teens interested in the future. The Floor of Heaven: A True Tale of the Last Frontier and the Yukon Gold Rush by Howard Blum Just when you thought the Wild West was over, someone discovers gold in the Yukon. A prospector, a con artist, and a cowboy turned Pinkerton detective cross paths in this true adventure story that spans from the Midwest, through Colorado, California and Alaska. Great for all teens, especially those who like historical adventure. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls A classic memoir of a girl growing up in an unstable family across the American landscape, this book that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over six years is very popular with younger teen girls. The Heart and the Fist by Eric Greitens Greitens' memoir charts his drive to be the best in order to give the best, from humanitarian service, to a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford, to training and service as a Navy Seal. The nature of courage and of empathy, of both physical and mental strength, are dissected. Of interest to philosophical teens with a curiosity about the wider world. The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present by David Treuer Treuer, an Ojibwe Indian, Ph.D. in anthropology, professor of literature and writing, summarizes the history of the American Indian up to the battle at Wounded Knee where most histories end. He then fills us in on the history since and ties us all together in the rocky pursuit of the American Promise. For advanced teen readers interested in history and their place therein. The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate--Discoveries from a Secret Worldby Peter Wohlleben A forester gracefully and passionately unveils the lives of trees that the casual observer could never imagine. The novice will look at trees completely anew. For all teens with an interest in botany and the wild earth. The Monk of Mokhaby Dave Eggars A Yemeni-American grows up in the Tenderloin of San Francisco.Uncomfortable with the idea of going to college to become a lawyer, he gets the idea that he can go to war-torn Yemen and develop a high-end coffee importing business. Eggars makes this true story into an often amusing adventure tale. A book for our times; with a young protagonist, it will appeal to all teens. %The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore Two father-less African-American boys grow up in the same neighborhood. As one sits in South Africa on a semester abroad from John Hopkins University and in anticipation of attending Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship in the fall, the other one is being sought by the police for armed robbery. What happened? Moore tells the what and lets the reader fill in the why. Obviously good for any teen struggling to move in a better direction. Also good for any teen interested in the social sciences (i.e. people). The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar The author's father crosses the dictator Qaddafi's regime in Libya and moves his family to Egypt for safety. When Hisham is nineteen and in school in England, his father is kidnapped and disappears into Qaddafi's prison. Twenty two years later after the fall of Qaddafi, he returns. Excellent for a modern history of Libya. For mature teens interested in international events. The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War, by Ben Macintyre An excellent portrayal of the world of international espionage, this book will appeal to the well-read older teen with an interest in international affairs. %The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League, byJeff Hobbs This is a finely written account of one brilliant and generous young man's ultimately unsuccessful struggle to leave his confining and perilous beginnings. It is also an illuminating account on the precarious role of college in the transition from the dreams of youth to the reality of adult life. This is a great book for teens, particularly for those with aspirations that include a passage through college. The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel A young man parks his car, grabs his backpack, and disappears into the Maine woods for twenty-seven years. This is his story in brief and the history of solitude in general. This thought-provoking book would interest deep-thinking teens and those whose life experiences may include the path less traveled by. %The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Rowby Anthony Ray Hinton This deeply personal and moving memoir of an innocent young black man wrongly convicted of murder in Alabama and sent to death row, only to be proven innocent after thirty long years, will appeal to all teens. Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam by Eliza Griswold The tenth parallel is the line of latitude seven miles north of the equator in Africa and Asia where more than half the world's Muslims and 60 percent of the world's Christians reside. Ms. Griswold did on-the-ground research and presents a detailed view of some of the hottest conflicts on the globe today as she shines a light on the most pressing global concerns of our time. For advanced teen readers interested in foreign affairs. The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant Tigers, to their great detriment, have always terrified humans. This true narrative tells the story of the tigers of Russia's far east: their struggle to survive the predations of mankind and in this story at least, their ability to hold a grudge and get even. Thrilling as well as informative, this book will appeal to the nature-loving, enthusiastic teen reader. The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire by Stephen Kinzer The turn of the last century, when America first decided to interfere militarily in the sovereignty of other nations. Of interest to mature teen readers with an interest in history and the origins of current foreign interventions. The Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand An airman goes down with his plane in the Pacific during World War II. First he must survive the ocean, then a Japanese concentration camp. A first-person narrative that rivets even the youngest teens of both genders. The Unvanquished: Why the First World War Failed to End by Robert Gerwath The end of the fighting of The First World War did not mean the end of the violence that would then shape much of the following century. An excellent history that sheds light on our world as it is today. For all advanced teen readers with an interest in History and the greater world. The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean DNA is a hot topic today and will play large in today's teenagers' scientific future. Kean clarifies science by making it into a story which is definitely not to say he skimps on details. Advanced teen readers with an interest in biology will enjoy this book. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough One day in the earliest years of the twentieth century, two brothers figured out how to fly. McCullough sets this phenomenal story in a rich depiction of the culture of the times. Great for teens with both an interest in history and in stepping up to the possibilities of the time they live in, from middle grade readers on up. They Marched Into Sunlight: War and Peace; Viet Nam and America, October 1967 by David Mariniss Mariniss tells the whole story of the complexity and tragedy of the Viet Nam War by contrasting soldiers marching into battle with war protestors at home over the course of a few significant days in October, 1967. For advanced teen readers with an interest in history. Thirteen Days in September by Lawrence Wright In September 1978, the leaders of Egypt, Israel, and the United States spent thirteen days in Camp David trying to work out a peace agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors. As in his other books of interest to teens, The Looming Tower and Going Clear, Wright makes a complex history clear and fascinating. Nearly forty years later, peace is still elusive in this conflict, and will be a central issue for novice world citizens in the years to come. For advanced teen readers with an interest in history, politics, and diplomacy. Townie: A Memoir by Andres Dubus III High school boys will like this book—particularly high school boys who have a capacity for reflection and who may have a reason to understand how sometimes, come what may, one must make one’s way from an unacceptable place into a completely different one. It is the story of a split family, poverty, a rough neighborhood, and how one boy grew out of his defenses and resentments into an accomplished writer. Undaunted Courageby Stephen E. Ambrose In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark launched an expedition from St. Louis charged by President Jefferson to find a waterway through to the Pacific. The journey to the mouth of the Columbia river and back took a little over two years. Mature teen readers who enjoy nature and history will like this book. West with the Night, by Beryl Markham A classic of top-notch writing, this memoir tells the story of an English girl who grew up with her dad in Africa during the first half of the twentieth century. Nobody ever told her she couldn't hunt wild boar with a spear, tame wild horses, or be the first person to fly non-stop from Europe to America. An excellent choice for the strong-willed teen girl with an appetite for great writing. We were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates A deeply probing memoir/commentary on Obama's eight years as president, its effect on this writer, and its place within the United States' long and troubled racial conflict. For advanced teen readers with an interest in history and social conflict. When They Call You a Terrorist, a Black Lives Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele A founder of the Black Lives Matter movement makes an impassioned case for its mission with a recounting of her own life. Moving and fascinating, this book will be appreciated by any teen who values justice or understands the lack thereof. Young Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Memoir and a Reckoning by Alex Haberstadt An American immigrant revisits his Russian youth and heritage, providing the reader with an overview of Russian culture and history. For mature teen readers with an interest in history and other cultures. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers Zeiton, a prospering Syrian-American businessman, stays in New Orleans to protect his properties as Hurricane Katrina approaches. In the aftermath, he finds purpose in rowing his canoe around the flooded neighborhood on rescue missions. However, a perfect storm of cultural stereotyping, institutional malfunction, and a steep decline in commonsense humanity conspire to put him through three weeks of hell. This is a powerful book about human failings and human strengths, appropriate for all confident teen readers who know how to give a book time to take off.