10 important non-fiction books
People have been persecuted and killed for the idea that everyone has a right to read books that are meaningful to them. And out of fear of the ideas that books can spread, they were also burned again and again in the dark ages of human history. For those who are annoyed by opportunism, power struggles and political folly in the present day, Andreas Salcher recommends ten exciting non-fiction books that prove that these phenomena were the rule rather than the exception in history.
Congo: A history
David van Reybrouck
This book is a rightly acclaimed monumental work on the history of the center of the Black Continent. Captivating and breathtaking, van Reybrouck tells the story of Congo as we have never read it before. The author, who spans the arc from the colonial tyranny under Leopold II through the 32-year Mobutu dictatorship to the present day, reports from the impressive perspective of those who suffer, struggle and live in their country - the focus is on the dreams, hopes and fates of the so-called ordinary people.
The sleepwalkers:
How Europe went into the First World War
Christopher Clark
Probably the best book ever written about the outbreak of the First World War. The psychological analysis of the decision-makers and the contradictions within the individual nations is particularly impressive. Many insights into political folly are more relevant today than ever. A book that will enlighten anyone interested in history and politics.
My life
Marcel Reich-Ranicki
Marcel Reich-Ranicki's autobiography is more than worth reading. Particularly impressive is the objective distance with which Reich-Ranicki admits to his teacher in the early Nazi period that although he stigmatized him as a Jew, he did not discriminate against him in his grades. This makes his descriptions of the Warsaw ghetto all the more oppressive. That someone with his story could become the literary pope of Germany is nothing short of a miracle. A life story that could not be invented.
The French art of war
Alexis Jenni
This masterpiece by Alexis Jenni, which has been awarded the highest literary prizes, uses the example of an old soldier to make us realize that although we grew up in peace in the West, we have exported murder and killing to distant countries. And that war therefore still pervades all Western societies to this day. A book that won't let you go.
King of kings
Ryszard Kapuscinski
Particularly in times of daily revelations of major scandals and minor embarrassments, it is worth taking a closer look at the sources of abuse of power, corruption and denial of reality. The legendary Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski succeeded in doing this in his outstanding parable about absolute power using the example of the "King of Kings", Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
The long road to freedom
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela's autobiography is often quoted, but still read far too little. It is a book about human suffering and greatness that often makes the reader feel very humble when he compares his own problems with the story of a man who had to spend most of his life in prison. The high literary quality with which Nelson Mandela touches the reader is also impressive.
The folly of those in power.
From Troy to Vietnam
Barbara Tuchman
The fool cannot act differently because he does not know any better. The fool acts against his own interests against his better judgment. Barbara Tuchman examines perhaps the most fascinating paradox in history and proves that it is almost always folly, not stupidity, that leads to disastrous results for political decision-makers. Tuchman presents the six decades of papal folly in the second section: Corruption, amorality and hunger for power, the arrogant disregard for all protests and complaints that led to Protestantism and the Wars of Religion. In the third chapter, she tells how George III and his government destroyed relations with the settlers in the American colonies. The blindness of the British Crown and its advisors turned subjects into rebels and sealed the loss of a continent. A book that should be required reading for all politicians.
The unwinding:
An inside story of the new America
George Packer
In haunting portraits, the "New Yorker" journalist creates a unique literary collage that shows a nation in disintegration better than any novel. The book, which was published in 2015, helps to give an idea of the developments that have led to the division of the nation that is paralyzing the country today. It poses an essential question not only to Americans, but to all of us: what kind of world do we want to live in?
The Creativity AG:
How to overcome the invisible forces that stand in the way of true inspiration
Ed Catmull
Ed Catmull, one of the founders of Pixar, takes us behind the scenes of one of the most innovative companies in the world. The book shows in detail how difficult it is to create an innovative corporate culture in which ideas can flourish and are not destroyed. An inspiring plea to actually give your employees great freedom instead of wanting to control everything yourself.
High-flyers: Why some people are successful - and others are not
Malcolm Gladwell
An incredibly inspiring book about talent and success with surprising insights. The opening story, in which he reveals why anyone who wants to become a successful professional ice hockey player in Canada should definitely be born in January or February, draws you into this book, which dispels many preconceptions about success.