I know I read a lot of books that other people have never heard of. I fully accept that I might be weird. But here are some books that have way fewer ratings on Goodreads than I think they should have.
10 Reviews
Truffle Boy: My Unexpected Journey Through the Exotic Food Underground by Ian Purkayastha
When Ian Purkayastha was a teenager in Arkansas he started a business importing exotic ingredients like truffles and selling them to chefs in the area. Now in his 20s he has a business in New York. This book takes you all over the world looking at the sources of high end ingredients and the sometimes cut-throat competition to get them.
14 Reviews
African Monsters by Margrét Helgadóttir
I thought this book was famous. That’s probably because I follow the editor and publisher on Twitter. This is part of Fox Spirit book’s Monsters series. The idea is that monsters are supposed to be scary. This book has short stories from people all over Africa including Nnedi Okorafor.
19 Reviews
Saving Delaney by Andréa Ott-Dahl
This is the story of a lesbian couple who agrees to serve as a surrogate for another couple. When the baby is diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome in utero, the parents push for an abortion. The surrogates (one of whom is the biological mother) decide to fight to raise the baby instead.
29 Reviews
Brave New Weed: Adventures into the Uncharted World of Cannabis by Joe Dolce
This isn’t a book about getting high. This is a book about the medical uses of marijuana and the culture and controversy around it.
63 Reviews
In Memory of Bread: A Memoir by Paul Graham
Have you ever been the person who said, “I could NEVER give up (insert favorite food)?” Paul Graham loved homemade bread and beer and then he was diagnosed with severe celiac disease. This book looks at the science behind celiac, the gluten-free industry, and his grief over bread.
My review of In Memory of Bread
157 Reviews
Nujeen: One Girl’s Incredible Journey from War-torn Syria in a Wheelchair by Nujeen Mustafa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
People! What the ….? How does this not have more reviews? Just go get this book. It is coauthored by the same woman who wrote I am Malala and this book should be even more famous than that one. It is so much better.Â
222 Reviews
(If you are still reading you better have requested Nujeen from your library already.)
The Wonder Trail: True Stories from Los Angeles to the End of the World by Steve Hely
This is a travelogue from Mexico to Chile by a person who loved his journey. Added bonus – he gives book recommendations along the way.
258 Reviews
Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung
I don’t often read middle grade but this story sounded good. Chloe is a Korean-American girl in the midwest U.S. who wants to know more about Korea but her parents refuse to tell her anything. When a new Korean teacher encourages her to look into her family history, things get weird.
My review of Unidentified Suburban Object
798 Reviews
If at Birth You Don’t Succeed: My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny by Zach Anner
We’re jumping up in review numbers now for 2 books that really need to be even more popular.
Zach Anner has cerebral palsy (like Nujeen whose book you have already ordered). He won a reality show to produce a TV show on Oprah’s network. This is the story of his life. It is hilarious. Get this one on audio.
My review of If at Birth You Don’t Succeed
830 Reviews
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
Juliet is a 19 year old Puerto Rican lesbian from New York who just finished her first year of college. She is on her way to Portland Oregon to do an internship with an author she idolizes. During this summer she will find out how to live her life in a way that is true to herself and not just an imitation of others.
My review of Juliet Takes a Breath
And because I think more people should read these books I’m going to do some giveaways for those ones I have copies of. (I’ve already given away Truffle Boy as a Foodies Read prize and In Memory of Bread is currently in the prize pool for that.)
[…] Based on a True Story, a list of some underrated books they would like you to consider. The blogger, much like me, often reads “a lot of books that […]
Great list! It’s always nice to see people highlight books that aren’t that well-known. 😊
I have not read any of these. Guess I better get on that!