Need book recommendations on cultures, lifestyle etc?

[louise71594]

I am starting a personal reading project this year. My parents and mentors have always told me that even when you are not in school, you can school yourself by reading, and I have been an avid book reader for many years. Most of my general education about life, people, places and things have come from reading and watching documentaries.

However, I will admit that I am somewhat ignorant to many different cultures, and would like to educate myself more. I have met many people over the years, and I have always found people of different ethnic backgrounds fascinating and it opens you up to whole other world.

I am looking for book recommendations on different cultures and lifestyles. I am not interested "textbook" reading, but more personal stories. For example, I found a book recently called "The bookseller in Kabul". It was written by a woman and it tells the story of a man who traveled to Afghanistan in search of learning more about the culture and lifestyle in the middle east. The book has gotten very positive reviews, and I am looking forward to reading it.

I am interested in learning more about Asian, African, Latino, Caribbean and European cultures, but from a personal perspective.

Me being an African American does not automatically make me an expert on African culture as so many people sometimes assume. Without books, and taking African history classes, I would not know as much as I do, but there is still more to learn.

Any recommendations you can offer, would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[BOBA FETT]

"Inside the Kingdom - My Life in Saudi Arabia" by Carmen Bin Ladin is the memoir of a daughter-in-law of Osama bin Laden. She knew him before he became infamous and it's a fascinating story. I recommend this book to everyone who's ever wondered what it's like for a woman to be forced to wear full veils in 120 degree Saudi weather.

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini is a novel about Afghanistan during the Russian occupation. It's fiction but it gives you some insight into the culture.

It's nice to see that somebody is interested in more than vampire stories.