Audio nonfiction

Anyone who thinks that reading nonfiction is akin to curling up with a textbook hasn't read some of the literary jewels that have been published lately. In fact, really good nonfiction can be more entertaining than many novels. We have a couple of new audiobooks that are very interesting, and should hold the attention of any listener.
The Center Cannot Hold, by Elyn Saks is an autobiographical account of her experience with schizophrenia. Currently a professor of psychiatry, Saks first began exhibiting signs of schizophrenia when she was eight, and she eventually was confined to an institution for a period of time. She struggled back against the illness and went on to live a successful life on her terms. This is a powerful book for anyone who is touched by a devastating mental illness.
The Day of Battle: the war in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944, by Rick Atkinson, is the second book in his Liberation Trilogy. His first book in the trilogy won a Pulitzer Prize, and Atkinson continues the strong narrative and detailed research as he describes the events in the southern European theater of World War II. Over 30 hours, in two volumes, this book is sure to fascinate history buffs.