About.com: Top 5 Bestsellers for Broadening Your View of the World

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Reading about history, economics or different cultures can be dry. Those sound like subjects better suited for school than a relaxing weekend in the hammock. There are, however, a handful of books on the bestsellers list that will keep the pages turning and teach you something new about the world at the same time. So if you're looking for books that are entertaining and and informative, read on.

1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
   
   
   (literature and fiction)
   
   "Memoirs of a Geisha is a fictional memoir that provides a glimpse into Japanese history and culture through a captivating love story."
   
   


2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
   
   
   (literature and fiction)
   
   "The Kite Runner tells a story of friendship that keeps the pages turning and gives a sympathetic look at Afghan culture."
   
   


3. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
   
   
   (economics, business books, nonfiction, science)
   
   "In Freakonomics, the authors attempt to answer complex social questions through economic analysis while being humorous and entertaining. While you may not agree with all the conclusions they make, it's an easy read that will give you some things to think about and talk about over lunch."
   
   


4. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
   
   
   (history, nonfiction)
   
   "Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin is the true story of Mortenson's work building schools in remote villages in Pakistan. Three Cups of Tea is good reading for anyone who wants to understand more about Central Asia and be inspired by what one humble person can do."
   
   


5. The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper
   
   
   (history)
   
   "The House at Sugar Beach is an astonishing and moving memoir about growing up in Liberia during a violent civil war. Helene Cooper is the daughter of one of Liberia's elite families, but after a coup threw her people out of power she moved to the United States, eventually becoming a journalist. In The House at Sugar Beach, Cooper delivers personal memoir, historical perspective, and journalistic reporting in one book that you won't be able to put down."
   



Source:
http://bestsellers.about.com

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