Life and Death in Shanghai
by Nien Cheng
A good idea of what the Chinese Cultural Revolution was all about.

A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depressive Illness
by Patty Duke and Gloria Hochman
The actress recalls her horrifying depressive episodes, how they somersaulted her life/career, and when she found the eventual and effective treatment.

84 Charing Cross Road
by Helene Hanff
Tells of an American author’s 20-year correspondence with a London bookseller.  Later, Mel Brooks turned it into a movie starring his wife, Anne Bancroft, and Anthony Hopkins.

The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance
by Edward de Waal
The author recalls his family’s torment during World War ll, and the near loss of their art collection.