British Columbia

Vancouver Public Library top 10 most checked-out non-fiction books of 2015

The Vancouver Public Library has released a list of its top 10 most checked-out non-fiction books of 2015.

Travel, stamp collecting and personal growth top the list of Vancouverites' interests

The Vancouver Public Library's most checked-out non-fiction books of 2015 reveal a broad array of interests. (VPL)

The Vancouver Public Library has released a list of its top 10 most checked-out non-fiction books of 2015. 

Top 10 most checked-out non-fiction of 2015

All descriptions provided by the Vancouver Public Library or the publisher

Ripley's Believe It Or Not is a popular favourite for kids everywhere in Vancouver. (VPL)
1. Ripley's Believe It or Not (revised annually)

Ripley's wildly successful Curioddities series offers more than 1,200 incredible stories of the hard to believe, the hard to swallow, and the hard to miss.

2. The Inconvenient Indian: a Curious Account of Native People in North America, Thomas King (2012)
Charles Taylor Prize 2014; Canada Reads 2015 selection

The Inconvenient Indian is at once a "history" and the complete subversion of a history--in short, a critical and personal meditation that the remarkable Thomas King has conducted over the past 50 years about what it means to be "Indian" in North America.

Quiet was on several bestseller lists for many months. (VPL)
3. Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, Susan Cain (2012)
TED Talk, 2012

Demonstrates how introverted people are misunderstood and undervalued in modern culture, charting the rise of extrovert ideology while sharing anecdotal examples of how to use introvert talents to adapt to various situations.

4. Wild: from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Cheryl Strayed (2012)
Oprah's Book Club selection; made into a film in 2014

A powerful, blazingly honest, inspiring memoir: the story of a 1,100 mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe--and built her back up again.

Who knew Vancouverites are such avid stamp collectors? (VPL)
5. Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue (revised annually)

The internationally renowned, 8-volume Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue is produced annually to assist collectors in valuing and identifying their stamp holdings.

6. What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers, Richard Bolles (revised annually)

Career and business guru Richard Bolles demystifies the entire job-search process, from resumes, interviewing, networking, salary negotiation, career coaches, how to start your own business, and more.

Thinking Fast and Slow was written by Daniel Kahneman, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. (VPL)
7. Thinking: Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman (2011)
Daniel Kahneman was the 2002 Nobel Prize laureate for economics

Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities as well as the biases of fast thinking and the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and our choices.

8. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, Charles Duhigg (2012)

Groundbreaking new research shows that by grabbing hold of the three-step "loop" all habits form in our brains--cue, routine, reward--we can change them, giving us the power to take control over our lives.

Fodor's Hawaii, Fodor's Maui, and Fodor's France were some of the most checked-out books of 2015. (VPL)
9. Fodors Hawaii (revised annually)

Fodor's correspondents highlight the best of Hawaii, including Honolulu's urban vibe, Maui's Road to Hana, Kauai's beaches, and the Big Island's volcanoes.

10. LPI Workbook: Eight Practice Tests for the Language Proficiency Index (2009)

The LPI Workbook consists of eight practice tests at the same level of difficulty as the test forms used for all official LPI sittings.