Credible Source Material (Pt 2)
If other professionals in a field respect the work of your desired author, it says quite a positive bit.
One little point I need to mention before I close is the fine line between fiction and non-fiction. A "telling" author might just as likely be telling fact as not. Try to judge what's presented by comparing claims to like books. One tip-off to a made-up story is quoted dialog! I can't possibly give it justice here, but Parson Mason Weems wrote a biography of George Washington --the one introducing the famous cherry tree incident. He's got father-son dialogs from way out in the woods. It's laced with the sort of stuff that only a tape recorder on-site could have gotten. The book is also a prime example of an author's bias and agenda. Mason Weems was a patriot's patriot, and it's shown through his presentation of George. He moralizes every aspect of George, and positively. I don't think, after reading the story, that George had ANY flaws --I cannot tell a lie. It's a fun read, but definitely not factually quotable!
To sum up all this, get a book you can read and understand. Find a book which is well supported by the author's research, and by other experts in the field. Your own liking the book doesn't hurt either.
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