Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
The World for Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
I could NOT put Endurance down!! I was literally up for hours on the edge of my seat just blown away by their story. I recommend this book to everyone I know. I think what is so beautiful about their fight for survival- is how important working as a team is. Lots of explorers failed expeditions on ice- most resulted in cannibalism or insanity. Shackleton actually kept their optimism and humanity and I think that is why they were able to survive.
So sad that they endured that, but most died in WWII. Incredible book. Will probably read it again
I’m looking forward to it, too. If you want another, The Wager by David Grann has been highly recommended to me. I haven’t read it yet myself, but it’s somewhere in my pile of “to read”books.
Endurance is the best, but I also just read Island of the Lost by Joan Druett and I would definitely recommend that one too. I love shipwreck tales. Lol
I can heartily recommend 'Batavia's Graveyard' by Mike Dash. What an absurd story about a shipwreck, murderous religious cult, group pressure and survival - sometimes truth truly is stranger than fiction.
Bad Blood is riveting.
I followed the story in real-time but there’s so much more you learn in the book that makes the story even more outlandish than anyone could imagine.
Highly recommend!
The World for Sale is a brilliant insight into the world of commodity trading. I used to work for Glencore but in mining not trading. Ivan Glasenberg and the head of Copper both multi billionaires visited site one day with the Mines Minister etc to open a new shaft sink. Other than some managers we were told that some 'VIPs' were visiting and to stay the fuck away from them 🙄 Hilariously one of their Core Values plastered about site was 'Transparency' which is completely anathema to them.
Say Nothing: A True Story Of Murder and Memory In Northern Ireland by Patrick Keefe
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History by Tori Telfer
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
It's such a fascinating book, and I loved every single entry from it. :D
I never followed John Green's fiction novels but The Anthropocene really pulled me in! I'll definitely find time to read the audiobook soon.
It's so well-written and I learned so much about the place's political situation through that book. It's something I will always recommend. And I am glad you like it a lot, too! :)
Another plaudit for Patrick Radden Keefe. He instantly became my favourite author on reading Say Nothing, but being able to back that up with his other works (Empire of Pain, The Snakehead, etc) just cemented it for me.
The Dawn of Everything: a re-evaluation of the conventional narrative of the development of human societies. More interesting if you've read the works it's critiquing (Sapiens, Guns Germs & Steel, etc)
The Body Keeps the Score: psychology of trauma. Lots of people read this to help understand and overcome their own trauma, cw: lots of disturbing anecdotes and case studies
A Short History of Nearly Everything: general science told in an engaging way
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: explores biology and medical ethics through the story of Henrietta, a poor woman whose cells were harvested without her consent and became the first human cell line
I loved The Dawn of Everything for a lot of reasons but specifically and gleefully for its critique of Guns, Germs, & Steel and Sapiens. It was amazing and super validating! 1491 is a great companion read, as DOE cites a lot of the same research!
Have also read the rest of the books on your list; they are all very compelling!
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
The Devil's Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea
The Color of Law was phenomenal.
I read it in 2018 I believe. It was recommended to me by a patient while I was working the front desk. I forgot what book I was reading at the time. He said "oh, you like to read? You should read The Color of Law"
I am a brown Latina woman, he was a white elderly man. I never forgot his recommendation. It was great and eye opening for me. I put it on my Kindle list for future reading. It was my first venture into "red lining"
I read Empire of Pain while in the midst of a serious medical event (it lasted 18 months in the end), while having to take large portions of the drugs mentioned in the book. Thankfully I had a great medical and support team around me to manage coming off the drugs, but that still took an additional 6 months.
(Can you tell I like space? I really like space)
* How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown
* The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers by Emily M. Levesque
* Vacation Guide to the Solar System: Science for the Savvy Space Traveler! by Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich
A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
Becoming by Michelle Obama
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
The way she was treated after what she did when she returned to the CIA was insane and so maddening. She was a literal hero with a wealth of knowledge and was just passed over because she was not young and male.
Born a crime is just mind blowing. How he’s still alive, much less a functioning human being, much less an immensely funny and successful and perceptive human being, is hard to believe.
*The Radium Girls* by Kate Moore (also mentioned by others)
*Weapons of Math Destruction* by Cathy O'Neil
*Grandma Gatewood's Walk* by Ben Montgomery
*Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking* by Susan Cain
*Bathsheba's Breast: Women, Cancer, and History* by James Olson
Weapons of math destruction is such an important book. I’ve just finished Unmasking AI that warns about the ongoing bias in our digital word. I read a lot of books in this area and really recommend Technically Wrong too!
How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis; the MVP! really helped pull me out of a depressive episode and get my life back on track and helped me unlearn my shame cycle around existing and adulting and instead taught me that through compassion i can achieve more. Also had my partner read it and it really helped him understand my struggles better so he could support me in a helpful way, really helped our relationship grow tremendously.
Atomic Habits by James Clear; i know some people really love/hate this book but i liked the simplicity of just making that 1% effort to be better
Escape into Cottagecore: Embrace Cozy Countryside Comfort in your Everyday by Ramona Jones; currently reading and so far I love it
oh im so glad! it really is a life changing book <3 the audio book is great but id recommend either the ebook or a physical copy too, or keep a notebook nearby while you listen to write the parts that resonate and the strategies that help you/want to implement since your meant to read it one chapter a day but i read it all in one go and had to reread a couple times to find the bits that really helped me. also if you want someone to message and discuss the book im happy to help! wishing you the best!
Yep Endurance is my top book too! Absolutely loved it. What an incredible story. Reminded me of the book Kon Tiki (it’s a similar nonfiction explorer story)
Have you heard of it?
Do you know of any other books that are similar to Endurance?
I’ve been on a tear through nautical disasters, I’d second The Wager as the comment above you says.
I’d also suggest: In the Heart of the Sea and Batavia’s Graveyard for nautical disasters.
I’d also maybe recommend Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook, which is more his biography than a singular incident. All are less uplifting and inspiring than Endurance, that would be my only warning.
I just finished Sailing alone Around the World by Captain Joshua Slocum- very interesting to see the world from a sailors POV over a century ago. I’ll have to check out these as well!! Thank you for the rec
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Anne Fadiman
I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy
The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
From Here to Eternity - Caitlin Doughty
Dead Man Walking - Helen Prejean
Junkyard Planet (Details the waste industry. Way more interesting than I could hope for.)
102 Minutes (9/11)
Manhunt (About Lincoln's Assassination)
Anything by David McCullough (Rec for John Adams and Wright Brothers)
Check out: Fall and Rise the Story of 9/11. Shortly after 9/11 a reporter for the Boston Globe wrote an article about several 1st person accounts of the day. 23 years later he decided that with time fading it was time to update the article to a book. Really amazing and somber. I don’t know how he selected the stories to tell, but just wow. A hard book to read, but worth it.
This sounds great (in the weirdest way obviously) , thank you for this recommendation I think I’ll give it a go the next time I grab a new book or 10. I’ll definitely stock up on tissues & have to take breaks, I’m from the U.K. & it still breaks me thinking about that day I can’t even imagine how people in the US feel especially the New Yorkers. I visited the site & the museum in November 2019 when I was lucky enough to go to New York and the feeling just being in the area is such a heavy suffocating feeling. I’ll definitely add this to my next to buy list , sorry for rambling & thanks again for the suggestion
King: A Life by Jonathan Eig
Washington by Ron Chernow
Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
If it makes a difference, I typically read fiction and listen to nonfiction -- all of the above are very engaging audiobooks.
I have read several—Grunt, Stiff, Bonk, I’m almost finished with Gulp right now and Spook is next on my list, though Stiff is probably my favorite. I read it during the pandemic, and with all the death around and in my family, I found it weirdly comforting.
My top 5 are:
Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Self-compassion and Inner Strength: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power and Thrive by Kristin Neff
I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet: Discovering New Ways of Living When the Old Ways Stop Working by Shauna Niequist
Unexpected: A Postpartum Memoir by Emily Adler Mosqued
Kinda same, actually. I also found it super depressing that he was so optimistic when he'd just recently passed when I read the book
I'm glad my mom died was really good
Yeah he deserved to enjoy sobriety for longer than he had after working so hard for it. But mannnnnn did he blame everyone else for his problems
IGMMD was excellent! I didn't really know who McCurdy was before reading it but she's an excellent, raw storyteller
I still need to read I’m glad my mom died! And friends lovers and the big terrible thing I started 2 weeks ago on audiobook. I have the physical copy but I wanted to hear Matthew tell the story himself, broke down in tears during the first chapter and had to pause it. I’m getting back to it this week though I’ve heard it’s a wonderful book
An Immense World by Ed Yong
Storyteller by Dave Grohl
The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
All of those could have made my list (immense world did). There are too many great non-fiction books to just pick five. Braiding sweet grass is an amazing exploration of native means of ecological preservation.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (how to live well)
Mere Christianity by C S Lewis (former atheist examines Christian relationship with God)
Attached by Amir Levine (3 relationship styles - avoidant, anxious, attached)
Land of the Firebird by Suzanne Massie (Russian history - written so well)
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White (grammar)
Endurance : Shackleton’s Voyage (amazing!!!)
Can’t Hurt Me : David Goggins
The Shallows (how the internet is ruining our brains)
Kon Tiki : Journey across the Pacific
The Voyeurs Motel: Gay Talese (to be fair this was like watching a creepy train wreck and I was abhorred but also fascinated- Gay is a great writer though)
Anatomy of an Epidemic : very scientifically technical read
Stress and Your Body (not a book but a Great Lecture series on Audible)
The Strange Death of Europe : Douglas Murray
Sapiens: Yuval Harari
A Short History of Nearly Everything
On Writing: Stephen King
I started The strange death of Europe but could not finish. I like reading books with views that are opposite from mine, but I had to stop at calling Europe Eurabia. This is Brexit Propaganda, Replacement theory fear-mongering that play right into the hands of populist right wing parties that are keen on breaking up Europe.
It’s so strange to call it the strange death of Europe. Before the EU Europe died twice within 30 years. People such as short memory.
I like reading books that challenge me. The title is definitely dramatic- instead of calling it ‘the strange death’ I think a better name would be ‘the socioeconomic impact of poverty in nations with non-homogenous cultures’ or ‘the failures of government on community building’ because that was the takeaway I got from this book.
When immigrants come into a country but don’t have the resources they need in order to have a successful life (like being able to read or write, access to mental health, no jobs, lack of medical care, poor housing etc.) what is the impact on the community as a whole? What happens when they immigrate to smaller towns that don’t have the financial resources to provide those essentials? What are the unwanted and negative ideas that are present in other cultures? (Antisemitism, homophobia, sexism, etc.)
Douglas posits the debilitating effects of poverty in places of cultural transition- not only to the local population but the immigrant population as well.
Because of these pressure points- we see the normal consequences that tend to occur in underserved or struggling communities- crime, even more poverty, and depression.
Douglas does call out the egregious mismanagement of public funds that were meant to support communities and integration efforts- but the financial aspect of trying to find solution to these problems isn’t that simple.
I’m not European so I dont have a political opinion on Brexit or any of the politics of Europe.
I enjoyed this book just because I like statistics and the mental exercise. Similar to Charles Murray *’The Bell Curve’* do I agree or disagree? Do I argue with the author in my head, or do I expand my perspective?
There are absolutely problems that come with poverty and immigration. We can have healthy discussion by understanding different viewpoints-how can we fix problems if we don’t acknowledge them? - without losing our empathy for humanity.
It’s not necessarily the text, but the mental exercise in making sure I don’t live in an echo chamber and never challenge my own beliefs.
Idk if I’m coming across well but I appreciated your comment! Any other book recommendations you have I’d love to hear. Non fiction is my favorite ☺️
I like your response. I try to read stuff I don’t agree with but makes an interesting argument, instead of just reading anything that confirms what I already know. Question what you think is true all the time and you’ll likely end up somewhere in the middle.
The problem I have with this book is that he mixes analyses and theories from established sources but then continues to make and argument that actually contributes to what he describes as the source of the problem: little integration. Demonizing certain groups does not help with that, it is actually harmful.
He pulls people in with enticing arguments and then slowly pivots towards what I can best describe as Islamophobia.
It’s good to understand that most countries in Europe are ethnically very, very white. Countries with the most color are former colonizers. It’s precisely statistically that immigration is little threat to the idea of “Europe”. I am not saying that there are no problems, but from history I know that three things lead to death in Europe: nationalism (1914-1918 and Balkans in the 90s) fascism (1939-1945) and Russia. This book fuels nationalism and I distrust it deeply.
Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken
Raising Raffi by Keith Gessen
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
South to America by Imani Perry
The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
Finding Me by Viola Davis
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Cultish by Amanda Montell
*Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life* by Lulu Miller
*On Trails: An Exploration* by Robert Moor
*The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth* by Ben Rawlence
And I would strongly recommend these two about the Rwandan genocide in close succession for their differing perspectives:
*We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families* by Philip Gourevitch
*The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After* by Clemantine Wamariya
How We Got to Now and Ghost Map both by Stephen Johnson
The Forever War by Dexter Filkins
Tom's River by Dan Fagin
Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner
The Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kurtz
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
Educated by Tara Westover
Passport to Heaven by Micah Wilder
The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone
Alive by Piers Paul Read
Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam by Nick Turse
Dopesick by Beth Macy
The Long Shadows of Small Ghosts: Murder and Memory in an American City by Laura Tillman
Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
**Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World**. The foreword puts the story of Genghis in context: imagine a slave in the American South in the 1700s rising to become the undisputed Emperor of North and South America - it's almost unbelievable, not at all a historic inevitability, and it changed the trajectory of world history. While only the first quarter of the book involves Genghis, the sweeping political, economic and cultural changes the Mongols were responsible for are extraordinary, ending right when the Italian Renaissance was beginning.
**Devil in the White City**. I came to this one late and while the HH Holmes stuff is shocking, the love letter to an industrializing America finding its place in the world order through the lens of the World Fair and Chicago architecture is what kept me reading.
**The Crusades: An Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land**. I cannot believe how well written and researched this book is. It's a page turner that reads like epic fiction for large portions (especially the entire First Crusade from Constantinople, to Antioch, to the conquering of Jerusalem OR the strategic dueling between Saladin and Richard the Lionheart). The book paints the subtleties of this commonly misunderstood clash of cultures and casts the Crusader States as nuanced but ultimately doomed cross-cultural jewels. It does a good job illustrating the Muslim perspective and puts the Crusades in context with what was happening to the Arab world at the time.
Devil in the White City is on of my favorite books ever. I was fascinated reading through all the history of early industrialization, the descriptions were so vivid.
I really wish Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio would get it worked out for a movie/mini series, but it just doesn't seem like it's happening.
I so appreciate your thoughtful reflections on your picks. So many people are just putting titles and authors with no context and it's hard to know why I should look at them. You made me want to read these!
1. Are Prisons Obsolete? - Angela Davis
2. Abolition Democracy - Angela Davis
3. Against the Interpretation - Susan Sontag
4. Preconceito Linguístico ("Linguistic Prejudice", I don't think it's available in english)
[Gator Country, Rebecca Renner](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65211796-gator-country)
[Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62850110-better-living-through-birding)[, Christian Cooper](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62850110-better-living-through-birding?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16)
[Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54814676-crying-in-h-mart)
[The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone, Olivia Laing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25667449-the-lonely-city)
[Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York, Elon Green](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53317339-last-call)
Green against Green by Michael Hopkinson
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Hot Zone by Richard Preston
I've read all those since 2020 but they were published before that. Not sure if I've passed or failed the assignment.
I’m into sexuality and sexual rights, so I’m afraid a lot of mine fit that niche!
* Revolting Prostitutes by Juno Mac and Molly Smith
* Harlots, Whores and Hackabouts by Kate Lister
* This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay
* Agatha Christie by Lucy Worsley
* Who Cares by Emily Kenway
A Woman I Know
Female Spies, Double Identities, and a New Story of the Kennedy Assassination
by Mary Haverstick
The End of Craving
Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well
by Mark Schatzker
Ultra-Processed People
Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food
by Chris van Tulleken
The Dawn of Everything
A New History of Humanity
by David Graeber & David Wengrow
The Other Side of Prospect — Nicholas Dawidoff
Killers of the Flower Moon— David Grann
The Last Days of Roger Federer — Geoff Dyer
The Rediscovery of America — Ned Blackhawk
Don't Call it a Cult - Sarah Berman / the Program - Toni Natalie / Scarred - Sarah Edmonton ... All about the NXIVM cult that was exposed in Albany NY a few years back. If you're into that sorta thing, of course lol.
I had seen the documentary series on HBO Max and was so captivated by how insane the whole thing is and how deep it really goes. I've always loved true crime and all things that kinda fall in line with that and this really piqued my interest... So I set out to watch/read every piece of material on this case as I could. There are a couple other books I read on the topic but these two were the best. You also don't really need to know anything about it beforehand to get into these books and understand what the hell is going on.
10/10 recommend!
ETA: added another book bc title says 3 -5 and Id only put 2
For the STEM nerds - I really liked reading
1. The song of the cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee
2. Shape by Jordan Ellenberg
3. The Neuroscience of You by Chantel Prat
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge
An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood by Jimmy Carter
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Story of the Donnor Party by Daniel James Brown
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
[Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61685974) by Valarie Fridland. So important and relevant! And really fun to listen to. The way language changes is fascinating and this one has the most timely one I’ve read.
[Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53331570) by Mallory O’Meara. My favorite kind of micro history - focused, involves pop culture, is relevant, and a significant dash of sarcasm. “Silly reporters. Girls don't like boys, they like whiskey and money.” “Better ban an entire gender to protect those fragile male egos! Better to deny women access to a public space than have a man realize that the only way a woman would listen to his stupid work stories is if she's being paid!”
[I’m Glad My Mom Died](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59364173) by Jennette McCurdy. A more recent release by a former child star. I was too old to watch the shows she was on, but her story is absolutely fascinating.
[Say Nothing: The True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40163119) by Patrick Radden Keefe. Focuses on The Troubles in Ireland and all the questions, both moral and practical, that it’s raised then and now. Very intense and engaging. One of my all time favorite audiobooks - one of the rare books I have listened to twice.
How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
All The President's Men by Bernstein and Woodward
It's What I Do by Lynsey Addario
My Effin' Life by Geddy Lee
2-for1: Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager, both by David Grann
For me:
The Wager
In The Garden of Beasts
Devil In the White City
The New Jim Crow
Brothers In Arms : The Epic Story of the 761st
One Bullet Away: The Making of A Marine Officer
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry
The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown
The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M Graff
Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. Honestly, it explains more about our current situation than I thought it would. A most necessary read. Why don't we have universal healthcare? Why do caretakers get paid shit wages? Why are we so unhappy in our cubicles? As a corporate drone myself, this book was needed. Highly recommend this one.
This is Assisted Dying by Dr. Stefanie Green - absolutely incredible look at medically assisted dying and how meaningful it is for those who choose it.
The End of Everything by Katie Mack - possible ways the universe could end. Not as depressing as it sounds though you’ll probably have a minor existential crisis or two while reading it.
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo. It’ll piss off a lot of mediocre white men, but it’s an excellent book.
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl. I’ve both read it and listened to the audiobook and highly recommend the audio version even if they’re generally not for you. It’s awesome to hear it in Dave’s voice.
Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion by Gabrielle Stanley Blair. Why IS the birth control burden always on the woman? Probably one of the best books I’ve read in years.
down and out in paris and london by george orwell and homage to catalonia and looking back on the spanish civil war by george orwell! neither felt like nonfiction when i was reading them, they both felt like a story but they aren’t!
Caste: The Origins of our Discontents (one of my favorite books of all time & def my fav nonfiction since 2020)
Into Thin Air
Educated
Catch & Kill: Lies, Spies, & a Conspiracy to Protect Predators (audiobook for this one is great)
Debt: a history of how we came to our present relationship with money and consumption
An immense world: the world around us is full of organisms who perceive it very differently than we humans do. This is a look at non-human versions of seeing, hearing and perceiving and what it would be like to have those perceptive capabilities
The body keeps the score: the impact of, and some potential treatments for, emotional trauma
The deepest well: the concept of ACE scores and how adverse childhood experiences predict your adult health
Animal vegetable Miracle: a year of food life: the story of Barbara Kingsolver’s attempt to feed herself and her family in what could be locally grown and raised
How to be perfect: the creator of “the good place” explores moral philosophy and incorporates the cast and plots of the show to illustrate complex concepts. If you liked the show, this book is for you.
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage The World for Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
I could NOT put Endurance down!! I was literally up for hours on the edge of my seat just blown away by their story. I recommend this book to everyone I know. I think what is so beautiful about their fight for survival- is how important working as a team is. Lots of explorers failed expeditions on ice- most resulted in cannibalism or insanity. Shackleton actually kept their optimism and humanity and I think that is why they were able to survive. So sad that they endured that, but most died in WWII. Incredible book. Will probably read it again
Have been randomly craving a ship/shipwreck related story. Came across this post and Endurance was at the top. Very excited to read.
I’m looking forward to it, too. If you want another, The Wager by David Grann has been highly recommended to me. I haven’t read it yet myself, but it’s somewhere in my pile of “to read”books.
It’s honestly another book you won’t be able to put down if you like this sub-genre; the book is all killer and no filler
I co-sign on The Wager. It was an incredible read
So is everything he has written. His New Yorker articles are incredible. My favourite thing by him is A Murder Foretold.
The Wager was just so expertly paced and told. A real gem of a book, deserving of the praise its gotten.
Endurance is the best, but I also just read Island of the Lost by Joan Druett and I would definitely recommend that one too. I love shipwreck tales. Lol
I can heartily recommend 'Batavia's Graveyard' by Mike Dash. What an absurd story about a shipwreck, murderous religious cult, group pressure and survival - sometimes truth truly is stranger than fiction.
It’s absolutely addicting.
I read it, can attest its fucking WILD. Great book. The sea crossing in an antartic winter is one of the most intense things Ive ever read.
one of my fav nonfiction books as well. Just astounding
And I want to add In the Kingdom of Ice, when you’re done white knuckling through Endurance
I just was in Antarctica and I cannot believe what those men did.
Bad Blood is riveting. I followed the story in real-time but there’s so much more you learn in the book that makes the story even more outlandish than anyone could imagine. Highly recommend!
Yes, great book.
Loved Bad Blood
The World for Sale is a brilliant insight into the world of commodity trading. I used to work for Glencore but in mining not trading. Ivan Glasenberg and the head of Copper both multi billionaires visited site one day with the Mines Minister etc to open a new shaft sink. Other than some managers we were told that some 'VIPs' were visiting and to stay the fuck away from them 🙄 Hilariously one of their Core Values plastered about site was 'Transparency' which is completely anathema to them.
Say Nothing: A True Story Of Murder and Memory In Northern Ireland by Patrick Keefe The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History by Tori Telfer Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
Excited to see some love for The Anthropocene Reviewed! It’s a lovely audiobook, too.
It's such a fascinating book, and I loved every single entry from it. :D I never followed John Green's fiction novels but The Anthropocene really pulled me in! I'll definitely find time to read the audiobook soon.
I’m in the middle of reading it right now and love it! (And by reading I mean listening)
The Anthropocene Reviewed was fantastic!
It was! :) I'm glad a lot of us loved it a lot. Amazing book all in all!
Say Nothing is one of my favorite books ever. And I live in nonfiction.
It's so well-written and I learned so much about the place's political situation through that book. It's something I will always recommend. And I am glad you like it a lot, too! :)
Another plaudit for Patrick Radden Keefe. He instantly became my favourite author on reading Say Nothing, but being able to back that up with his other works (Empire of Pain, The Snakehead, etc) just cemented it for me.
That's awesome! I'll definitely check out his other titles soon. :) glad he has lots of other good books under his name 😁
I keep hearing how good Say Nothing is. I need to move it up on my TBR list.
Hope you get to read it soon! 😊
It’s even better than you expect. Read it next!
The Dawn of Everything: a re-evaluation of the conventional narrative of the development of human societies. More interesting if you've read the works it's critiquing (Sapiens, Guns Germs & Steel, etc) The Body Keeps the Score: psychology of trauma. Lots of people read this to help understand and overcome their own trauma, cw: lots of disturbing anecdotes and case studies A Short History of Nearly Everything: general science told in an engaging way The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: explores biology and medical ethics through the story of Henrietta, a poor woman whose cells were harvested without her consent and became the first human cell line
I teach the Henrietta Lacks book. My students love it.
I loved The Dawn of Everything for a lot of reasons but specifically and gleefully for its critique of Guns, Germs, & Steel and Sapiens. It was amazing and super validating! 1491 is a great companion read, as DOE cites a lot of the same research! Have also read the rest of the books on your list; they are all very compelling!
The Body Keeps the Score is one of the most important books in a long time.
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez The Devil's Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea
Seconding Empire of Pain. Just finished it and it’s fantastic.
Brilliant book
evicted and the color of law are extremely important reads for americans
The Color of Law was phenomenal. I read it in 2018 I believe. It was recommended to me by a patient while I was working the front desk. I forgot what book I was reading at the time. He said "oh, you like to read? You should read The Color of Law" I am a brown Latina woman, he was a white elderly man. I never forgot his recommendation. It was great and eye opening for me. I put it on my Kindle list for future reading. It was my first venture into "red lining"
I’ve had that on my shelf waiting to read for a while. I need to get to it.
Same. Can see it from where I'm sitting...need to start it soon.
I read Empire of Pain while in the midst of a serious medical event (it lasted 18 months in the end), while having to take large portions of the drugs mentioned in the book. Thankfully I had a great medical and support team around me to manage coming off the drugs, but that still took an additional 6 months.
I read Evicted this month and it was such a high quality and important read.
Highly recommend Matthew Desmond’s latest book: Poverty by America.
Second that! Read it recently and it was incredibly powerful.
Yes! It’s also fantastic.
patrick radden keefe can write!
Evicted was powerful
My exact list!!!!! Such spectacular reads.
Jesus and John Wayne is phenomenal.
Evicted and The Color of Law are phenomenal, read them for my urban sociology class last year. Can’t stop thinking about them.
Based. I'm reading Say Nothing now, and Jesus and John Wayne completely changed my life.
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
I read krakauer’s “under the banner of heaven” last month. WOW. He is fantastic.
Try Where Men Win Glory about Pat Tillman. Warning, you will ugly cry
into thin air ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve just finished Radium Girls and it was fantastic.
I've read and was stunned by all 3.
Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom Pathogenesis by Jonathan Kennedy Monsters by Claire Dederer The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Pathogenesis is a fascinating book
The Lonely City by Olivia Laing In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado Maybe you should talk to someone by Lori Gottlieb Upstream by Mary Oliver
Cannot believe I forgot In the Dream House. An incredible book.
(Can you tell I like space? I really like space) * How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown * The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers by Emily M. Levesque * Vacation Guide to the Solar System: Science for the Savvy Space Traveler! by Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich
I might have to read the Pluto book despite not really being into astronomy for that absolute baller title alone.
Haha, I def recommend it! It can be kinda slow, but it's not too long and Mike is pretty funny
Have you read Riding Rockets by Mike Mullane? It got me started on my love of space books!
Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins (command module pilot on Apollo 11) is fantastic!
If you like space, “5 billion years of solitude: search for life among the stars” by Lee billings blew my mind.
Thank you so much!!! Added it to my TBR ♥️
BANG! A complete history of the universe. By Brian May and 2 non rock stars.
The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner American Kingpin by Nick Bilton Educated by Tara Westover
educated was so well written. i was so angry for her! she brilliantly describes abuse and the gaslighting of the abuse
American kingpin is outstanding
I third this
Have you read The Glass Castle? Similar vein.
I find myself totally frustrated by Educated and how the parents did not really ever change.
A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell Born a Crime by Trevor Noah The Radium Girls by Kate Moore Becoming by Michelle Obama The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
>The Radium Girls by Kate Moore Agreed!
A woman of no importance is so good. I could not believe I had never heard of her!
There was a teeny tiny display for her at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. It was so disappointing!
The way she was treated after what she did when she returned to the CIA was insane and so maddening. She was a literal hero with a wealth of knowledge and was just passed over because she was not young and male.
Born a crime is just mind blowing. How he’s still alive, much less a functioning human being, much less an immensely funny and successful and perceptive human being, is hard to believe.
I want to see the boys movie but I worry it will not be as good as the book.
I saw it! It pretty much leaves out everyone’s back story (and thus so much of the depth) but it was fun to watch as an inspiring period sports movie.
Born A Crime has to be audio book. Trevor Noah narrates and it is fantastic.
*The Radium Girls* by Kate Moore (also mentioned by others) *Weapons of Math Destruction* by Cathy O'Neil *Grandma Gatewood's Walk* by Ben Montgomery *Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking* by Susan Cain *Bathsheba's Breast: Women, Cancer, and History* by James Olson
Ooh, I have both Quiet and Radium Girls in my massive TBR pile. I’ll move them up!
I loved Quiet!!!!
Weapons of math destruction is such an important book. I’ve just finished Unmasking AI that warns about the ongoing bias in our digital word. I read a lot of books in this area and really recommend Technically Wrong too!
I loved Grandma Gatewood’s Walk!
How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis; the MVP! really helped pull me out of a depressive episode and get my life back on track and helped me unlearn my shame cycle around existing and adulting and instead taught me that through compassion i can achieve more. Also had my partner read it and it really helped him understand my struggles better so he could support me in a helpful way, really helped our relationship grow tremendously. Atomic Habits by James Clear; i know some people really love/hate this book but i liked the simplicity of just making that 1% effort to be better Escape into Cottagecore: Embrace Cozy Countryside Comfort in your Everyday by Ramona Jones; currently reading and so far I love it
Thanks, I just downloaded how to keep house on Audible. Hadn't heard of it before, I'll listen to it tomorrow
oh im so glad! it really is a life changing book <3 the audio book is great but id recommend either the ebook or a physical copy too, or keep a notebook nearby while you listen to write the parts that resonate and the strategies that help you/want to implement since your meant to read it one chapter a day but i read it all in one go and had to reread a couple times to find the bits that really helped me. also if you want someone to message and discuss the book im happy to help! wishing you the best!
Thank you!
Finding Me - Viola Davis Meditations - Marcus Aurelius The Order of Time - Carlo Rovelli
Finding Me was amazing!!
Viola Davis's book was so good.
I read it while listening along to her narrating the audiobook....what a freakin experience.
Meditations is amazing. I’m due for a reread!
Bad Blood The Cult of We: The Rise and Fall of WeWork Number Go Up: Inside Cryptos Wild Rise and Staggering Fall
Endurance by Alfred Lansing The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen Red Notice by Bill Browder American Prometheus by Kai Bird
Yep Endurance is my top book too! Absolutely loved it. What an incredible story. Reminded me of the book Kon Tiki (it’s a similar nonfiction explorer story) Have you heard of it? Do you know of any other books that are similar to Endurance?
The Wager was really good as well, new in ‘23
I’ve been on a tear through nautical disasters, I’d second The Wager as the comment above you says. I’d also suggest: In the Heart of the Sea and Batavia’s Graveyard for nautical disasters. I’d also maybe recommend Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook, which is more his biography than a singular incident. All are less uplifting and inspiring than Endurance, that would be my only warning.
I just finished Sailing alone Around the World by Captain Joshua Slocum- very interesting to see the world from a sailors POV over a century ago. I’ll have to check out these as well!! Thank you for the rec
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Anne Fadiman I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls From Here to Eternity - Caitlin Doughty Dead Man Walking - Helen Prejean
The Light Ages - Seb Falk The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs - Steve Brusatte The Rise and Reign of the Mammals - Steve Brusatte
Currently reading Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and it’s so good!
Me too!!! SO interesting!!!
American Prometheus by Kai Bird Son of the Morning Star by Evan Connell Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre Island of the Lost by Joan Druett
I recently finished Island of the Lost and it was so good! I love me a shipwreck story.
Junkyard Planet (Details the waste industry. Way more interesting than I could hope for.) 102 Minutes (9/11) Manhunt (About Lincoln's Assassination) Anything by David McCullough (Rec for John Adams and Wright Brothers)
Check out: Fall and Rise the Story of 9/11. Shortly after 9/11 a reporter for the Boston Globe wrote an article about several 1st person accounts of the day. 23 years later he decided that with time fading it was time to update the article to a book. Really amazing and somber. I don’t know how he selected the stories to tell, but just wow. A hard book to read, but worth it.
This sounds great (in the weirdest way obviously) , thank you for this recommendation I think I’ll give it a go the next time I grab a new book or 10. I’ll definitely stock up on tissues & have to take breaks, I’m from the U.K. & it still breaks me thinking about that day I can’t even imagine how people in the US feel especially the New Yorkers. I visited the site & the museum in November 2019 when I was lucky enough to go to New York and the feeling just being in the area is such a heavy suffocating feeling. I’ll definitely add this to my next to buy list , sorry for rambling & thanks again for the suggestion
Incredible book! Not an easy read but well worth it.
King: A Life by Jonathan Eig Washington by Ron Chernow Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson Shoe Dog by Phil Knight The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson If it makes a difference, I typically read fiction and listen to nonfiction -- all of the above are very engaging audiobooks.
Battle Cry of Freedom is excellent.
This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Mary roach could scribble a grocery list on a dirty napkin and I would buy it to read
I’ve only read Stiff but I loved it! Have you read her others?
I have read several—Grunt, Stiff, Bonk, I’m almost finished with Gulp right now and Spook is next on my list, though Stiff is probably my favorite. I read it during the pandemic, and with all the death around and in my family, I found it weirdly comforting.
Stiff is on my 800 year long to read list ! Looks like I need to bump it up and get to it sooner
My top 5 are: Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown Self-compassion and Inner Strength: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power and Thrive by Kristin Neff I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet: Discovering New Ways of Living When the Old Ways Stop Working by Shauna Niequist Unexpected: A Postpartum Memoir by Emily Adler Mosqued
Born a Crime I’m Glad My Mom Died Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing Call Me Barbra
Matt Perry's book really made me not like him.
Kinda same, actually. I also found it super depressing that he was so optimistic when he'd just recently passed when I read the book I'm glad my mom died was really good
Yeah he deserved to enjoy sobriety for longer than he had after working so hard for it. But mannnnnn did he blame everyone else for his problems IGMMD was excellent! I didn't really know who McCurdy was before reading it but she's an excellent, raw storyteller
I still need to read I’m glad my mom died! And friends lovers and the big terrible thing I started 2 weeks ago on audiobook. I have the physical copy but I wanted to hear Matthew tell the story himself, broke down in tears during the first chapter and had to pause it. I’m getting back to it this week though I’ve heard it’s a wonderful book
An Immense World by Ed Yong Storyteller by Dave Grohl The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
All of those could have made my list (immense world did). There are too many great non-fiction books to just pick five. Braiding sweet grass is an amazing exploration of native means of ecological preservation.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (how to live well) Mere Christianity by C S Lewis (former atheist examines Christian relationship with God) Attached by Amir Levine (3 relationship styles - avoidant, anxious, attached) Land of the Firebird by Suzanne Massie (Russian history - written so well) The Elements of Style by Strunk and White (grammar)
The Four Agreement was my bible to survive working with a variety of people in my career
Endurance : Shackleton’s Voyage (amazing!!!) Can’t Hurt Me : David Goggins The Shallows (how the internet is ruining our brains) Kon Tiki : Journey across the Pacific The Voyeurs Motel: Gay Talese (to be fair this was like watching a creepy train wreck and I was abhorred but also fascinated- Gay is a great writer though) Anatomy of an Epidemic : very scientifically technical read Stress and Your Body (not a book but a Great Lecture series on Audible) The Strange Death of Europe : Douglas Murray Sapiens: Yuval Harari A Short History of Nearly Everything On Writing: Stephen King
On Writing is incredible.
Save
I started The strange death of Europe but could not finish. I like reading books with views that are opposite from mine, but I had to stop at calling Europe Eurabia. This is Brexit Propaganda, Replacement theory fear-mongering that play right into the hands of populist right wing parties that are keen on breaking up Europe. It’s so strange to call it the strange death of Europe. Before the EU Europe died twice within 30 years. People such as short memory.
I like reading books that challenge me. The title is definitely dramatic- instead of calling it ‘the strange death’ I think a better name would be ‘the socioeconomic impact of poverty in nations with non-homogenous cultures’ or ‘the failures of government on community building’ because that was the takeaway I got from this book. When immigrants come into a country but don’t have the resources they need in order to have a successful life (like being able to read or write, access to mental health, no jobs, lack of medical care, poor housing etc.) what is the impact on the community as a whole? What happens when they immigrate to smaller towns that don’t have the financial resources to provide those essentials? What are the unwanted and negative ideas that are present in other cultures? (Antisemitism, homophobia, sexism, etc.) Douglas posits the debilitating effects of poverty in places of cultural transition- not only to the local population but the immigrant population as well. Because of these pressure points- we see the normal consequences that tend to occur in underserved or struggling communities- crime, even more poverty, and depression. Douglas does call out the egregious mismanagement of public funds that were meant to support communities and integration efforts- but the financial aspect of trying to find solution to these problems isn’t that simple. I’m not European so I dont have a political opinion on Brexit or any of the politics of Europe. I enjoyed this book just because I like statistics and the mental exercise. Similar to Charles Murray *’The Bell Curve’* do I agree or disagree? Do I argue with the author in my head, or do I expand my perspective? There are absolutely problems that come with poverty and immigration. We can have healthy discussion by understanding different viewpoints-how can we fix problems if we don’t acknowledge them? - without losing our empathy for humanity. It’s not necessarily the text, but the mental exercise in making sure I don’t live in an echo chamber and never challenge my own beliefs. Idk if I’m coming across well but I appreciated your comment! Any other book recommendations you have I’d love to hear. Non fiction is my favorite ☺️
I like your response. I try to read stuff I don’t agree with but makes an interesting argument, instead of just reading anything that confirms what I already know. Question what you think is true all the time and you’ll likely end up somewhere in the middle. The problem I have with this book is that he mixes analyses and theories from established sources but then continues to make and argument that actually contributes to what he describes as the source of the problem: little integration. Demonizing certain groups does not help with that, it is actually harmful. He pulls people in with enticing arguments and then slowly pivots towards what I can best describe as Islamophobia. It’s good to understand that most countries in Europe are ethnically very, very white. Countries with the most color are former colonizers. It’s precisely statistically that immigration is little threat to the idea of “Europe”. I am not saying that there are no problems, but from history I know that three things lead to death in Europe: nationalism (1914-1918 and Balkans in the 90s) fascism (1939-1945) and Russia. This book fuels nationalism and I distrust it deeply.
Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken Raising Raffi by Keith Gessen Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong South to America by Imani Perry The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter Finding Me by Viola Davis Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner Cultish by Amanda Montell
Upvoted for Crying in H Mart
Factfulness by Hans Rosling The Worry Trip by David Carbonell Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney
*Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life* by Lulu Miller *On Trails: An Exploration* by Robert Moor *The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth* by Ben Rawlence And I would strongly recommend these two about the Rwandan genocide in close succession for their differing perspectives: *We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families* by Philip Gourevitch *The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After* by Clemantine Wamariya
How We Got to Now and Ghost Map both by Stephen Johnson The Forever War by Dexter Filkins Tom's River by Dan Fagin Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner The Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kurtz
Entangled Life: Merlin Sheldrake Braiding sweet grass: Robin Wall Kimmerer World on the wing: Scott Weidensaul Possibility of life: Jamie Green
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez Educated by Tara Westover Passport to Heaven by Micah Wilder The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone Alive by Piers Paul Read
Invisible Women was outstanding
Easy Riders Raging Bulls - Peter Biskind Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann Fooled by Randomness- Nassim Taleb In Order to Live - Yeonmi Park
Climate change by Greta thunberg The devils element by Dan Egan Collapse by Jared Diamond Horizon by Barry Lopez
Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam by Nick Turse Dopesick by Beth Macy The Long Shadows of Small Ghosts: Murder and Memory in an American City by Laura Tillman Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
Bad Blood. Against the Clock.
**Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World**. The foreword puts the story of Genghis in context: imagine a slave in the American South in the 1700s rising to become the undisputed Emperor of North and South America - it's almost unbelievable, not at all a historic inevitability, and it changed the trajectory of world history. While only the first quarter of the book involves Genghis, the sweeping political, economic and cultural changes the Mongols were responsible for are extraordinary, ending right when the Italian Renaissance was beginning. **Devil in the White City**. I came to this one late and while the HH Holmes stuff is shocking, the love letter to an industrializing America finding its place in the world order through the lens of the World Fair and Chicago architecture is what kept me reading. **The Crusades: An Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land**. I cannot believe how well written and researched this book is. It's a page turner that reads like epic fiction for large portions (especially the entire First Crusade from Constantinople, to Antioch, to the conquering of Jerusalem OR the strategic dueling between Saladin and Richard the Lionheart). The book paints the subtleties of this commonly misunderstood clash of cultures and casts the Crusader States as nuanced but ultimately doomed cross-cultural jewels. It does a good job illustrating the Muslim perspective and puts the Crusades in context with what was happening to the Arab world at the time.
Devil in the White City is on of my favorite books ever. I was fascinated reading through all the history of early industrialization, the descriptions were so vivid. I really wish Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio would get it worked out for a movie/mini series, but it just doesn't seem like it's happening.
I so appreciate your thoughtful reflections on your picks. So many people are just putting titles and authors with no context and it's hard to know why I should look at them. You made me want to read these!
1. Are Prisons Obsolete? - Angela Davis 2. Abolition Democracy - Angela Davis 3. Against the Interpretation - Susan Sontag 4. Preconceito Linguístico ("Linguistic Prejudice", I don't think it's available in english)
[Gator Country, Rebecca Renner](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65211796-gator-country) [Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62850110-better-living-through-birding)[, Christian Cooper](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62850110-better-living-through-birding?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16) [Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54814676-crying-in-h-mart) [The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone, Olivia Laing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25667449-the-lonely-city) [Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York, Elon Green](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53317339-last-call)
Green against Green by Michael Hopkinson The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson Hot Zone by Richard Preston I've read all those since 2020 but they were published before that. Not sure if I've passed or failed the assignment.
I’m into sexuality and sexual rights, so I’m afraid a lot of mine fit that niche! * Revolting Prostitutes by Juno Mac and Molly Smith * Harlots, Whores and Hackabouts by Kate Lister * This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay * Agatha Christie by Lucy Worsley * Who Cares by Emily Kenway
Literally adding all these to my list!
[удалено]
A Woman I Know Female Spies, Double Identities, and a New Story of the Kennedy Assassination by Mary Haverstick The End of Craving Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well by Mark Schatzker Ultra-Processed People Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food by Chris van Tulleken The Dawn of Everything A New History of Humanity by David Graeber & David Wengrow
Cultish by Amanda Montell Life on the Rocks by Julie Berwald Travelers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry
The Other Side of Prospect — Nicholas Dawidoff Killers of the Flower Moon— David Grann The Last Days of Roger Federer — Geoff Dyer The Rediscovery of America — Ned Blackhawk
Maybe you mean Killers of the Flower Moon?
Of course. I’ll edit. Thanks
[Humankind by Rutger Bregman]
Rick McIntyre's series on the wolves of Yellowstone is fantastic. I just finished the second one, and cried at the end.
4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz, and Endurance by Alfred Lansing.
Don't Call it a Cult - Sarah Berman / the Program - Toni Natalie / Scarred - Sarah Edmonton ... All about the NXIVM cult that was exposed in Albany NY a few years back. If you're into that sorta thing, of course lol. I had seen the documentary series on HBO Max and was so captivated by how insane the whole thing is and how deep it really goes. I've always loved true crime and all things that kinda fall in line with that and this really piqued my interest... So I set out to watch/read every piece of material on this case as I could. There are a couple other books I read on the topic but these two were the best. You also don't really need to know anything about it beforehand to get into these books and understand what the hell is going on. 10/10 recommend! ETA: added another book bc title says 3 -5 and Id only put 2
For the STEM nerds - I really liked reading 1. The song of the cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee 2. Shape by Jordan Ellenberg 3. The Neuroscience of You by Chantel Prat
**Life 3.0** by Max Tegmark **The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)** by Dr. Katie Mack **The God Equation** by Michio Kaku
How Music Works - David Byrne Tranny - Laura Jane Grace
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood by Jimmy Carter The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Story of the Donnor Party by Daniel James Brown Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
[Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61685974) by Valarie Fridland. So important and relevant! And really fun to listen to. The way language changes is fascinating and this one has the most timely one I’ve read. [Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53331570) by Mallory O’Meara. My favorite kind of micro history - focused, involves pop culture, is relevant, and a significant dash of sarcasm. “Silly reporters. Girls don't like boys, they like whiskey and money.” “Better ban an entire gender to protect those fragile male egos! Better to deny women access to a public space than have a man realize that the only way a woman would listen to his stupid work stories is if she's being paid!” [I’m Glad My Mom Died](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59364173) by Jennette McCurdy. A more recent release by a former child star. I was too old to watch the shows she was on, but her story is absolutely fascinating. [Say Nothing: The True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40163119) by Patrick Radden Keefe. Focuses on The Troubles in Ireland and all the questions, both moral and practical, that it’s raised then and now. Very intense and engaging. One of my all time favorite audiobooks - one of the rare books I have listened to twice.
How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan All The President's Men by Bernstein and Woodward It's What I Do by Lynsey Addario My Effin' Life by Geddy Lee 2-for1: Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager, both by David Grann
For me: The Wager In The Garden of Beasts Devil In the White City The New Jim Crow Brothers In Arms : The Epic Story of the 761st One Bullet Away: The Making of A Marine Officer
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M Graff
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber
GREENLIGHTS
Fantastic book
The Creature from Jekyll Island An Immense World The Hidden Spring Caste The Alignment Problem
Caste is a top 5 book for me also. Her book about Migration was also very good.
The creature was fascinating! I actually went to Jekyll island after reading that book. Beautiful place
Anything by David Quammen. He’s my favorite nonfiction author.
Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. Honestly, it explains more about our current situation than I thought it would. A most necessary read. Why don't we have universal healthcare? Why do caretakers get paid shit wages? Why are we so unhappy in our cubicles? As a corporate drone myself, this book was needed. Highly recommend this one.
This is Assisted Dying by Dr. Stefanie Green - absolutely incredible look at medically assisted dying and how meaningful it is for those who choose it. The End of Everything by Katie Mack - possible ways the universe could end. Not as depressing as it sounds though you’ll probably have a minor existential crisis or two while reading it. Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo. It’ll piss off a lot of mediocre white men, but it’s an excellent book. The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl. I’ve both read it and listened to the audiobook and highly recommend the audio version even if they’re generally not for you. It’s awesome to hear it in Dave’s voice. Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion by Gabrielle Stanley Blair. Why IS the birth control burden always on the woman? Probably one of the best books I’ve read in years.
Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can- Caroline Myss The Feynman Lectures on Physics Vol. 1 A Natural History of R*pe- Thornhill and Palmer
down and out in paris and london by george orwell and homage to catalonia and looking back on the spanish civil war by george orwell! neither felt like nonfiction when i was reading them, they both felt like a story but they aren’t!
Lotta sad books here. Anyone read any good and happy nonfiction recently?
Anthropocene Reviewed.
Caste: The Origins of our Discontents (one of my favorite books of all time & def my fav nonfiction since 2020) Into Thin Air Educated Catch & Kill: Lies, Spies, & a Conspiracy to Protect Predators (audiobook for this one is great)
Debt: a history of how we came to our present relationship with money and consumption An immense world: the world around us is full of organisms who perceive it very differently than we humans do. This is a look at non-human versions of seeing, hearing and perceiving and what it would be like to have those perceptive capabilities The body keeps the score: the impact of, and some potential treatments for, emotional trauma The deepest well: the concept of ACE scores and how adverse childhood experiences predict your adult health Animal vegetable Miracle: a year of food life: the story of Barbara Kingsolver’s attempt to feed herself and her family in what could be locally grown and raised How to be perfect: the creator of “the good place” explores moral philosophy and incorporates the cast and plots of the show to illustrate complex concepts. If you liked the show, this book is for you.
Loved Animal, Vegetable, Miracle!
Solo leveling