I learned a lot in 2017. I learned about the bicameral mind, justice and mercy, women in the workforce, why politics and religion divide us, and so much more — I even tidied up my room! It was a profoundly rewarding year, and I couldn’t have done it without books. One year ago, I decided I would read 52 books, or […]
Author: Parker
December
Book 49: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry I read Seven Brief Lessons on Physics earlier this year and enjoyed it. I’m reading Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s book because, with finals going on, I am somewhat short on time. That, and I’m interested in learning more about astrophysics. Book 50: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, […]
November
Book 45: How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character I’m curious about childhood development and how kids’ formative experiences affect them later in life. In How Children Succeed, Paul Tough “uncovers the surprising ways in which parents do—and do not—prepare their children for adulthood… And he provides us with new insights into how […]
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
Overview You are a ________ fill in the blank. Go ahead, fill it in. You’re a Democrat, a Republican, a libertarian, or a socialist. Or maybe you’re an Evangelical Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, or an atheist. And you think everyone else – those greedy Republicans, those lazy Democrats, those godforsaken atheists – is at […]
October
Book 40: A Colony in a Nation In A Colony in a Nation, author and news anchor Chris Hayes explores America’s criminal justice system’s history and its persisting disparities. I attended a discussion on race and criminal justice featuring Hayes a few weekends ago, and I purchased a signed copy of this book from him. […]
September
Book 36: Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard Switch demonstrates how we can make changes that stick by examining patterns of change. It combines research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to show how we can effect transformative change – and how to keep it. My friend Christy recommended Switch to me. Book 37: Zero to […]
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Overview In Sapiens, historian Yuval Noah Harari tells the story of our species. He covers the last 150,000 years with brilliant writing, interweaving history with science. I learned a great deal from Sapiens. It was easily one of my favorite books of the year, and you’ll love it too. I’ll briefly cover why we – Homo sapiens – went […]
The Genius of Birds
Recommendation Before reading The Genius of Birds, I didn’t know (or care) much about birds, and I certainly didn’t think they were geniuses. Fortunately, Jennifer Ackerman changed that and was able to open my mind to the intelligence and beauty of our avian friends. Ackerman demonstrates how birds form complex social relationships, use tools, remember faces, […]
August
Book 31: The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming One-Straw Revolution is a “manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge” that challenges our global food system. I chose to read this because someone recommended it to me (unfortunately, I can’t recall who). Additionally, I don’t know much about farming, and figured […]
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
Overview Timothy Snyder, Yale historian of Eastern and Central Europe, wrote On Tyranny to teach Americans how to resist slides toward illiberal democracy and authoritarianism based on Europe’s experience in the 20th Century. He wrote it because of the election of Donald Trump, whose candidacy was marred by his authoritarian tendencies. As president, he has attacked the […]