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Recommendations based on What We See When We Readby Peter Mendelsund
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Meaty
by Samantha Irby
A collection of hilarious and brutally honest essays about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.
Samantha Irby explodes onto the printed page with her debut collection of brand-new essays about trying to laugh her way through failed relationships, being black, taco feasts, bouts with Crohn's ... (Goodreads)
Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
A letter to his son, exploring the realities of racism in America.
“This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American ... (Goodreads)
Meditations
by Marcus Aurelius
Reflections on Stoic philosophy, exploring the nature of existence and how to live life.
Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual ... (Goodreads)
What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
by Randall Munroe
A humorous exploration of science, tackling the most bizarre questions with real-world scenarios.
Randall Munroe left NASA in 2005 to start up his hugely popular site XKCD 'a web comic of romance, sarcasm, math and language' which offers a witty take on the world of science and geeks. It now has ... (Goodreads)
The Architecture of Happiness
by Alain de Botton
A philosophical exploration of how architecture shapes our emotions and how we can create living spaces that are both beautiful and meaningful.
The Achitecture of Happiness is a dazzling and generously illustrated journey through the philosophy and psychology of architecture and the indelible connection between our identities and our ... (Barnes & Noble)
Where Good Ideas Come from: The Natural History of Innovation
by Steven Johnson
A study of the patterns and environments that foster innovation, from the coffeehouses of the Enlightenment to the internet age.
The printing press, the pencil, the flush toilet, the battery–these are all great ideas. But where do they come from? What kind of environment breeds them? What sparks the flash of brilliance? How do ... (Goodreads)
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness
by Sy Montgomery
An exploration of the wonders of the octopus, with insights into its intelligence and emotions.
In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the ... (Goodreads)
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
by Austin Kleon
Practical guide to building an audience and recognizing success in creative endeavors.
In his, New York Times, bestseller, Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon showed readers how to unlock their creativity by “stealing” from the community of other movers and shakers. Now, in an even more ... (Barnes & Noble)
Mythologies
by Roland Barthes
A collection of essays that deconstructs the myths of modern society, revealing their hidden meanings and cultural significance.
"No denunciation without its proper instrument of close analysis," Roland Barthes wrote in his preface to Mythologies . There is no more proper instrument of analysis of our contemporary myths than ... (Goodreads)
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal
by Mary Roach
A journey through the digestive system, exploring its secrets and mysteries.
The irresistible, ever-curious, and always best-selling Mary Roach returns with a new adventure to the invisible realm we carry around inside. “America’s funniest science writer” ( Washington Post ) ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss
by Edmund de Waal
A journey through time, tracing the history of a family's collection of art and their struggles with loss.
The Ephrussis were a grand banking family, as rich and respected as the Rothschilds, who “burned like a comet” in nineteenth-century Paris and Vienna society. Yet by the end of World War II, almost ... (Goodreads)
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls
by David Sedaris
A collection of humorous essays and stories, exploring the absurdities of everyday life through the lens of the author's unique perspective.
A guy walks into a bar car and... From here the story could take many turns. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you ... (Goodreads)
I Don't Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star
by Judy Greer
Actress Judy Greer shares humorous and heartfelt stories about her life and career in Hollywood as a supporting actress.
You know Judy Greer, right? Maybe from, The Wedding Planner, 13 Going on 30, Carrie, Arrested Development, or, The Descendants,. Yes, you totally recognize her. And, odds are, you already feel like ... (Goodreads)
The New Bedside, Bathtub and Armchair Companion to Agatha Christie
by Dick Riley
A comprehensive guide to the life and works of Agatha Christie, including trivia, analysis, and behind-the-scenes information.
56 authors on hundreds of titles, including plays and short stories. Lavishly embellished with black-and-white photographs, book covers, and images. Reviews of Agatha Christie works avoid spoilers. ... (Goodreads)
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel
An autobiographical story of a daughter's complex relationship with her father and her own journey of self-discovery.
The narrative of Fun Home is non-linear and recursive. , Incidents are told and re-told in the light of new information or themes. , Bechdel describes the structure of Fun Home as a labyrinth , ... (Wikipedia)
All-American Murder: The Rise and Fall of Aaron Hernandez, the Superstar Whose Life Ended on Murderers' Row
by James Patterson
The story of Aaron Hernandez, a football superstar turned convicted murderer, and the events leading up to his downfall.
Discover the shocking #1, New York Times, bestseller: the true story of a young NFL player's first-degree murder conviction and untimely death — and his journey from the Patriots to prison. Aaron ... (Barnes & Noble)
Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House
by Alyssa Mastromonaco
A memoir of Alyssa Mastromonaco's time as Deputy Chief of Staff under President Obama, offering insights into the inner workings of the White House.
If your funny older sister were the former deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama, her behind-the-scenes political memoir would look something like this . . . Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for ... (Barnes & Noble)
How We Fight For Our Lives
by Saeed Jones
A memoir exploring the author's coming-of-age as a black gay man in the American South, grappling with identity, family, and sexuality.
From award-winning poet Saeed Jones,, How We Fight for Our Lives,—winner of the Kirkus Prize and the Stonewall Book Award—is a “moving, bracingly honest memoir” (,The New York Times Book Review,) ... (Barnes & Noble)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
by Atul Gawande
An exploration of the human experience of mortality and the importance of end-of-life care.
In, Being Mortal, author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending Medicine has triumphed in modern ... (Goodreads)
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
by Michael Pollan
Exploration of the modern food chain, examining the impact of food choices on our health and the environment.
What should we have for dinner? The question has confronted us since man discovered fire, but according to Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire , how we answer it today, at ... (Goodreads)
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food
by Mark Bittman
Comprehensive vegetarian cookbook featuring simple, flavorful recipes.
The ultimate one-stop vegetarian cookbook-from the author of the classic How to Cook Everything Hailed as "a more hip Joy of Cooking" by the Washington Post, Mark Bittman's award-winning book, How to ... (Barnes & Noble)
Dataclysm: Who We Are
by Christian Rudder
Exploring the hidden truths revealed by big data and how this data paints a picture of humanity.
A, New York Times, Bestseller,An audacious, irreverent investigation of human behavior—and a first look at a revolution in the making Our personal data has been used to spy on us, hire and fire us, ... (Goodreads)
Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
by Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox's memoir about his life with Parkinson's disease and how he maintains a positive outlook despite the challenges.
There are many words to describe Michael J. Fox: Actor. Husband. Father. Activist. But readers of Always Looking Up will soon add another to the list: Optimist. Michael writes about the hard-won ... (Goodreads)
A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.
In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)
What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love
by Carole Radziwill
A memoir of a woman's journey through love, loss, and friendship.
On a clear summer night in July 1999, a small plane plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, carrying John Kennedy, his wife, Carolyn, and her sister Laura. Three weeks later, John's cousin Anthony Radziwill ... (Goodreads)
A Thousand Mornings
by Mary Oliver
An exploration of nature, beauty and gratitude through lyrical poetry.
In A Thousand Mornings , Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has come to define her life’s work, transporting us to the marshland and coastline of her beloved home, Provincetown, Massachusetts. ... (Goodreads)
In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives
by Steven Levy
An inside look at the history, culture, and technology behind Google, the world's most powerful search engine and tech giant.
Written with full cooperation from top management, including cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, this is the inside story behind Google, the most successful and most admired technology company of ... (Goodreads)
The Laramie Project
by Moisés Kaufman
A theatrical exploration of the death of a young gay man, and the effect it had on the town of Laramie, Wyoming.
For a year and a half following the murder of Matthew Shepard, Moisés Kaufman and his Tectonic Theater Project–whose previous play, Gross Indecency , was hailed as a work of unsurpassed ... (Goodreads)
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future
by Kevin Kelly
A comprehensive guide to the technological trends that will shape our future, from artificial intelligence to virtual reality and beyond.
Come vivremo fra trent’anni? Non siamo ancora in grado di prevedere il futuro, ma alcune risposte sono certe, o quasi. Per esempio, non avremo un’auto di proprietà: pagheremo per abbonarci a un ... (Goodreads)
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
by Kate Clifford Larson
An exploration of the life of Rosemary Kennedy, uncovering the heartbreaking story of her family's secret.
One of, People,’s Top Ten Books of 2015, "[Larson] succeeds in providing a well-rounded portrait of a woman who, until now, has never been viewed in full.",—Boston Globe, “A biography that chronicles ... (Barnes & Noble)
