Georgia During the Great Depression: A Documentary Portrait of a Decade is a book written by Anita Price Davis. This book provides an in-depth look at the state of Georgia during the Great Depression, a period of economic hardship that lasted from 1929 to 1939. The book is divided into three sections: an introduction to the Great Depression, a look at how it affected Georgia, and a conclusion.
Post-Structuralism: Very Short Introduction by Catherine Belsey is an insightful and thought-provoking book that explores the concept of post-structuralism.
Post-structuralism is an intellectual movement that emerged in philosophy and the humanities in the 1960s and 1970s, challenging the tenets of structuralism which had previously held sway over the interpretation of language and texts in the humanities and the study of economies and cultures in the social sciences.
The Stranger by Albert Camus is a novel that explores the themes of meaninglessness of life and death, the absurd and irrational universe, religion and god, and the physical world. The story follows Meursault, an indifferent settler in French Algeria, who, weeks after his mother’s funeral, kills an unnamed Arab man in Algiers. The story is divided into two parts, presenting Meursault’s first-person narrative before and after the killing.
The book Beginner’s Guide To Paradise by Alex Sheshunoff is a true story of how a quarter-life crisis led to adventure, freedom, and love on a tiny island in the Pacific. The book is divided into nine steps that guide readers through the process of giving up everything and moving to a South Pacific Island.
It provides readers with an insight into the life of the author, Alex Sheshunoff, who moved to a small island in the South Pacific and experienced a life-changing journey.
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh is a 2008 novel that was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. It is the first volume of the Ibis trilogy and won the 2008 Vodafone Crossword Book Award for Fiction, the 2008 British Book Design and Production Award, the Indiaplaza Golden Quill Award for best novel, the Indiaplaza Golden Quill Popular Vote Award in 2009, and the prestigious Tagore Literature Award, awarded by Sahitya Akademi in 2012.
The World Trade Organization: A Very Short Introduction by Amrita Narlikar is a concise and comprehensive overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The book provides an in-depth look at the history, structure, and functioning of the WTO, as well as its mandate and objectives. It also examines the politics behind the organization and how it has evolved over time.
Locavesting by Amy Cortese is a thought-provoking book that explores the concept of investing in one’s own community. The book challenges readers to think more about the investments themselves and how they can be used to support causes they care about.
Cortese makes the case for why investing locally is a good thing, and provides stories of communities and leading citizens who have stepped up to make these changes. She talks about cooperatives, credit unions, direct public offerings, and local exchanges.
The Rebel by Albert Camus is a book-length essay that examines the metaphysical and historical development of rebellion and revolution in societies, particularly in Western Europe. In this work, Camus presents a new humanism rooted in the dignity of man and the value of human life.
The Plague by Albert Camus is a 1947 novel that tells the story of a plague epidemic in the French Algerian city of Oran. The novel follows the point of view of Dr. Bernard Rieux, a doctor who works to help the citizens of Oran cope with the outbreak.
The novel is an existentialist classic and explores themes of mortality, suffering, heroism, language, communication, exile, and imprisonment.
The Fall by Albert Camus is a philosophical novel that tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Clamence, a Parisian expatriate living in Amsterdam. Through a series of dramatic monologues, Clamence reflects upon his life to a stranger.
The novel explores themes of innocence, imprisonment, non-existence, and truth. It is a secular retelling of the Biblical Fall of Man that pays particular attention to the heavy cost of the atrocities of World War II.
The Kazdin Method for Parenting by Alan Kazdin is a book that provides parents with the tools and strategies they need to effectively manage their children’s behavior. The book draws on decades of research to provide evidence-based techniques for improving parenting skills.
Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton is a book that explores the concept of status anxiety and how it affects our lives. The author defines status anxiety as a worry that we are in danger of failing to conform to the ideals of success laid down by our own society and that we may as a result be stripped of dignity and respect. He identifies five main causes of status anxiety: lovelessness, snobbery, expectation, meritocracy, and dependence.
The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton is a non-fiction book that explores the power of architecture and design to shape our lives. The author argues that we love beautiful buildings because they solidify ideas we have about ourselves and our world.
The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton is a philosophical look at the activity of travelling for pleasure. The book explores the motivations behind why people travel, and how to make the most out of the experience.
De Botton draws from his own experiences abroad, as well as those of distinguished artists, thinkers, and fellow-travelers throughout history, to explore the essential allure of travel.
He argues that travel teaches people about their own character, values, and potential by exposing them to places that they may discover they prefer to home, landscapes and art that teach them about beauty and humanity’s limited perspective, and a travel mind-set that allows them to find a sense of wonder in the world.
The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton is a book that explores the idea that consolation can be found in philosophy. Using six philosophers (and their philosophies) as examples, de Botton offers consolations for unpopularity, poverty, frustration, inadequacy, heartbreak, and difficulties.
How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton is a book that combines two unlikely genres – literary biography and self-help manual. It explores the works of Marcel Proust, one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, and how his writings can be applied to our lives today.
The book reveals Proust’s thoughts on how to revive a relationship, choose a good doctor, enjoy a holiday, make friends and respond to insult.
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton is an exploration of the joys and perils of the modern workplace. Through a combination of wit and wisdom, de Botton takes readers on a journey around a range of occupations, from rocket science to biscuit manufacture, in search of what makes jobs either fulfilling or soul-destroying. The book contains over a hundred original images commissioned from the great documentary photographer Richard Baker.
The New Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America by Bill Thompson is a comprehensive guide for new and young birders. It provides an introduction to the world of birding, as well as useful information for identification.
United Nations: A Very Short Introduction is a book written by Jussi M. Hanhimäki that provides an overview of the history, mission, successes, and shortcomings of the United Nations.
Poor Richard’s Retirement: Retirement for Everyday Americans by Aaron Clarey is an approach to retirement and economic indepedence that puts retirement within the reach of everyday people.
King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild is a book that explores the exploitation of the Congo Free State by King Leopold II of Belgium between 1885 and 1908, as well as the large-scale atrocities committed during that period.
The book focuses on the moral implications of imperialism and colonialism, and how individuals like Edmund Morel, William Sheppard, and Roger Casement risked their lives to uncover the truth about the Congo.
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries is a classic book on marketing that outlines 22 rules for companies to follow in order to be successful. The book focuses on the idea that all that exists in the world of marketing are perceptions in the minds of the customer or prospect, and that the perception is reality.
It emphasizes the importance of being first in the mind of the customer, creating your own category to avoid competition, and understanding the opportunity cost of each product.
Life Inc is a non-fiction book that explores the power of corporations and how they hold onto power and gain more. The author, Douglas Rushkoff, looks at the historical antecedents of the modern corporation, exploring how corporatist philosophies developed out of old-style mercantilism.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis is a classic series of seven high fantasy novels that have been (regretfully) adapted for radio, television, the stage, film and video games.
The books span the entire history of the fictional realm of Narnia, from its creation in The Magician’s Nephew to its eventual destruction in The Last Battle.
The protagonists are all children from the real world who are magically transported to Narnia, where they are sometimes called upon by the lion Aslan to protect Narnia from evil.
Mythology by Edith Hamilton is a collection of Greek, Roman, and Norse myths that have been retold from various sources. The book covers the gods, creation, and earliest heroes, stories of love and adventure, the great heroes before the Trojan War, the heroes of the Trojan War, the great families of Mythology, the ‘less important’ myths, and the mythology of the Norsemen. The book is like a study guide in itself because it references so many different stories and characters.
Accounting: A Very Short Introduction is a book written by Christopher Nobes that provides an introduction to the field of accounting.
The book covers the main areas of accounting work, from bookkeeping and financial reporting to auditing and management accounting. It explains the principles of accounting, such as the rules and guidelines that companies and other bodies must follow when reporting financial data.
Climate: A Very Short Introduction by Mark Maslin is a comprehensive overview of the global climate system.
The book covers all aspects of climate, from the processes that allow energy to reach the Earth and how it is redistributed around the planet by the ocean-atmosphere system, to the relationship and differences between climate and the weather, and how climate has affected life on Earth and human settlements.
It also examines the evidence which underlies both accounts of past developments and dramatic predictions by scientists, and outlines some of the approaches being taken to tackle climate change.
The Ice Age: A Very Short Introduction by Jamie Woodward is a book that examines the wonders of the Quaternary ice age. It looks at evidence from the continents, the oceans, and the ice core records, as well as the human stories behind it.
The book covers the history of the discovery of the cycle of ice ages, the people behind it, and what causes the Earth to cycle from extended periods of a cooler ice age to a warmer interglacial and back again.
Rapture Ready! by Daniel Radosh is an exploration of the strange and fascinating world of Christian pop culture. Radosh, a Jewish writer from Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, takes readers on a journey through this parallel universe, combining gonzo reporting with a keen eye for detail and a touch of wit.
Now You See It by Cathy Davidson is a book that explores the implications of the digital age on our lives, work, and learning. The book begins with the story of how Davidson and Duke University gave free iPods to their freshman class in 2003, which was met with criticism. However, when students found academic uses for the music players, the idea was seen in a new light.
Good Book: The Bizarre, Hilarious, Disturbing, Marvelous, and Inspiring Things I Learned When I Read Every Single Word of the Bible is a book written by David Plotz. It chronicles his journey of reading the Bible in its entirety and blogging about it.
The Book On Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner is a comprehensive guide to the world of rental property investing. It covers everything from the basics of real estate investing to the more advanced strategies and techniques used by experienced investors.
Wise Blood is a novel by Flannery O’Connor, published in 1952. The story revolves around Hazel Motes, a World War II veteran who returns home to Tennessee to find his family home abandoned. Disillusioned and faithless after his experiences in war, Hazel decides to found an anti-religion, the Church Without Christ.
Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening by David The Good is a book that provides readers with the knowledge and skills needed to create a self-sufficient food growing system.
American Canopy is a book that explores the relationship between Americans and their trees. The book tells the story of how forests and trees have shaped American history and culture, and how humans have changed them. The author takes the reader on a journey through four centuries of history, showing the manifold ways in which trees, woodland, and wood have shaped the contours of American life and culture.
Rivers: A Very Short Introduction by Nick Middleton is a wide-ranging account of the impact of rivers on land, human history, animals, plants, and in artistic expression.
Plays Well with Others is a book that explores the universality of love and how it can be affected by people’s behavior and actions. The author, Eric Barker, presents a series of biographical stories and research studies to invite the reader to see friendship and marriage from different perspectives. The book emphasizes the key roles of friendship, community, and love in people’s happiness levels.
Mud Season is a memoir by Ellen Stimson that chronicles her family’s move from St. Louis to Vermont. The book is written in a self-deprecating and humorous style, and it details the challenges and joys of transitioning from city life to rural living.
The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman is a multi-dimensional masterpiece that captures the nuances of life in the 1990s. Written by one of pop culture’s most influential critics, this book is an exploration of the decade’s film, music, sports, TV, politics, and changes regarding race and class and sexuality. Klosterman’s writing is smart and delightful, and his book is a joy to read.
Heroes of the Frontier by Dave Eggers is a captivating and often hilarious novel about family, loss, wilderness, and the curse of a violent America.
Bubble in The Sun: The Florida Boom of the 1920s and How It Brought on the Great Depression by Christopher Knowlton is an engaging look at the economic, political, and social forces that led to the massive real estate boom in Florida during the 1920s.
The book is an important reminder of how speculation and unchecked optimism can lead to disaster, even if the consequences are not immediately apparent.
The Craft by John Dickie is a book about the history of Freemasonry, and how it made the modern world possible. I picked it up after watching Lodge 49 (which should not have gotten canceled).
Empire of Liberty by Gordon Wood is a door-stopper, but still very readable history of the United States from 1789-1815. It’s a comprehensive dive into all the political, cultural, and economic trends that were sweeping through the United States after Independence.
It starts with the years leading up to the new Constitution and continues through the Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison presidencies and concludes with the end of the War of 1812.
How The World Really Works by Vaclav Smil was one of the most eye-opening books that I’ve read in a while. It cuts through all the ideas, studies, etc to show how the modern world that we live in is truly all about energy conversion. Energy makes the world go ’round. He shows how the modern world is literally built on Four Pillars cement, steel, plastics, and ammonia.
All four exist in some way due to cheap, accessible hydrocarbon energy that is simply converted energy from the sun.
Providing all Four Pillars without hydrocarbons is much, much, much more difficult than simply swapping a coal power plant for a solar farm. Figuring out the transition of energy conversions will be the challenge of the century.
The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant is a book about Natchez, Mississippi. It’s written in a travelogue format by one of the best travel writers around, even though it’s near the author’s adopted hometown.
It’s a sort-of sequel to Dispatches from Pluto, where he moves to Mississippi. He uses his own experience, research, and journalism to paint a portrait of a complex American place as it struggles to break free from the past and confront the legacy of slavery.
The Profiteers by Sally Denton was one of the best books I read all year. I picked it up after visiting Alaska on a backpacking trip and seeing the Alaska Pipeline in person.
God’s Middle Finger by Richard Grant was one of the best travel books I read all year. Richard Grant is such a consistent, solid writer.
The book chronicles several of his journeys through the northern Sierra Madre of Mexico. It’s an area that is not only rough & lawless but has been rough & lawless since before Spanish colonialism.
The writing is absolutely amazing. It’s engaging and page-turning while still retaining nuance and pro-journalist-research.
The author knows how to put together a novel adventure and set a scene.
I love how he meets who he meets in the book and how he simply gets around such a rugged place on Earth.
In this book, more than in his other books, Grant really pushes the boundaries of imposing on his friends and generous local people to help him seek out the danger that he sorely misunderstands. It gets awkward and maddening in places. However, that is part of the book – Grant learning that danger isn’t so much a place per se as situations created by people – who could be anywhere.
Even the “worst” areas of the world are almost completely full of friendly, decent people trying to get along with their lives. Even in an area like the northern Sierra Madre, the author had to break basically all the most basic rules of safe travel to get himself into trouble – and even then, it was mainly down to bad luck and a stubborn refusal to listen to a local farmer who was looking out for him.
Just like there is huge diversity among States in the United States, there is a wide range of diversity among Mexican States. The States that contain the Sierra Madre, are especially so.
The culture that arises from coping & surviving in a harsh environment can be the same culture that keeps an area from improving at all.
It is hard to overstate just how much the American-led War on Drugs has negatively affected Mexico.
And yet, for all the coverage and focus that “hard” drugs get in the media and popular culture, it is regular ‘ole alcohol that does far, far, far more individual and societal damage.
If you put lots of young men; lots of weapons; lots of drugs (notably alcohol) into a small area and then remove peaceful ways of achieving status and success while providing insane windfalls of financial success for doing insane, murderous activities…..you’re gonna have a bad time.
The Son by Philipp Meyer is a fantastic novel by the author of American Rust (one of my favorites). I haven’t seen the TV adaptation – and I don’t plan to since the book is that good.
Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle was an ebook that I obtained from Standard Ebooks. It was beautifully formatted and a breeze to read. I remembered why it is the definition of the mystery genre. I definitely plan to read the whole collection this year.
Short Works by Epictetus was an ebook that I obtained from Standard Ebooks. I’m glad I started with his Short Works because Epictetus is one weird dude with punctuated brilliance.