Books to Read

  It’s all over our televisions, newspapers and the internet. Every day we’re bludgeoned by news of how bad everything is – Brexit, financial collapse, unemployment, poverty, environmental disasters, disease, hunger, war. Indeed, our world now seems to be on the brink of collapse, and yet: ·      We’ve made more progress over the last 100 years than in the first 100,000 ·      285,000 more people have gained access to safe water every day for the last 25 years ·      In the last 50 years world poverty has fallen more than it did in the preceding 500 Contrary to what most of us believe, our progress over the past few decades has been unprecedented. By almost any index you care to identify, things are markedly better now than they have ever been for almost everyone alive. Examining official data from the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Health Organization, Johan Norberg traces just ...

  For Blood and Money  tells the little-known story of how an upstart biotechnology company created a one-in-a-million cancer drug, and how the core team―denied their share of the profits―went and did it again.  In this epic saga of money and science, veteran financial journalist Nathan Vardi explains how the invention of two of the biggest cancer drugs in history became (for their backers) two of the greatest Wall Street bets of all time. In the multibillion-dollar business of biotech, where pharmaceutical companies, the government, hedge funds, and venture capitalists have spent billions on funding, experimentation, and treatments, a single molecule can stop cancer in its tracks―and make the people who find that rare molecule astonishingly rich.  For Blood and Money  follows a small team at a biotech start-up in California, who have found one of these rare molecules. Their compound, known as a BTK inhibitor, seems to work on a vicious type of leukemia. When pa...

  Making Things Happen Mastering Project Management Scott Berkun What makes a good project leader? How can you better communicate with the people you work with? Why are schedules so unreliable? What can you do to avoid major problems on a project? In  Making Things Happen , public speaker and management expert Scott Berkun answers these and many other questions you may have on leadership and project management. As a former manager for major companies like Microsoft and WordPress, Berkun has years of experience both working on and managing successful projects. In our guide, we’ll not only go over what it takes to be a strong leader and project manager, but we’ll also explore the different phases of a typical project—planning, design, and building—and what a manager can do during each phase to ensure a project’s success. Throughout the guide, we’ll further explore insights on leadership and project management from other experts in these fields.

  A Guide to the Good Life The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy William B. Irvine What’s a good life—and how can you live one? In  A Guide to the Good Life , philosophy professor William B. Irvine argues that the ancient Greek and Roman philosophy of Stoicism holds the answers. Along with a brief history of Stoicism and an overview of its basic tenets, Irvine offers a simple step-by-step guide to developing a Stoic practice, which he claims will make you happier, calmer, and more fulfilled. In this guide, we’ll discuss the benefits of Stoicism and walk you through a set of Stoic techniques that promise happiness through such counterintuitive methods as imagining losing everything you love or deliberately exposing yourself to discomfort. We’ll build on Irvine’s recommendations by connecting them to other ancient and modern Stoic texts as well as to ideas from traditions such as Buddhism and Christianity.

  Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men Lundy Bancroft Lundy Bancroft’s  Why Does He Do That?  is a guide to how abusive men think, explaining the motivation and logic behind domestic abuse so that victims can better defend themselves against it. Bancroft draws on his years of experience as a counselor working with abusive men to shed light on how they deliberately confuse, manipulate, and intimidate their victims to get what they want. Ultimately, Bancroft hopes that readers will use his book to better assert their own humanity and independence, either leaving the relationship or demanding that their partner take responsibility for and change his abusive behavior. This guide will break down Bancroft’s insights into the motivations and justifications behind abusive behavior and supplement them with the work of other abuse advocates writing since the book’s publication in 2002. We’ll also provide updated statistics and compare domestic abuse to...

  Linchpin Are You Indispensable? Seth Godin Do you feel uninspired at work? Do you dream of making a positive impact on the world but doubt that you’re good enough to do so? According to leadership expert Seth Godin, anyone can choose to create work that changes the world by becoming a "linchpin" whose unique skills hold their organization together. Godin asserts that becoming a linchpin is not only the path to a fulfilling life and career but also necessary for career security in today’s tumultuous job market. In this guide, we’ll identify what beliefs make up the "linchpin mindset" and explain the steps you can take to become a linchpin and start living your most fulfilling work life. Additionally, we’ll supplement Godin’s advice with counterpoints that will help you implement his ideas wisely as well as tips for bosses who aim to nurture and manage linchpin employees.

  Braiding Sweetgrass Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Robin Wall Kimmerer In a society troubled by overconsumption and disconnection, what are plants, Anishinaabe Indigenous worldviews, and science all trying to teach us about restoring balance? In  Braiding Sweetgrass , Indigenous ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer explains how these three sources of knowledge show us how to flourish through a practice of mutual care   with other people and the natural world. As our industrial society puts increasing stress on ecosystems and climate change threatens the well-being of us all, we must shift from a consumption and competition mindset to one recognizing our interdependence. Then we can practice mutual care to enable all living beings to thrive. In this guide, we’ll explore models of mutual care evident in plants, Indigenous culture, and science. We’ll also examine how mutual care phenomena in the natural world translate to the human world, and ...

  The Art of Seduction Robert Greene Do you fantasize about romantic conquest but struggle with the reality of it? In  The Art of Seduction , Robert Greene offers insight into the psychology of attraction and provides a template for how to successfully entice lovers or devoted followers. According to Greene, we all want the power to seduce, whether we admit it or not—it gives us the feeling of being adored, the intoxicating pleasure of wielding power over another person, and the ability to get people to do anything we want them to do. Greene is the author of several bestselling books, including  The 48 Laws of Power ,  The 33 Strategies of War , and  Mastery .  The Art of Seduction  applies Greene's signature process-oriented advice to romancing a potential partner. In this guide, we’ll set the ground rules for a successful seduction, describe the various types of seducers and targets Greene identifies, and cover the specific steps of the seduction pro...

  The Last Housewife Ashley Winstead If you’re hoping  Women Talking  wins   Fascinated by cults?  The Last Housewife  follows Shay Evans, a woman searching for the truth — and revenge. When she was in college in upstate New York, Shay and her best friend were seduced into a cult and held captive. They managed to escape, but years later Shay learns that her friend is dead. Now, with the help of her friend and true crime podcaster Jamie, she’s determined to revisit her past and get answers about what really happened.

  Tom Clancy Red Winter Marc Cameron If you’re hoping  Top Gun: Maverick  wins   Fans of action and adventure   will want to pick up the latest tale of Jack Ryan, this one telling a story of his younger days during 1985. When the CIA is contacted with the news that there’s someone willing to defect in East Berlin, it’s up to Ryan to head behind the Iron Curtain and get the asset to safety. But enemy territory is filled with danger at every corner, and soon there’s an assassin on Ryan’s tail…

  They’re Going to Love You Meg Howrey If you’re hoping  Tár  wins   For those who loved the intensity of  Tár  and its dive into the art world, pick up  They’re Going to Love You,  which the  New York Times  says  has a “finger-trap puzzle of a plot, [where] the pull of the past meets the pressures of the present.” Written by a former ballet dancer, this novel follows a 43-year-old choreographer as she looks back on her past as a ballet dancer, and must consider her family in both her past and her future.

  Chuck Berry R. J. Smith If you’re hoping  Elvis  wins   The Elvis Presley biopic follows the life of the rock and roll star, who lived from 1935 to 1977.  Chuck Berry  follows the life of another famed singer, one known as the “Father of Rock and Roll.” Born in 1926, Chuck Berry was a musical pioneer, and this biography gives fascinating insight into his life.

  Black Sun Rebecca Roanhorse If you’re hoping  Avatar: The Way of Water  wins   Love fantastic worlds drawing on indigenous myths, where people are strongly connected to nature? Meet Xiala, a ship’s captain who can calm the waters by singing, and her passenger Serapio, who may appear harmless, but who is more than he seems. This rich, nuanced world is inspired by the pre-Columbian Americas and filled with epic adventure and magic.

  The Cruise Catherine Cooper If you’re hoping  Triangle of Sadness  wins   Here for dramas about wealthy people on deadly vacations? You’re invited on a decadent cruise around the Caribbean, on a ship filled with every luxury. The passengers are varied, the crew is hardworking — but soon people start going missing, and no one knows who’s to blame… 

  Signal Fires Dani Shapiro If you’re hoping  The Fabelmans  wins   Inspired by Spielberg’s own parents,  The Fabelmans  follows a Jewish family in post–World War II New Jersey, as a young boy comes of age.  Signal Fires  is another beautifully wrought family drama, beginning in the New York suburbs in 1985, and following the fallout from the actions of three teens. Meg Wolitzer  describes  it as a “haunting, moving, and propulsive exploration of family secrets.”

  All Quiet on the Western Front Erich Maria Remarque If you’re hoping  All Quiet on the Western Front  wins   If you haven’t already, now’s the time to pick up this classic — or give it a reread, if you haven’t looked at it since high school. This powerful masterpiece tells the tale of young Paul Bäumer as he joins up for World War I. As he experiences the horrors of war and the trenches, he tries to hold on to his own identity — and to stay alive.

  Trespasses Louise Kennedy If you’re hoping  The Banshees of Inisherin  wins   Set on an Irish island in the 1920s,  The Banshees of Inisherin  follows two lifetime friends. Travel to Ireland once again in  Trespasses,  a lyrical novel about an Irish family during the Troubles. Catholic Cushla lives in a small town outside of Belfast, teaching at a school and working at her family’s pub. When her life becomes intwined with that of Protestant barrister Michael Agnew, the affair pulls her into a dangerous new world. The  Washington Post  says  that “Kennedy has written a captivating first novel which manages to be beautiful and devastating in equal measure.”

  Bliss Montage Ling Ma If you’re hoping  Everything Everywhere All at Once  wins   If you loved the smash hit  Everything Everywhere All at Once,  you’ll find Ling Ma’s collection of short stories equally enthralling. Filled with strange magic and cutting insights, they’ll stay in your mind long after you finish reading them. NPR   says , “Ling Ma writes with such authority that we readers are simply swept along, ” while the  New York Times  notes , “The women populating these stories are not merely at the center, they  are  the center.”

  In this revolutionary book, renowned physician Gabor Maté eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise.  Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure.  In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population.  And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So, what is really “normal” when it comes to health? Over four decades of clinical experience, Maté has come to recognize the prevailing understanding of “normal” as false, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of modern-day living, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health.  For all our expertise and technological sophistication, Western medicine often fails to treat the whole person, ignoring how today’s culture stresses...

  Do You Take This Man By Denise Williams Calling all rom-com fans: “ Do You Take This Man  has one of the… most satisfyingly hard-earned happily ever afters I’ve read in ages!” (Ali Hazelwood). After a video of Asheville divorce attorney RJ officiating an impromptu wedding in a park goes viral, she quickly becomes a begrudgingly sought-after officiant — and has to work with insufferable wedding planner Lear!