8 Books for Making Sense of Our Confusing Times
From the global food system to geopolitics in space, the world is a hot mess. Read accordingly.
There is a lot to be confused about in this day and age. Our food system makes us question how we should eat; our digital trajectory makes us wonder which professions will make it; the climate crisis begs us to second guess how we power our lives; we carry dollars in our pockets that are involved in dangerous games; some days we even ponder if it’s time to move to outer space. Do our choices even matter?
When considering the big picture, committing to set routines or future plans can feel like choosing to hop in a river that might have a massive, crushing waterfall at the end. Chart your course through our global context with less uncertainty by opening these eight books
The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life
By Sophia Rosenfeld
A sweeping history of the rise of personal choice in the modern world and how it became equated with freedom. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Sophia Rosenfeld, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
How the World Eats: A Global Food Philosophy
By Julian Baggini
An exploration of how we grow, make, buy and eat our food around the world—and a proposal for a global philosophy of food. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Julian Baggini, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Power of Nuclear
By Marco Visscher
From the pilot’s seat in the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, to the site in Finland where highly radioactive waste will be buried, this is the incredible story of nuclear power. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Marco Visscher, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive
By Eliot Stein
A vivid look at 10 astonishing people who are maintaining some of the world’s oldest and rarest cultural traditions. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Eliot Stein, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World
By
Borders draw one map of the world; money draws another. A journalist’s riveting account exposes a parallel universe that has become a haven for the rich and powerful. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Atossia Araxia Abrahamian, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
Paper Soldiers: How the Weaponization of the Dollar Changed the World Order
By Saleha Mohsin
The untold story of how one of America’s most invincible institutions—the Treasury—has used the U.S. dollar to define America’s role in the world, and our economic future. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Saleha Mohsin, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Future of Geography: How the Competition in Space Will Change Our World
By Tim Marshall
A must-read book on today’s space race—including the increasingly tense power struggle between the US, China, and Russia and what it means for all of us here on Earth. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Tim Marshall, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves
By
Hudson examines how civility―a respect for the personhood and dignity of others―transcends political disagreements. Respecting someone means valuing them enough to tell them when you think they are wrong. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Alexandra Hudson, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
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