A Brand New Yesterday: 5 Surprising Books That Rewrite History
New releases that redefine the past.
If you’ve ever fallen down a Wikipedia rabbit hole, you know that history is full of incredible stories. Maybe you’re fascinated by theories of how the pyramids were built, or captivated by the life of Yasuke, the first African samurai in Japan. But if you’re looking for a brand new history obsession, you’re likely to find one in the five surprising books below.
Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive
By Eliot Stein
An acclaimed BBC Travel journalist shares a vivid look at ten 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
Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America
By Rebecca Davis
The most comprehensive account of America’s sexual past in three decades, Fierce Desires demonstrates how fiercely we have always valued our desires, and how far we are willing to go to defend them. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Rebecca Davis, in the Next Big Idea App
Golden Years: How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age
By James Chappel
A Duke University historian shows how old age first emerged as a distinct stage of life and how it evolved over the last century, shaped by politicians’ choices, activists’ demands, medical advancements, and cultural models from utopian novels to The Golden Girls. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author James Chappel, in the Next Big Idea App
Explorers: A New History
By Matthew Lockwood
Familiar icons of exploration like Pocahontas, Columbus, Sacagawea, and Captain Cook find new company in the untold stories of people usually denied the title “explorers,” including immigrants, indigenous interpreters, local guides, and fugitive slaves. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Matthew Lockwood, in the Next Big Idea App
Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of Direction
By Jerry Brotton
A University of London historian reveals why Hebrew culture privileges east; why Renaissance Europeans began drawing north at the top of their maps; why early Islam revered the south; and why no societies, primitive or modern, have ever orientated themselves westwards. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Jerry Brotton, in the Next Big Idea App
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