As Fall rolls into Winter for the majority of this blog's demographic, I begin to suffer the effects of an insufferable incoming Summer. Ugh.
Either way, amidst protests and social unrest, I have managed to get some great reading in, so I thought I would make my first-ever written wrap-up, full of amazing non-fiction picks.
Either way, amidst protests and social unrest, I have managed to get some great reading in, so I thought I would make my first-ever written wrap-up, full of amazing non-fiction picks.
1) Becoming {Michelle Obama, 2018}: This is Michelle Obama's pre-campaign book that is not actually a campaign book because according to her she doesn't do politics (I believe we have different notions of what politics are, but I'll give her this one). Either way, this reads like an extended college-entry essay and, though it has its moments I flew by (indulging the last 5%), it definitely does not warrant its length and it bored me to sleep sometimes. I would not recommend this unless you really like Michelle Obama and/or would like to listen this on audiobook.
2) Utopia for Realists {Rutger Bregman, 2014}: A must-read for all non-fiction lovers. Political sociology meets data in a very straightforward writing style. It argues in favor of universal basic income, open borders and a minimal working week. I know, it seems crazy! Bergman is fully aware of this and is prepared to defend his ideas, brilliantly so, in my opinion. On a personal level, this addressed many of my anxieties regarding viable alternatives for the future. On a broader one, it's a great exercise in challenging our established notions of how societies can and do work.
3) The Lives of the Surrealists {Desmond Morris, 2017}: A collection of mini-biographies of surrealist artists, perfect if you're interested but not savvy yet. Even if you do know a lot about the art itself, this gossipy approach to their actual lives might still be up your alley. What I love the most is the book's full-color illustrations of the art, the page-length portrait of the artists, and most of all Morris' cheeky yet respectful tone, which often incorporates his firsthand experience as a late surrealist himself.
4) The Soul of an Octopus {Sy Montgomery, 2015}: A beautiful memoir-meets-nature-writing, documenting Montgomery's experiences interacting with several octopuses (yes, that is the correct plural) and attempting to figure out what consciousness means in relation to them (and animals in general). The tone is intimate and informative, but this is very much a memoir, and as I was expecting more on the science/philosophy of consciousness side, I guess the overall style was a bit of a miss for me (I think what I was looking for was more along these lines). Still, I would highly recommend and I will probably revisit it in the future.
5) Language Myths {ed. Laurie Bauer, Peter Trudgill, 1998}: This is a really easy to read anthology of language myths showing why they are myths and how linguists know. The wording of the myths is definitely exaggerated for effect, but the methodology is sound and the evidence clear. As the authors vary from chapter to chapter, so does the quality of the articles, but overall it is a great introduction to sociolinguistics and linguistic thought (and how it often goes against our ingrained language-biases!)
6) A Rather Haunted Life {Ruth Franklin, 2016}: This brilliant biography explores the life and work (and their interrelation) of author Shirley Jackson (We have always lived in the castle, The Haunting of Hill House, "The Lottery"), who in the past decade has had a much deserved literary renaissance. This is a beautiful work of scholarship that reads like a novel. So much so, that it left me with a bit of a hangover—I came into this book admiring Jackson but not as a die-hard fan, and now I actually miss her! I recommend this to everyone who loves literary biographies and/or loves Shirley Jackson. Just a disclaimer: this does go into a lot of her work (especially her novels), so if you are planning on reading her and/or care about spoilers... perhaps read up before you get to this one.
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