The Great Influenza
John M. Barry
A definitive account of the 1918 Flu Epidemic, exploring its impact and the lessons learned. The book delves into the science behind the virus, its spread, and the societal response, offering a sobering model for confronting future epidemics.
The Great Leveler
Walter Scheidel
A sweeping exploration of inequality throughout history, arguing that only massive violence and upheaval have been able to seriously level disparities in income and wealth. From ancient times to the present, this book examines the ways that war, revolution, state collapse, and pandemics have shaped economic distribution, offering a provocative perspective on the challenges of inequality today.
The Greatest Capitalist Who Ever Lived
Ralph Watson McElvenny
Explore the life of Tom Watson Jr., the leader who transformed IBM and ushered in the digital age. From his tumultuous relationship with his father to the System/360 gamble that nearly broke the company, discover the untold story of the man Fortune magazine called "the greatest capitalist who ever lived."
The Gun Debate
Philip J. Cook
An exploration of the multifaceted gun debate in America, covering gun ownership, violence, regulation, history, and the perspectives of various groups. It delves into the value of guns for self-protection, the costs of gun violence, and potential policy solutions.
The Half Known World
Pico Iyer
A profound exploration of paradise, both earthly and spiritual, as the author travels to Iran and reflects on the search for an ideal world amidst conflict and complexity.
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood
In the Republic of Gilead, Offred is a Handmaid, forced into sexual servitude to repopulate a desolate world. Stripped of her identity and freedom, she clings to memories of the past, a time when she had a husband, a child, and a life of her own. As Offred navigates the treacherous landscape of Gilead, she becomes entangled in a web of secrets, rebellion, and forbidden desires, risking everything for a glimpse of hope in a world consumed by darkness.
The Happiness Industry
William Davies
An exploration of how the concept of well-being has been adopted and commodified by governments and big business, examining the political and economic interests driving the happiness industry and its impact on society.
The Harvard Psychedelic Club
Don Lattin
The story of three brilliant scholars and one ambitious freshman who crossed paths at Harvard University in the winter of 1960–61, and how their experiences in a psychedelic drug research project transformed their lives and much of American culture in the 1960s and 1970s. It's about the intersecting life stories of Timothy Leary, Huston Smith, Richard Alpert (Ram Dass), and Andrew Weil.