How to Be an Antiracist
Ibram X. Kendi
In this book, the author shares his own journey of being raised in a dueling racial consciousness and veering off onto the unlit dirt road of antiracism. He provides definitions and concepts to understand racism and antiracism, and argues that the struggle to be fully human requires focusing on power instead of people, and changing policy instead of groups of people.
Invisible Women
Caroline Criado Perez
In a world built for and by men, women are often overlooked, their needs unmet, and their voices unheard. Invisible Women exposes the pervasive gender data gap that shapes our world, from the design of everyday objects to medical research, and reveals the profound consequences of this bias on women's lives.
Open: The Story of Human Progress
Johan Norberg
A compelling exploration of how openness to new ideas, trade, and human interaction has driven progress throughout history. From the Stone Age to the modern era, discover how cooperation and exchange have shaped our world, and why defending openness is crucial for continued advancement.
The Myth of Normal
Gabor Maté
An exploration of the connection between our emotional well-being, social connectivity, and health, disease, and addictions. It challenges simplistic views of disease and disorder, offering a wider perspective on human flourishing and healing in our modern world.
The New Jim Crow
Michelle Alexander
A critical examination of the U.S. criminal justice system and its role in perpetuating racial inequality, drawing parallels to the Jim Crow era. It challenges the notion of a colorblind society and exposes the ways in which mass incarceration functions as a new form of racial control, locking African Americans into a permanent undercaste.
The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck
Recently paroled, Tom Joad returns home to find his family's Oklahoma farm devastated by the Dust Bowl and economic exploitation. His home is a ruin, his family displaced, and the land he knew is now controlled by impersonal corporate forces. Reunited with the former preacher Jim Casy and a defiant neighbor, Muley Graves, Tom grapples with the harsh realities faced by tenant farmers. This powerful narrative sets the stage for the Joad family's arduous journey west to California, a desperate search for work and dignity amidst widespread poverty and social injustice, exploring themes of resilience, community, and the enduring human spirit.
Data feminism
Catherine D’Ignazio
This groundbreaking book challenges conventional data analysis, proposing a new data science rooted in intersectional feminist thought. Authors Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein reveal how biases ingrained in 'objective' data obscure power imbalances and advocate for an ethical, caring approach to data that unveils mechanisms of oppression. Through seven core principles, the book explores how data can be rerouted to work against injustice, making a compelling case for a more equitable and informed understanding of information.
His Name Is George Floyd
Robert Samuels
In a profound and meticulously researched biography, "His Name Is George Floyd" transcends headlines to reveal the full, complex life of George Perry Floyd Jr. From his childhood in Houston's Third Ward to his final moments in Minneapolis, the book intricately weaves Floyd's personal struggles with addiction, poverty, and the criminal justice system with a broader historical narrative of systemic racism and police brutality in America. Through extensive interviews with family, friends, and experts, authors Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa paint a vivid portrait of a man who, despite his flaws and challenges, sought to "touch the world." This powerful exploration offers a crucial understanding of the forces that shaped Floyd's life and the seismic social justice movement his death ignited, leaving readers with a deeper insight into America's ongoing reckoning with race and inequality.