Code Work
Héctor Beltrán
This book delves into the intricate world of "code work" among young Mexican and Latinx hackers navigating the US-Mexico techno-borderlands. Through compelling ethnographic research, Héctor Beltrán uncovers how these individuals engage with narratives of technological progress, neoliberal entrepreneurship, and social justice. Introducing the innovative concept of the "ethno-stack," the book reveals how personal, social, political, and technical elements intertwine as hackers utilize coding to challenge and redefine boundaries of nation, race, ethnicity, class, and gender, offering a vital perspective on digital culture from the Global South.
Cutting for Stone
Abraham Verghese
Born in 1954 in a mission hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, twin brothers Shiva and Marion Stone arrive into the world under mysterious and tragic circumstances. Their mother, a young Indian nun named Sister Mary Joseph Praise, dies during their birth, and their brilliant but emotionally distant surgeon father, Thomas Stone, abandons them. This excerpt introduces their unusual origins, delving into their mother's journey from India to Africa and the dramatic events leading to her fateful encounter with their father. It sets the stage for a sweeping saga of family, medicine, and identity against the vibrant and tumultuous backdrop of mid-20th century Ethiopia.
Exit West
Mohsin Hamid
In a city teetering on the brink of civil war, Saeed and Nadia find solace in each other's company. As their world descends into chaos, rumors spread of mysterious doors that can transport people to other places. They decide to take a leap of faith, stepping through one of these portals, embarking on a perilous journey as refugees across a world grappling with mass migration. Their love story unfolds against a backdrop of displacement, nativism, and the search for belonging, forcing them to confront who they are and what home truly means.
Tropic of Orange
Karen Tei Yamashita
Set in a vibrant, surreal Los Angeles, *Tropic of Orange* weaves together the lives of diverse characters—from a Mexican housekeeper in Mazatlan tending a mysterious orange tree to a Chicano journalist in L.A.—against a backdrop of urban chaos, social upheaval, and the ever-present hum of the city. Karen Tei Yamashita crafts an apocalyptic tale with 'surrealist nerve and futurist verve,' exploring themes of displacement, cultural identity, and the hidden connections that bind a sprawling metropolis on the edge of a new world.
Free Food for Millionaires
Min Jin Lee
Set in 1990s New York, *Free Food for Millionaires* follows Casey Han, a Princeton graduate from a Korean immigrant family in Queens. As she navigates the competitive world of post-college career choices and grapples with her identity, class distinctions, and familial expectations, Casey strives for success and respectability while yearning for glamour and insight. This sprawling novel explores the universal clash of cultures, intergenerational struggles, and the complexities of love and ambition within the Korean American community.
Lessons in Chemistry
Bonnie Garmus
Set in the 1950s and 60s, this captivating novel follows Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist whose scientific career is derailed by the pervasive sexism of her era. When she finds herself a single mother and the unexpected star of a hit television cooking show, 'Supper at Six,' Elizabeth uses her platform to teach women far more than just recipes, subtly challenging the status quo and inspiring a nation to question their roles. A story of resilience, intellect, and the fight for equality, it blends wit, heart, and a sharp critique of societal norms.
Small Things Like These
Claire Keegan
Set in an Irish town in 1985, this poignant novella follows Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, during the busy weeks leading up to Christmas. As he navigates his daily rounds, Bill confronts the complicit silences of a community deeply influenced by the Church and the haunting specter of the past, particularly the injustices of Ireland's mother and baby homes and Magdalen laundries. It is a powerful story of quiet heroism, moral awakening, and the enduring search for tenderness amidst hardship.
Counting Feminicide
Catherine D’Ignazio
In 'Counting Feminicide,' Catherine D’Ignazio unveils the powerful world of grassroots data activism, where individuals and collectives in the Americas are meticulously documenting feminicide—the gender-related killing of women and girls—to challenge state negligence and reshape public narratives. The book introduces 'restorative/transformative data science,' an approach that centers care, memory, healing, and justice, detailing the intricate processes of resolving, researching, recording, and strategically refusing and using data. Through compelling case studies and a deep dive into co-designing technology with activists, D’Ignazio offers a profound vision for a data science that actively defends life and transforms structural inequalities, leaving readers inspired to rethink the role of data in social change.