The Last Whole Earth Catalog
Stewart Brand
A groundbreaking counterculture catalog from 1971, this book serves as an 'access device' to tools and information for independent education, self-sufficiency, and ecological living. It features reviews and excerpts from books and resources across a vast array of subjects, including science, philosophy, design, environmentalism, and alternative lifestyles, encouraging readers to shape their own environments and share their adventures.
The Design of Everyday Things
Don Norman
Why do everyday objects often frustrate and confuse us? In this seminal work, Don Norman reveals that the problem lies not with the user, but with poor design. Drawing on cognitive psychology, he introduces the fundamental principles of human-centered design, explaining concepts like affordances, signifiers, and feedback. This revised and expanded edition updates classic examples and incorporates new insights on emotion, user experience, and the business realities of product development, offering a compelling argument for designing products that are intuitive, understandable, and truly enjoyable.
Coming of Age
Lucy Foulkes
Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research and compelling personal stories, Dr. Lucy Foulkes explores how adolescence, a period of profound biological and psychological change, indelibly shapes our adult selves. This insightful book delves into the complexities of teenage life, examining topics like popularity, identity formation, risk-taking, first love, bullying, and coping with loss, to reveal why these formative years leave lasting imprints on our memories and behaviors. It offers a compassionate understanding for anyone seeking to support teenagers or to better understand their own past.
Foster
Claire Keegan
A young girl from a large, impoverished family is sent to live with foster parents in rural Ireland for the summer. In this new, nurturing environment, she experiences kindness, attention, and a sense of belonging she has never known, while slowly uncovering the quiet sorrow that permeates her foster home. This poignant novella explores themes of family, loss, and the profound impact of love on a child's developing sense of self.
A Heart That Works
Rob Delaney
In this raw and profoundly moving memoir, comedian Rob Delaney navigates the unimaginable pain of losing his two-year-old son, Henry, to a brain tumor. With unflinching honesty and dark humor, Delaney recounts the harrowing journey through hospitals, the complexities of the healthcare system, and the devastating impact of grief on his family. It's a testament to enduring love, the resilience of the human spirit, and the unexpected ways we find connection and meaning amidst the deepest sorrow.
Judgment under uncertainty
Daniel Kahneman
This seminal collection, edited by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, Paul Slovic, and Amos Tversky, explores the systematic errors and biases that influence human judgment under uncertainty. Through a series of groundbreaking articles, it introduces and elaborates on key cognitive heuristics—representativeness, availability, and anchoring—demonstrating how these mental shortcuts, while often efficient, lead to predictable deviations from rational thought. A foundational text in cognitive psychology and behavioral economics, it reveals the profound impact of these biases on decision-making in various domains.
I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't)
Brené Brown
A groundbreaking exploration of shame, its impact on our lives, and the path to shame resilience. Based on years of research, this book offers insights and strategies for understanding shame, building courage, practicing compassion, and fostering connection to live a more authentic life.
Outlive
Peter Attia
In 'Outlive,' physician Peter Attia challenges the conventional approach to medicine, advocating for a proactive strategy to extend not just lifespan, but also 'healthspan'—the period of life free from disability and disease. Drawing on his personal journey and extensive research, Attia exposes the shortcomings of reactive medicine and offers a comprehensive framework to combat the 'Four Horsemen' of chronic disease: heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and type 2 diabetes. This book provides actionable insights into nutrition, exercise, sleep, and emotional health, empowering readers to take control of their long-term well-being and live better, for longer.