Books with category 📚 Non-Fiction
Displaying books 1-48 of 78 in total

What We Think We Become

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. -Buddha

You can achieve anything you want if you have control over your thoughts. You can replicate the life of a winner in you or you can be your enemy. It solely depends on which staircase you select for yourself; a positive value staircase or a negative value staircase.

Understand the art of climbing a positive value staircase and redirect your vision with the help of visualization technique.

Understand when hard work leads to failure.

Understand the GOAL of a goal.

Understand when expectations don't hurt you.

Understand the purpose of your life.

Between The Lines: Volumes of Words Unspoken

2018

by Céline Zabad

How does one describe a feeling? Some say there are no words that can perfectly reproduce one’s feelings in another—but poetry comes close. Written with incredible honesty and self-knowledge, Between the Lines is a stunning collection of poems from Céline Zabad.

Ranging in length from a single line to full pages, her poems mimic at once the brevity and vastness of feeling. Her verse is at times as free as a cloud, other times as solid as stone. Her words are philosophies and feelings in their own rights, on love, loss, loyalty, betrayal, hope, and disappointment—on life.

Zabad encapsulates the thrill of love’s first blush and the freezing burn of heartbreak. Her feelings flow freely throughout the collection, lending her poetry uncommon authenticity and power. Nature thrives between the lines of her verse, reminding the reader that tears are as natural as raindrops.

Whether you’re looking for new ways to think about your own feelings or are simply passionate about poetry, you’ll find plenty to love in this collection. To better understand the complexities of emotion in yourself and others, you must read Between the Lines.

Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

2018

by David Goggins

For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare — poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes.

The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events. In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.

The 5AM Club

Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity.

Now, in this life-changing book, handcrafted by the author over a rigorous four-year period, you will discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness.

Through an enchanting—and often amusing—story about two struggling strangers who meet an eccentric tycoon who becomes their secret mentor, The 5am Club will walk you through:

  • How great geniuses, business titans and the world's wisest people start their mornings to produce astonishing achievements
  • A little-known formula you can use instantly to wake up early feeling inspired, focused and flooded with a fiery drive to get the most out of each day
  • A step-by-step method to protect the quietest hours of daybreak so you have time for exercise, self-renewal and personal growth
  • A neuroscience-based practice proven to help make it easy to rise while most people are sleeping, giving you precious time for yourself to think, express your creativity and begin the day peacefully instead of being rushed
  • "Insider-only" tactics to defend your gifts, talents and dreams against digital distraction and trivial diversions so you enjoy fortune, influence and a magnificent impact on the world

Part manifesto for mastery, part playbook for genius-grade productivity and part companion for a life lived beautifully, The 5am Club is a work that will transform your life. Forever.

Existentialism is a Humanism

Existentialism Is a Humanism was written to correct common misconceptions about Jean-Paul Sartre's thought. Sartre, the most dominant European intellectual of the post-World War II decades, accepted an invitation to speak on October 29, 1945, at the Club Maintenant in Paris. The unstated objective of his lecture was to expound his philosophy as a form of existentialism, a term much bandied about at the time. Sartre asserted that existentialism was essentially a doctrine for philosophers, though, ironically, he was about to make it accessible to a general audience.

The published text of his lecture quickly became one of the bibles of existentialism and made Sartre an international celebrity. The idea of freedom occupies the center of Sartre’s doctrine. Man, born into an empty, godless universe, is nothing to begin with. He creates his essence—his self, his being—through the choices he freely makes (“existence precedes essence”). Were it not for the contingency of his death, he would never end. Choosing to be this or that is to affirm the value of what we choose. In choosing, therefore, we commit not only ourselves but all of mankind.

This book presents a new English translation of Sartre’s 1945 lecture and his analysis of Camus’s The Stranger, along with a discussion of these works by acclaimed Sartre biographer Annie Cohen-Solal. This edition is a translation of the 1996 French edition, which includes Arlette Elkaïm-Sartre’s introduction and a Q&A with Sartre about his lecture.

Back to Human

2018

by Dan Schawbel

Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation explains how a more socially connected workforce creates greater fulfillment, productivity, and engagement while preventing burnout and turnover. The next generation of leaders must create a workplace where teammates feel genuinely connected, engaged, and empowered -- without relying on technology.

Based on Dan Schawbel's exclusive research studies -- featuring the perspectives of over 2,000 managers and employees across different age groups -- Back to Human reveals why virtual communication, though vital and useful, actually contributes to a stronger sense of isolation at work than ever before.

How can we change this culture? Schawbel offers a self-assessment called the "Work Connectivity Index" that measures the strength of team relationships. He also shares exercises, examples, and activities that readers can work on individually or as a team, which will help them increase personal productivity, be more collaborative, and become more fulfilled at work.

Back to Human ultimately helps you decide when and how to use technology to build better connections in your work life. It is a call to action to leaders across the world to make the workplace a better experience for all of us.

Becoming

2018

by Michelle Obama

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. 

Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.

As the Matzo Ball Turns

2018

by Jozef Rothstein

Jozef Rothstein arrived from small-town Pennsylvania in Hollywood with stars in his eyes. Ten years later, he left with those same stars circling around his head.

Reeling from the humbling routine of an actor looking for work—any work, even for a chewing gum commercial, clad as a beaver in Speedo trunks and a Scooby-Doo cape while surrounded by beautiful women dressed to the nines—Rothstein found humor the best solution to saving his sanity.

Meanwhile, his money-generating job paralleled his dream employment. Rothstein's ten-year sentence as a waiter in a Jewish deli frequented by Tinsel Town's celebrities gave him more of the same ego pummeling, doled out in equal measure by customers and managers, but with a twist. The occasional hit men and drive-bys added just enough excitement to make near-death experiences an unwelcome reality.

Here, too, laughter saves the day, and Rothstein gleefully shares the inspirations for a never-ending comedy of terrors. Just as frequently, his own missteps find him flat-face on the pavement, sharing space with customers familiar to the world. And yes, Rothstein does name names.

Find your favorites in As the Matzo Ball Turns and see Hollywood stars—and waiters everywhere—in a whole new light.

The Book of Tea

The Book of Tea discusses the impact of "Teaism" on all aspects of Japanese culture and life. KakuzĹŤ elaborates on the relationship between the tea ceremony, Zen, and Taoism. He also talks about the tea masters and their contribution to the tea ceremony.

Kakuzō, a Japanese philosopher, art expert, and curator, was insightful and witty—greatly responsible for bridging Western and Eastern cultures. Having been taught English from an early age, he made his writings accessible to the Western mind.

In The Book of Tea, he discusses topics such as Zen and Taoism, but also the secular aspects of tea and Japanese life, emphasizing how Teaism taught the Japanese many things, most importantly, simplicity. KakuzĹŤ argues that tea-induced simplicity affected the culture, art, and architecture of Japan.

Interwoven with a rich history of Japanese tea and its place in Japanese society, this book includes poignant commentary on Asian culture and our ongoing fascination with it, as well as illuminating essays on art, spirituality, poetry, and more. A delightful cup of enlightenment from a man far ahead of his time.

How to Not Always Be Working

2018

by Marlee Grace

This guide book is filled with practical advice to help you curb your obsessions and build boundaries between your work, your job, and your life. In her workshops on healing and creative process, Marlee Grace helps people acknowledge their blocks and address them by setting distinct parameters that change their behavior. Now, she brings her methods and ideas to the wider world, offering all of us concrete ways to break free from our devices and focus on what’s really important—our own aliveness.

Part workbook, part advice manual, part love letter, How to Not Always Be Working ventures into the space where phone meets life, helping readers to define their work—what they do out of sense of purpose; their job—what they do to make money; and their breaks—what they do to recharge, and to feel connected to themselves and the people who matter to them. Grace addresses complex issues such as what to do if your work and your job are connected, provides insights to help you figure out how much is too much, and offers suggestions for making the best use of your time.

Essential for everyone who feels overwhelmed and anxious about our hyper-connected world—whether you’re a corporate lawyer, a student, a sales person, or a yoga instructor—How to Not Always Be Working includes practical suggestions and thoughtful musings that prompt you to honestly examine your behavior—how you burn yourself out and why you’re doing it. A creative manifesto for living better, it shows you how to carve sacred space in your life.

Seattleness: A Cultural Atlas

Seattleness: A Cultural Atlas is a visually rich cultural exploration of Seattle, capturing the mercurial nature of this dynamic city. Through both experiential and data-driven cartography, this book appeals to longtime residents, newcomers, and those curious about the city's unique charm.

Known for its airplanes, grunge music, gourmet coffee, and e-commerce, Seattle is a city full of surprises. In the style of Infinite City and Portlandness, this illustrated book delves into an expansive range of topics, from UFO sightings to pinball legacies, gray skies to frontier psychology, celebrating strong women and strong coffee.

With compelling infographic visuals, the book unravels over 50 fascinating narratives about the green metropolis perched at the edge of the Salish Sea.

Almost Everything

2018

by Anne Lamott

From Anne Lamott, the New York Times-bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow, comes the book we need from her now: How to bring hope back into our lives.


"I am stockpiling antibiotics for the Apocalypse, even as I await the blossoming of paperwhites on the windowsill in the kitchen," Anne Lamott admits at the beginning of Almost Everything. Despair and uncertainty surround us: in the news, in our families, and in ourselves. But even when life is at its bleakest--when we are, as she puts it, "doomed, stunned, exhausted, and over-caffeinated"--the seeds of rejuvenation are at hand. "All truth is paradox," Lamott writes, "and this turns out to be a reason for hope. If you arrive at a place in life that is miserable, it will change." That is the time when we must pledge not to give up but "to do what Wendell Berry wrote: 'Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.'"


In this profound and funny book, Lamott calls for each of us to rediscover the nuggets of hope and wisdom that are buried within us that can make life sweeter than we ever imagined. Divided into short chapters that explore life's essential truths, Almost Everything pinpoints these moments of insight as it shines an encouraging light forward.

Atomic Habits

2018

by James Clear

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 10 million copies sold! Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights. Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field. Learn how to: make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy); overcome a lack of motivation and willpower; design your environment to make success easier; get back on track when you fall off course; ...and much more. Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

The Book of Beautiful Questions

2018

by Warren Berger

When confronted with almost any demanding situation, the act of questioning can help guide us to smart decisions. By asking questions, we can analyze, learn, and move forward in the face of uncertainty. But "questionologist" Warren Berger says that the questions must be the right ones; the ones that cut to the heart of complexity or enable us to see an old problem in a fresh way.

In The Book of Beautiful Questions, Berger shares illuminating stories and compelling research on the power of inquiry. Drawn from the insights and expertise of psychologists, innovators, effective leaders, and some of the world's foremost creative thinkers, he presents the essential questions readers need to make the best choices when it truly counts, with a particular focus in four key areas: decision-making, creativity, leadership, and relationships.

The powerful questions in this book can help you:

  • Identify opportunities in your career or industry

  • Generate fresh ideas in business or in your own creative pursuits

  • Check your biases so you can make better judgments and decisions

  • Do a better job of communicating and connecting with the people around you

Dare to Lead

In her #1 New York Times bestsellers, Bren Brown taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she's showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.

Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. This book is for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference, and lead.

When we dare to lead, we don't pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don't see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don't avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it's necessary to do good work.

But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we're choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we're scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can't do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start.

Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Bren Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture?

In this new book, Brown uses research, stories, and examples to answer these questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. Brown writes, "One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It's learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It's why we're here."

A Newborn Business: Esports

Games covered: Fortnite, League of Legends, Dota 2, FIFA, Overwatch, CS:GO, Clash Royale, Hearthstone and F1 series.


How can I become a professional esports player?
How can I make a living playing esports?
What is the lifespan of an esports game?
What are the most popular esports?


These are just some of the questions I have been asked over the last five years. With the boom of the esports industry, everyone wants to know how they can be part of it. In this book, I have answered those questions, and dozens more, based on my years of experience working in the professional esports scene as a team manager.


In this book, you will find no topic was off limits. I talk about the past, present, and future of esports and different aspects of the professional gaming industry at large.

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die

2018

by James Mustich

Celebrate the pleasure of reading and the thrill of discovering new titles in an extraordinary book that's as compulsively readable, entertaining, surprising, and enlightening as the 1,000-plus titles it recommends. Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children's books, history, and more, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die ranges across cultures and through time to offer an eclectic collection of works that each deserve to come with the recommendation, You have to read this.

But it's not a proscriptive list of the "great works"—rather, it's a celebration of the glorious mosaic that is our literary heritage. Flip it open to any page and be transfixed by a fresh take on a very favorite book. Or come across a title you always meant to read and never got around to. Or, like browsing in the best kind of bookshop, stumble on a completely unknown author and work, and feel that tingle of discovery. There are classics, of course, and unexpected treasures, too.

Lists to help pick and choose, like Offbeat Escapes, or A Long Climb, but What a View. And its alphabetical arrangement by author assures that surprises await on almost every turn of the page, with Cormac McCarthy and The Road next to Robert McCloskey and Make Way for Ducklings, Alice Walker next to Izaac Walton.

There are nuts and bolts, too—best editions to read, other books by the author, "if you like this, you'll like that" recommendations, and an interesting endnote of adaptations where appropriate. Add it all up, and in fact there are more than six thousand titles by nearly four thousand authors mentioned—a life-changing list for a lifetime of reading.

Good and Mad

From Rebecca Traister, the New York Times bestselling author of All the Single Ladies, comes a vital, incisive exploration into the transformative power of female anger and its ability to transcend into a political movement.

In the year 2018, it seems as if women's anger has suddenly erupted into the public conversation. But long before Pantsuit Nation, before the Women's March, and before the #MeToo movement, women's anger was not only politically catalytic--but politically problematic. The story of female fury and its cultural significance demonstrates the long history of bitter resentment that has enshrouded women's slow rise to political power in America, as well as the ways that anger is received when it comes from women as opposed to when it comes from men. 

With eloquence and fervor, Rebecca tracks the history of female anger as political fuel--from suffragettes chaining themselves to the White House to office workers vacating their buildings after Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court. Here Traister explores women's anger at both men and other women; anger between ideological allies and foes; the varied ways anger is perceived based on its owner; as well as the history of caricaturing and delegitimizing female anger; and the way women's collective fury has become transformative political fuel--as is most certainly occurring today. She deconstructs society's (and the media's) condemnation of female emotion (notably, rage) and the impact of their resulting repercussions. 

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

2018

by Guy Delisle

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea is a graphic novel by Guy Delisle, offering a rare glimpse into one of the world's most secretive and mysterious nations. Famously referred to as part of the "Axis of Evil", North Korea remains enigmatic in many ways.

In early 2001, Delisle, a cartoonist, became one of the few Westerners granted access to this fortress-like country. While living in the nation's capital for two months on a work visa for a French film animation company, he observed the culture and lives of the few North Koreans he encountered.

This novel captures his findings, providing a sardonic and skeptical perspective on a place rife with propaganda. Delisle is a non-believer with a keen eye for the humor and tragedy of dictatorial whims, expressed in looming architecture and tiny, omnipresent photos of the President.

The absurd vagaries of everyday life become fodder for a frustrated animator’s musings as boredom and censorship sink in. Delisle himself is the ideal foil for North Korean spin, as he brought a copy of George Orwell’s 1984 with him into the totalitarian nation.

This is an informative, personal, and accessible look at a dangerous and enigmatic country, translated from the French by Helge Dascher.

Oh Dear Happiness! The lost treasure of contentment

2018

by Sanjay Singh

This story is about a man called Ramesh and his greed for money. Ramesh lives in a remote village. His father is a farmer who earns little. Since his childhood, Ramesh hated being poor. Things take a turn when his father dies. He owes his father’s death to their extreme poverty. His father’s death forces him to leave everything behind in search for money.

Soon he is a well-known businessman, but the increasing wealth makes him more and more greedy. He becomes a cruel and atrocious man. But as he grows older he realizes nothing lasts forever. He tries to change but it was too late for him.

Through the story, the author has emphasized how to remain happy in most adverse situations, how to fight with our biggest enemy that is us, and how to attain the much longing state of “nirvana”.

The author, Sanjay Singh, is a medical professional and a well-known dermatologist at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Apart from being a bonafide doctor, he is a proficient motivational speaker and has been influencing the lives of thousands through his ideas and eloquent speeches.

Billion Dollar Whale

Billion Dollar Whale reveals the epic story of how a young social climber from Malaysia, Jho Low, pulled off one of the biggest financial heists in history. In 2009, Low set in motion a fraud that would symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system.

With the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, Low siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund, all under the watchful eyes of global financial industry watchdogs. His elaborate schemes financed elections, luxury real estate, extravagant parties, and even Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street.

This harrowing parable of hubris and greed in the financial world is a classic tale of a 'modern Gatsby', who emerged from obscurity to orchestrate a heist that shook the financial industry, and how this industry let it happen.

The Truth Behind the Lies: One Man's Journey Through Wwiii

2018

by Jaeson D. Rau

The Truth Behind the Lies is a gripping narrative written by a man who had been arrested for promoting peace, conscious awareness, and living without government control. Years later, free from his prison and on a mission to find his beloved wife, he finds refuge and an empty journal.

While writing about what he thinks caused World War III, he makes the grim realization that it was not up to the governments or military to ensure mankind's peace. It was up to each of us.

It's a Storm Without God... It's the Perfect Journey When You Know the Name of Jesus Is Guaranteed!!!: My Life Testimony: There's No Excuse to Not Be Who You Want to Be... God's So Great!!!

2018

by Larry Taylor

He's that little bit of hope, when your back's against the ropes, YO i made it(THANK YOU JESUS!!!), he's the World's greatest(THANK YOU JESUS!!!). i just asked the lord to help me... GOD'S SO GREAT!!! I just said in the name of JESUS... GOD'S SO GREAT!!! GOD used my health problems to pull me out of the real storm, the storm/battle against myself; I was fighting and drowning myself... BUT GOD!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!! my health problems was nothing compared to what I was doing to myself. God allowed me to see why I went through everything I did as a kid, teen, and a younger adult! Just know NO matter what you go through, GOD IS GUARANTEED!!!

The Sufis

2018

by Idries Shah

Idries Shah's definitive work, The Sufis, completely overturned Western misconceptions of Sufism, revealing a great spiritual and psychological tradition encompassing many of the world's greatest thinkers: Rumi, Omar Khayyam, Ibn El-Arabi, Al-Ghazzali, Saadi, Attar, Francis of Assisi, and many others.

The astonishing impact of Sufism on the development of Western civilization from the seventh century is traced through the work of Roger Bacon, John of the Cross, Raymond Lully, Chaucer, and others. Many of the greatest traditions, ideas, and discoveries of the West are traced to the teachings and writings of Sufi masters working centuries ago.

But The Sufis is far more than a historical account. In the tradition of the great Sufi classics, the deeper appeal of this remarkable book is in its ability to function as an active instrument of instruction, in a way that is so clearly relevant to our time and culture.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

In Sapiens, he explored our past. In Homo Deus, he looked to our future. Now, one of the most innovative thinkers on the planet turns to the present to make sense of today's most pressing issues.

How do computers and robots change the meaning of being human? How do we deal with the epidemic of fake news? Are nations and religions still relevant? What should we teach our children?

Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is a probing and visionary investigation into today's most urgent issues as we move into the uncharted territory of the future. As technology advances faster than our understanding of it, hacking becomes a tactic of war, and the world feels more polarized than ever, Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change and raises the important questions we need to ask ourselves in order to survive.

In twenty-one accessible chapters that are both provocative and profound, Harari builds on the ideas explored in his previous books, untangling political, technological, social, and existential issues and offering advice on how to prepare for a very different future from the world we now live in: How can we retain freedom of choice when Big Data is watching us? What will the future workforce look like, and how should we ready ourselves for it? How should we deal with the threat of terrorism? Why is liberal democracy in crisis?

Harari's unique ability to make sense of where we have come from and where we are going has captured the imaginations of millions of readers. Here he invites us to consider values, meaning, and personal engagement in a world full of noise and uncertainty. When we are deluged with irrelevant information, clarity is power. Presenting complex contemporary challenges clearly and accessibly, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is essential reading.

Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century

2018

by Jessica Bruder

Nomadland takes readers on a journey from the beet fields of North Dakota to the campgrounds of California and Amazon’s CamperForce program in Texas. Employers have discovered a new, low-cost labor pool, made up largely of transient older adults. These invisible casualties of the Great Recession have taken to the road by the tens of thousands in RVs and modified vans, forming a growing community of nomads.

This book tells a revelatory tale of the dark underbelly of the American economy—one which foreshadows the precarious future that may await many more of us. At the same time, it celebrates the exceptional resilience and creativity of these Americans who have given up ordinary rootedness to survive, but have not given up hope.

Small Fry

A frank, smart and captivating memoir by the daughter of Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Born on a farm and named in a field by her parents -- artist Chrisann Brennan and Steve Jobs -- Lisa Brennan-Jobs's childhood unfolded in a rapidly changing Silicon Valley. When she was young, Lisa's father was a mythical figure who was rarely present in her life. As she grew older, her father took an interest in her, ushering her into a new world of mansions, vacations, and private schools. His attention was thrilling, but he could also be cold, critical and unpredictable. When her relationship with her mother grew strained in high school, Lisa decided to move in with her father, hoping he'd become the parent she'd always wanted him to be. 

Part portrait of a complex family, part love letter to California in the seventies and eighties, Small Fry is the poignant story of a childhood spent between two imperfect but extraordinary homes.

Hyperfocus

2018

by Chris Bailey

Canada's productivity expert Chris Bailey returns with a totally fresh angle on how to do more with less. Throughout his experiments and research, Bailey came across many little-known insights into how we focus, a key element of productivity. He challenges the common belief that focus is a state of heightened awareness, instead presenting it as a balance between two frames of mind.

The most recent neuroscientific research on attention reveals that our brain operates in two powerful modes that can be harnessed when we manage our attention effectively: hyperfocus, a mode of deep concentration that is the foundation for being highly productive, and scatterfocus, a creative mode that enables us to connect ideas in novel ways.

Hyperfocus guides readers in unlocking both modes so they can concentrate more deeply, think more clearly, and work and live more deliberately. Diving deep into the science and theories about how and why we bring our attention to life's big goals and everyday tasks, Bailey takes his unique approach to productivity to the next level, while retaining the approachable voice and perspective that made him a fast favorite.

I'm Afraid of Men

2018

by Vivek Shraya

A trans artist explores how masculinity was imposed on her as a boy and continues to haunt her as a girl—and how we might reimagine gender for the twenty-first century.


Vivek Shraya has reason to be afraid. Throughout her life, she's endured acts of cruelty and aggression for being too feminine as a boy and not feminine enough as a girl. In order to survive childhood, she had to learn to convincingly perform masculinity. As an adult, she makes daily compromises to steel herself against everything from verbal attacks to heartbreak.


With raw honesty, Shraya delivers an important record of the cumulative damage caused by misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia, releasing trauma from a body that has always refused to assimilate. I'm Afraid of Men is a journey from camouflage to a riot of color and a blueprint for how we might cherish all that makes us different and conquer all that makes us afraid.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism—and antiracism—in America.

This is NOT a history book. This is a book about the here and now. A book to help us better understand why we are where we are. A book about race.

The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future.

Stamped takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas—and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

2018

by Erik Larson

The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha.

At first, Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the "New Germany," she has one affair after another, including with the surprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels.

But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate.

As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.

Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming—yet wholly sinister—Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity.

Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America's Strangest Jail

2018

by Rusty Young

Rusty Young was backpacking in South America when he heard about Thomas McFadden, a convicted English drug trafficker who ran tours inside Bolivia's notorious San Pedro prison. Intrigued, the young Australian journalist went to La Paz and joined one of Thomas's illegal tours. They formed an instant friendship and then became partners in an attempt to record Thomas's experiences in the jail. Rusty bribed the guards to allow him to stay and for the next three months he lived inside the prison, sharing a cell with Thomas and recording one of the strangest and most compelling prison stories of all time.

The result is Marching Powder. This book establishes that San Pedro is not your average prison. Inmates are expected to buy their cells from real estate agents. Others run shops and restaurants. Women and children live with imprisoned family members. It is a place where corrupt politicians and drug lords live in luxury apartments, while the poorest prisoners are subjected to squalor and deprivation. Violence is a constant threat, and sections of San Pedro that echo with the sound of children by day house some of Bolivia's busiest cocaine laboratories by night. In San Pedro, cocaine—"Bolivian marching powder"—makes life bearable. Even the prison cat is addicted.

Yet Marching Powder is also the tale of friendship, a place where horror is countered by humor and cruelty and compassion can inhabit the same cell. This is cutting-edge travel-writing and a fascinating account of infiltration into the South American drug culture.

The Antidote

2018

by Oliver Burkeman

The Antidote is a thought-provoking, counterintuitive, and ultimately uplifting guide to understanding the much-misunderstood idea of happiness. Self-help books don't seem to work, and few of the many advantages of modern life seem capable of lifting our collective mood. Wealth—even if you can get it—doesn't necessarily lead to happiness. Romance, family life, and work often bring as much stress as joy. We can't even agree on what "happiness" means.

So, are we engaged in a futile pursuit? Or are we just going about it the wrong way? Looking both east and west, in bulletins from the past and from far afield, Oliver Burkeman introduces us to an unusual group of people who share a single, surprising way of thinking about life. Whether they are experimental psychologists, terrorism experts, Buddhists, hardheaded business consultants, Greek philosophers, or modern-day gurus, they argue that in our personal lives and in society at large, it's our constant effort to be happy that is making us miserable.

There is an alternative path to happiness and success that involves embracing failure, pessimism, insecurity, and uncertainty—the very things we spend our lives trying to avoid. This book is a series of journeys among people who share this surprising way of thinking about life. Burkeman talks to life coaches paid to make their clients' lives a living hell, and to maverick security experts such as Bruce Schneier, who contends that the changes we've made to airport and aircraft security since the 9/11 attacks have actually made us less safe. And then there are the "backwards" business gurus, who suggest not having any goals at all and not planning for a company's future.

It's a witty, fascinating, and subversive message, which turns out to have a long and distinguished philosophical lineage ranging from ancient Roman Stoic philosophers to Buddhists.

White Fragility

White Fragility is an in-depth exploration of the counterproductive reactions white people exhibit when their assumptions about race are challenged. This phenomenon, known as white fragility, is characterized by a variety of emotions and behaviors, such as anger, fear, guilt, argumentation, and silence, which serve to reinstate white racial equilibrium and obstruct meaningful cross-racial dialogue.

Anti-racist educator Dr. Robin DiAngelo delves into the development of white fragility, how it upholds racial inequality, and provides insights on how to engage in more constructive conversations about race. Through this examination, DiAngelo sheds light on the societal and individual patterns that contribute to the persistence of racial tension and inequality.

The Cross and the Switchblade

The True Story of a Man Who Risked It All for God

With over 15 million sold, this modern-day classic is now available in a new edition especially for young readers ages 9 to 12, complete with 30 illustrations that bring the story to life.

This riveting story follows the young David Wilkerson—then a simple country preacher—as he risks everything, including his life, to go to the heart of New York City to bring the gospel to the violent gangs and drug users who were taking over the streets.

The courage, resilience, and faith of this young preacher will inspire a new generation of readers as they see how God's love can pierce the darkest of circumstances and save those who we think are beyond saving.

Let this powerful story show the young people in your life how God can use anyone with faith to do the impossible.

Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life

2018

by Amos Smith

The various crises we experience in society and culture today, at their root, reveal a spiritual problem: a profound lack of meaning. The mystical truths revealed in scripture can surely help.

Part One, "Entering the Desert," introduces the reader to principles of awareness, deep listening, and contemplation as essential for “hearing” what Scripture has to say.

Part Two details the importance of mystery and struggle in the process of healing from any past or present wounds.

Part Three explores the “undivided heart” that is possible when we come to know God in silence and stillness.

With Be Still and Listen, it is possible to explore the contemplative dimensions of the Bible, either on your own or in a group setting, as you perhaps never have before.

Doing Play Therapy

Covering the process of therapy from beginning to end, this engaging text helps students and practitioners use play confidently and effectively with children, adolescents, and adults struggling with emotional or behavioral problems or life challenges.

With an accessible theory-to-practice focus, the book explains the basics of different play therapy approaches and invites readers to reflect on and develop their own clinical style. It is filled with rich case material and specific examples of play techniques and strategies.

The expert authors provide steps for building strong relationships with clients; exploring their clinical issues and underlying dynamics; developing and working toward clear treatment goals; and collaborating with parents and teachers.

A chapter on common challenges offers insightful guidance for navigating difficult situations in the playroom.

Calypso

2018

by David Sedaris

David Sedaris returns with his most deeply personal and darkly hilarious book.

If you've ever laughed your way through David Sedaris's cheerfully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what you're getting with Calypso. You'd be wrong.

When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, Sedaris envisions long, relaxing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realization: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself.

With Calypso, Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. Make no mistake: these stories are very, very funny—it's a book that can make you laugh 'til you snort, the way only family can. Sedaris's powers of observation have never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter unparalleled. But much of the comedy here is born out of that vertiginous moment when your own body betrays you and you realize that the story of your life is made up of more past than future.

This is beach reading for people who detest beaches, required reading for those who loathe small talk and love a good tumor joke. Calypso is simultaneously Sedaris's darkest and warmest book yet—and it just might be his very best.

Now Say This: The Right Words to Solve Every Parenting Dilemma

A powerful new parenting book that gives parents the exact words to solve any sticky parenting situation!

A toddler meltdown over the wrong pair of pants, siblings fighting in the back of the car, kids crying when you try to leave the house...

Parents have the best intentions to be patient and loving, but in the heat of the moment, they too often find themselves feeling helpless, desperate, and so frustrated that they resort to yelling, threatening, bribing, or caving. Now Say This solves the dilemma: how can you be empathic and effective at once?

Based on the popular 3-step "ALP" model the authors have taught thousands of parents in their clinical practice, and written in a friendly, balanced, and research-based tone, Now Say This addresses issues such as:

  • Tantrums
  • Engaging cooperation
  • Sibling relationships
  • Screentime
  • Bedtime

Best of all, it answers the question, "Now, what do you actually say?" using scripts and body language from real life examples. Now Say This is a guide that transforms remarkable ideas into practical how-to's that busy parents can use right away.

The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals

2018

by Aaron Mahnke

A chilling, lavishly illustrated Who's Who of the most despicable people ever to walk the earth, featuring both rare and best-loved stories from the hit podcast Lore, soon to be an online streaming series.

Here are the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort—serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double-life—are, in fact, quite real, including:

  • H. H. Holmes, the infamous Chicago serial killer;

  • William Brodie, the Edinburgh criminal mastermind who inspired The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde;

  • And Bela Kiss, a Hungarian tinsmith with a most disturbing hobby: collecting women in gasoline drums.

This riveting best-of-the-worst roundup will haunt your thoughts, chill your bones, and leave you wondering if there are mortal monsters lurking even closer than you think.

In My Hands: Compelling Stories from a Surgeon and His Patients Fighting Cancer

In In My Hands, surgical oncologist Dr. Steven Curley shares the empowering lessons he's learned over 25 years from his cancer patients' unique stories of struggle, perseverance, and triumph.

As Chief of Surgical Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Steven Curley has worked with cancer patients for over two decades. While his life's work has been to help his patients live longer lives, he found that they helped him in ways he never could have expected.

In My Hands is a rare, often emotional look at some of Dr. Curley's real patients and real situations in modern cancer care. These stories of resilience, hope, and determination changed and inspired Dr. Curley, and he uses these same stories to encourage patients dealing with the fear and uncertainty coupled with a diagnosis of cancer.

Every story in the book has a theme inspired by his patients: Hope, Courage, Strength, Determination, Wonder, Cooperation, Creativity, Diligence, Service, Perseverance, Wisdom, Grace, Consideration, Gratitude, Discernment, Reverence, Resourcefulness, Faith, Beauty, Acceptance, and Empathy.

Some are positive messages, reminding us of the importance of maintaining balance between family, work, and leisure activities. Others are examples of the remarkable resilience of the human spirit when facing the reality of and the surgical risks that accompany a cancer diagnosis.

Realistically, despite remarkable advances in multidisciplinary cancer care, some remind us cancer is still a potentially lethal and destructive disease affecting patients and the family and friends supporting them. While many people are told that there is no hope in their situation, Dr. Curley's patients taught him to always provide hope, to push the envelope and give people a chance, and that hope is a critical component of treatment and care.

In My Hands is medical narrative at its finest, and provides insight into medicine and patient care along with fascinating details about one of our most feared diseases.

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

2018

by John Carreyrou

Bad Blood is the full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of a multibillion-dollar startup, written by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end, despite facing pressure and threats from the CEO and her lawyers.

In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood tests significantly faster and easier. Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at $9 billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work.

For years, Holmes had been misleading investors, FDA officials, and her own employees. When Carreyrou, working at The Wall Street Journal, got a tip from a former Theranos employee and started asking questions, both Carreyrou and the Journal were threatened with lawsuits. Undaunted, the newspaper ran the first of dozens of Theranos articles in late 2015. By early 2017, the company's value was zero and Holmes faced potential legal action from the government and her investors.

This is the riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a disturbing cautionary tale set amid the bold promises and gold-rush frenzy of Silicon Valley.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (37 plays, 160 sonnets and 5 Poetry Books With Active Table of Contents)

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare gathers together the timeless works of the renowned playwright in a single, convenient volume. This collection includes:

The Comedies: A Midsummer Night's Dream, All's Well That Ends Well, As You Like It, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, The Comedy of Errors, The Merchant of Venice, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will.

The Romances: Cymbeline, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, The Tempest, The Winter's Tale.

The Tragedies: King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Troilus and Cressida, Julius Caesar, Timon of Athens, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Titus Andronicus.

The Histories: King John, Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV (Parts 1 & 2), Henry V, Henry VI (Parts 1, 2 & 3), Henry VIII.

The Poetical Works: The Sonnets, Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music, A Lover's Complaint, The Rape of Lucrece, Venus and Adonis, The Phoenix and the Turtle, The Passionate Pilgrim.

Experience the rich language, complex characters, and timeless themes of love, betrayal, and power that define Shakespeare's work. This collection is a must-have for anyone interested in classic literature and the intricacies of human experience.

Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist

In this sharp, funny, and incredibly timely collection of personal essays, veteran video blogger and star of MTV's Decoded Franchesca Ramsey explores race, identity, online activism, and the downfall of real communication in the age of social media rants, trolls, and call-out wars.

Franchesca Ramsey didn't set out to be an activist. Or a comedian. Or a commentator on identity, race, and culture, really. But then her YouTube video "What White Girls Say... to Black Girls" went viral. Twelve million views viral. Faced with an avalanche of media requests, fan letters, and hate mail, she had two choices: Jump in and make her voice heard or step back and let others frame the conversation. After a crash course in social justice and more than a few foot-in-mouth moments, she realized she had a unique talent and passion for breaking down injustice in America in ways that could make people listen and engage.

Well, That Escalated Quickly includes Ramsey's advice on dealing with internet trolls and low-key racists, confessions about being a former online hater herself, and her personal hits and misses in activist debates with everyone from bigoted Facebook friends and misguided relatives to mainstream celebrities and YouTube influencers. With sharp humor and her trademark candor, Ramsey shows readers we can have tough conversations that move the dialogue forward, rather than backward, if we just approach them in the right way.

How to Change Your Mind

2018

by Michael Pollan

Could psychedelic drugs change our worldview? One of America's most admired writers takes us on a mind-altering journey to the frontiers of human consciousness.

When LSD was first discovered in the 1940s, it seemed to researchers, scientists and doctors as if the world might be on the cusp of psychological revolution. It promised to shed light on the deep mysteries of consciousness, as well as offer relief to addicts and the mentally ill. But in the 1960s, with the vicious backlash against the counter-culture, all further research was banned.

In recent years, however, work has quietly begun again on the amazing potential of LSD, psilocybin and DMT. Could these drugs in fact improve the lives of many people? Diving deep into this extraordinary world and putting himself forward as a guinea-pig, Michael Pollan has written a remarkable history of psychedelics and a compelling portrait of the new generation of scientists fascinated by the implications of these drugs.

How to Change Your Mind is a report from what could very well be the future of human consciousness.

Modern Macrame

2018

by Emily Katz

The ultimate guide to creating and styling modern macramé projects in the home from top creative tastemaker and sought-after macramé artist Emily Katz.


Macramé—the fine art of knotting—is an age-old craft that's undergoing a contemporary renaissance. At the heart of this resurgence is Emily Katz, a lifestyle icon and artist who teaches sold-out macramé workshops around the world and creates swoon-worthy aspirational interiors with her custom hand-knotted pieces.


Modern Macramé is a stylish, contemporary guide to the traditional art and craft of macramé, including 33 projects, from driftwood wall art and bohemian light fixtures to macramé rugs and headboards. The projects are showcased in easy-to-follow and photogenic project layouts, guiding both the novice and the more experienced crafter in a highly achievable way.


Included with every project are thoughtful lifestyle tips showing how macramé can provide the perfect finishing touch for the modern, well-designed home—whether it's a hundred-year-old farmhouse, a sophisticated loft, or a cozy but stylish rental.

The Art of Gathering:

2018

by Priya Parker

In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive, which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play. Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn't, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings--conferences, meetings, a courtroom, a flash-mob party, an Arab-Israeli summer camp--and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience. The result is a book that's both journey and guide, full of exciting ideas with real-world applications.

A transformative exploration of the power, purpose, and benefits of gatherings in our lives: at work, at school, at home and beyond.

Bella Figura

2018

by Kamin Mohammadi

Bella Figura: How to Live, Love, and Eat the Italian Way is one woman's story of finding beauty, and herself. Beyond being a captivating narrative, it serves as a practical guide to living a better life, the Italian way. Kamin Mohammadi, a magazine editor in London, was ostensibly living the dream. Yet, heartbreak and loneliness compounded with the stress of her demanding career were detrimental to her physical and mental well-being.

Fortune smiled upon her in the form of a redundancy package and the offer of a friend's apartment in Florence, prompting Kamin to take a transformative leap. In Italy, she quickly noticed the stark contrast in lifestyle: her new Italian neighbors prioritized enjoyment, indulging in leisurely meals and drinks, embracing a slower pace of life. This narrative is peppered with delightful encounters, from the local bartender who doubles as a love advisor, to the plumbers who not only fix her heating but also teach her the art of making pasta al pomodoro.

This book is an homage to the Italian mantra of savoring the beauty of every day—a philosophy that has been cherished by generations. It's a tale of finding love and self-love in the most unexpected of places, and an intimate portrayal of a year spent embracing the Italian way of life.

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