Interviewer

Sophie Roell, Editor
Sophie Roell is co-founder and editor of Five Books. Previously she worked as a journalist in London, Beijing, Shanghai and New York. As a financial reporter, she covered the early years of the Chinese stock markets and the transition of its economy after Deng Xiaoping’s 1992 tour of the south. She wrote about the North Korean economy from Pyongyang in 2001.
She studied modern history as an undergraduate at Oxford and, after travelling the world as a reporter for five years, took the Master’s in Regional Studies-East Asia at Harvard University. This wonderfully flexible program insists on at least one East Asian language and some courses on East Asia, but leaves plenty of room to roam about the university taking courses on random subjects. Five Books, set up in 2009, is an attempt to continue that experience.
Interviews by Sophie Roell
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Language, Thought, and Reality
by Benjamin Lee Whorf -
2
The Myth of the Framework: In Defence of Science and Rationality
by Karl Popper -
3
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World
by David Deutsch -
4
Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe
by Hugo Mercier -
5
The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't
by Julia Galef
The best books on Language and Post-Truth, recommended by Nick Enfield
The best books on Language and Post-Truth, recommended by Nick Enfield
The word ‘post-truth’ may only have entered the Oxford English Dictionary in the last decade, but the phenomenon it describes is much older and deeper, connected not so much to the latest internet trend as the fundamentals of human cognition and communication. Here, linguistic anthropologist Nick Enfield, a professor at the University of Sydney and leader of its post-truth research group, introduces the best books to get thinking about the complex relationship between language and reality.
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The Hour of Fate: Theodore Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, and the Battle to Transform American Capitalism
by Susan Berfield -
2
The Curse of Bigness: Anti-Trust in the New Gilded Age
by Tim Wu -
3
Antitrust: Taking on Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age
by Amy Klobuchar -
4
The Great Reversal: How America Gave up on Free Markets
by Thomas Philippon -
5
The Profit Paradox: How Thriving Firms Threaten the Future of Work
by Jan Eeckhout
The best books on Market Concentration, recommended by Jan Loeys
The best books on Market Concentration, recommended by Jan Loeys
Power corrupts and corporate power is no exception: its effects are bad for consumers, bad for workers and bad for the economy. Here, Belgian American economist Jan Loeys recommends books that look at the economic and political implications of ‘market concentration,’ and explains why we don’t need governments that are pro-business but ones that are pro-market.
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Wildlife of Madagascar
by Keith Barnes & Kenneth Behrens -
2
Lost People: Magic and the Legacy of Slavery in Madagascar
by David Graeber -
3
Vanilla Landscapes: Meaning, Memory, and the Cultivation of Place in Madagascar
by Sarah Osterhoudt -
4
A World Like Our Own: Man and Nature in Madagascar
by Alison Jolly -
5
Conservation and Environmental Management in Madagascar
by Ivan Scales (editor)
The best books on Madagascar, recommended by Alison Richard
The best books on Madagascar, recommended by Alison Richard
With its range of unique wildlife, Madagascar has been likened to a floating evolutionary laboratory. To Yale biological anthropologist Alison Richard, it’s simply a magical place. Here, she recommends five books on the island she has visited for the past five decades and explains why she wrote her own book, The Sloth Lemur’s Song.
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1
Death in Spring
by Mercè Rodoreda, Martha Tennent (translator) -
2
Learning to Talk to Plants
by Marta Orriols, Mara Faye Lethem (translator) -
3
The Art of Wearing a Trench Coat
by Sergi Pàmies, Adrian Nathan West (translator) -
4
Permafrost
by Eva Baltasar & Julia Sanches (translator) -
5
When I Sing, Mountains Dance
by Irene Solà & Mara Faye Lethem (translator)
The Best Catalan Fiction, recommended by Gala Sicart
The Best Catalan Fiction, recommended by Gala Sicart
For a long time, Catalan fiction was eclipsed by books in Spanish but these days it’s flourishing, says translator and editor Gala Sicart. Here, she recommends four of the best contemporary Catalan novels and one book of short stories, from the classic Mercè Rodoreda to her 21st-century equivalent.
The Best Audiobooks: the 2022 Audie Awards, recommended by Michele Cobb
The movie industry has the Oscars to celebrate its achievements, but if you love audiobooks, you’ll be more interested in the Audies. Here Michele Cobb, Executive Director of the Audio Publishers Association, talks us through the 2022 shortlist for ‘audiobook of the year,’ as well as one of her favourite books from the fiction category.
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1
Ukraine and Russia: From Civilied Divorce to Uncivil War
by Paul D'Anieri -
2
Ukraine: What Everyone Needs to Know
by Serhy Yekelchyk -
3
Ukraine’s Nuclear Disarmament: A History
by Yuri Kostenko -
4
Ukraine in Histories and Stories: Essays by Ukrainian Intellectuals
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5
The Orphanage: A Novel
by Serhiy Zhadan
The best books on Ukraine and Russia, recommended by Serhii Plokhy
The best books on Ukraine and Russia, recommended by Serhii Plokhy
Thousands of people have been killed since 2014 in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in a war that has been rife with disinformation, misleading narratives and false flag operations. Here Serhii Plokhy, Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University, recommends books to better understand the conflict, from an introductory work by an eminent historian to the latest work of some of Ukraine’s leading novelists.
The Best Books for Learning French, recommended by Vincent Serrano-Guerra
In spite of all the online ads promising to teach you a new language in a matter of minutes, learning a language takes time and commitment—and motivation is critical. Here Vincent Serrano-Guerra, author of a book for learning French that focuses on the 20,000 words that are the same in French and English, explains how best to set about it and recommends some books that’ll also get you familiar with French culture.
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1
Will
by Will Smith and Mark Manson -
2
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
by Tarana Burke -
3
This Much Is True
by Miriam Margolyes -
4
This Will All Be Over Soon: A Memoir
by Cecily Strong -
5
Act Like You Got Some Sense: And Other Things My Daughters Taught Me
by Jamie Foxx and Nick Chiles
The Best New Celebrity Memoirs, recommended by Sharon Marcus
The Best New Celebrity Memoirs, recommended by Sharon Marcus
While it’s easy to dismiss celebrity memoirs as offering cheap, voyeuristic thrills into the lives of famous people we like the look of, when they’re done well, they can give insight into challenges we all grapple with as human beings. They can also be very funny. Sharon Marcus, professor of literature at Columbia University and author of The Drama of Celebrity, recommends the best new celebrity memoirs.
The best books on Fairy Tale Tellers, recommended by Nicholas Jubber
Once upon a time, someone told a story that would be told for hundreds of years, making its way into books and, eventually, into movies, where the tale would again be told afresh multiple times. Who was that someone? Nonfiction writer Nicholas Jubber introduces some of the original tellers of fairy tales, as well as some of his favourite 20th-century interpreters.
The best books on Sri Lanka, recommended by Razeen Sally
Many visitors to Sri Lanka have been beguiled by its charms, from its hill towns to its beaches, its ancient temples to its friendly people. And yet, for a quarter of a century until 2009, it was torn apart by a brutal civil war. Here, Sri Lanka-born political economist Razeen Sally, author of Return to Sri Lanka: Travels in a Paradoxical Land, recommends the best books to get a better understanding of Sri Lanka and the complexities that make the country so fascinating to visit and read about.
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No Such Thing as a Free Gift: The Gates Foundation and the Price of Philanthropy
by Linsey McGoey -
2
Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance
by Edgar Villanueva -
3
Giving to Help, Helping to Give: The Context and Politics of African Philanthropy
Tade Aina and Bhekinkosi Moyo (editors) -
4
Madam C. J. Walker's Gospel of Giving: Black Women's Philanthropy during Jim Crow
by Tyrone McKinley Freeman -
5
Funding Feminism: Monied Women, Philanthropy, and the Women's Movement, 1870-1967
by Joan Marie Johnson
The best books on Philanthropy, recommended by Beth Breeze
The best books on Philanthropy, recommended by Beth Breeze
Philanthropy is everywhere—and that means we need an informed debate about what it is and how to do it better, rather than resorting to populist critiques of donors and their motives, argues Beth Breeze, Director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent. Here she recommends five books to help encourage a more careful and nuanced look at philanthropy, an activity that affects all of us every day but is particularly critical in the lives of the most vulnerable.
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1
The Shortest History of China: From the Ancient Dynasties to a Modern Superpower
by Linda Jaivin -
2
Monkey King: Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en and Julia Lovell (translator) -
3
The Chinese Communist Party: A Century in Ten Lives
Edited by Timothy Cheek, Klaus Mühlhahn and Hans van de Ven -
4
Land of Big Numbers
by Te-Ping Chen -
5
In the Camps: China's High-Tech Penal Colony
by Darren Byler
The Best China Books of 2021, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
The Best China Books of 2021, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
Whether you want to read the entire history of China in 250 pages or find out what’s going on right now in Xinjiang, enjoy a new translation of a 16th-century fantasy novel or delve into contemporary short stories, 2021 has been another good year for books about China. Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UC Irvine, recommends his favourite China books of 2021.
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1
Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019
by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain (editors) -
2
Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II
by Daniel James Brown -
3
The Alexandria Quartet
by Lawrence Durrell -
4
Eartha & Kitt: A Daughter's Love Story in Black and White
by Kitt Shapiro (with Patricia Weiss Levy) -
5
The Night Gate
by Peter May
The Best Audiobooks of 2021, recommended by Robin Whitten
The Best Audiobooks of 2021, recommended by Robin Whitten
In 2021, as in previous years, AudioFile magazine picks out the very best audiobooks of the year, books that make great listening and where outstanding narration brings additional pleasure over and above reading the book in print with your eyes. Here, AudioFile editor and founder Robin Whitten picks out the best audiobooks of 2021 for us—out of the 2,300 books that she and her team listened to and reviewed.
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1
The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations
by Robert Livingston -
2
The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources
by Jack Farchy & Javier Blas -
3
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
by Patrick Radden Keefe -
4
The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet
by Michael E Mann -
5
This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race
by Nicole Perlroth -
6
The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World
by Adrian Wooldridge
The Best Business Books: the 2021 FT & McKinsey Book Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
The Best Business Books: the 2021 FT & McKinsey Book Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
Every year the Financial Times’s management editor, Andrew Hill, helps organize its ‘Business Book of the Year’ award, which celebrates outstanding books relating to business in the broadest sense. Here, he talks us through the 2021 shortlist, six books that will draw you in and open your eyes to how events happening in the world of business affect all of us–sometimes in very profound ways.
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1
Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955
by Harald Jähner & Shaun Whiteside (translator) -
2
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
by Patrick Radden Keefe -
3
Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape
by Cal Flyn -
4
Things I Have Withheld
by Kei Miller -
5
Fall: The Mysterious Life and Death of Robert Maxwell, Britain's Most Notorious Media Baron
by John Preston -
6
Free: Coming of Age at the End of History
by Lea Ypi
The Best Nonfiction Books: The 2021 Baillie Gifford Prize Shortlist, recommended by Kathryn Hughes
The Best Nonfiction Books: The 2021 Baillie Gifford Prize Shortlist, recommended by Kathryn Hughes
Every year the judges of the Baillie Gifford Prize pick out the very best nonfiction books, the shortlist they come up with a brilliant way to find gripping books to immerse yourself in. Here cultural historian Kathryn Hughes, one of this year’s judges, talks us through the six books they chose for the 2021 shortlist, books that will draw you in, whatever the subject.
The Best African Novels, recommended by Blessing Musariri
“We are connected to the spirit and it’s an active connection. It’s not somewhere that’s only in the afterlife, it’s here in the present as well. That, I think, is endemic across all African cultures and traditions,” says Zimbabwean novelist and poet Blessing Musariri. Here she recommends some of the best African novels, books that had a big personal impact and have stayed with her.
The best books on Nationalism, recommended by Yael Tamir
When we think of nationalism, we tend to think of its extreme varieties. In fact, it’s so ubiquitous in our daily lives that we rarely even notice it, says political theorist and former Israeli politician Yael Tamir. Here, she recommends books to help us better understand nationalism in all its forms and why one ignores its power at one’s peril.
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Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World
by Katharine Hayhoe -
2
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future
by Elizabeth Kolbert -
3
Owls of the Eastern Ice
by Jonathan Slaght -
4
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
by Andreas Malm -
5
Electrify: An Optimist's Playbook for Our Clean Energy Future
by Saul Griffith
The Best Climate Books of 2021, recommended by Sarah Dry
The Best Climate Books of 2021, recommended by Sarah Dry
From the power of the individual to effect change to the large-scale government interventions needed, are we close to a tipping point in our efforts to combat climate change? Just in time to get up to speed for COP26, here’s a selection of the best climate books of 2021, selected for us by historian of climate science, Sarah Dry.
The Best Detective Fiction, recommended by Jeffrey Archer
With so many works of detective fiction coming out each year, which books stand the test of time? Here, bestselling British author Jeffrey Archer talks us through some of his favourites, the books he found completely unputdownable and made him want to read everything the author had written.
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Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move
by Nanjala Nyabola -
2
The Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move
by Sonia Shah -
3
Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America
by Mae M. Ngai -
4
Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism
by Harsha Walia -
5
Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda
by Jean Guerrero
The best books on Immigration and Race, recommended by Reece Jones
The best books on Immigration and Race, recommended by Reece Jones
In a series of books, Reece Jones, Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Hawaii, has explored the impact of borders on our lives. In his latest book, White Borders, he delves into the history of immigration and race in the United States, and explains the connection between the two. Here, he recommends the best books he’s read on the topic and explains why he’s not optimistic about the future.
The best books on Mumbai, recommended by Saumya Roy
It’s one of the most densely populated, vibrant cities in the world, combining enormous wealth with dire poverty. It’s India’s financial and commercial capital, home to the glamour of Bollywood and the movie industry, but it has somehow managed to defy modernization. Saumya Roy, journalist, author and co-founder of a nonprofit that made loans to the city’s poorest entrepreneurs, recommends her favourite books on Mumbai (aka Bombay).
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1
Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape
by Cal Flyn -
2
Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own
by Eddie S Glaude Jr -
3
Neither Settler nor Native: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities
by Mahmood Mamdani -
4
Waves Across the South: A New History of Revolution and Empire
by Sujit Sivasundaram -
5
Imperial Intimacies: A Tale of Two Islands
by Hazel Carby
The 2021 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, recommended by Patrick Wright
The 2021 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, recommended by Patrick Wright
Through careful research and compelling argument, the books shortlisted for the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding cast light on globally significant problems, says Patrick Wright, chair of the 2021 jury and Emeritus Professor of Literature, History and Politics at King’s College London. Here he talks us through the books that made the 2021 shortlist as well as last year’s winner, works of nonfiction that “speak directly to the urgent challenges of the times in which we live”.
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1
A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future
by David Attenborough & Jonnie Hughes -
2
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
by Merlin Sheldrake -
3
Fathoms: The World in the Whale
by Rebecca Giggs -
4
Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape
by Cal Flyn -
5
Net Zero: How We Stop Causing Climate Change
by Dieter Helm -
6
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future
by Elizabeth Kolbert
The Best Conservation Books of 2021, recommended by Charlotte Smith
The Best Conservation Books of 2021, recommended by Charlotte Smith
Many of us are increasingly alarmed at the damage human beings have done—and continue to do—to the natural world and would love to be better informed about what we need to do to protect our precious environment. Fortunately, every year, the Wainwright Prize picks out the best writing on global conservation—books that are not only informative but highly readable. Here, British journalist Charlotte Smith, chair of the judging panel, talks us through the books that made the 2021 shortlist and why it’s worth reading all of them.
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The Guns of August
by Barbara W Tuchman -
2
The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to the Present
by John Pomfret -
3
An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943
by Rick Atkinson -
4
A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World
by William Bernstein -
5
Bolívar: American Liberator
by Marie Arana
Best Books for History Reading Groups, recommended by Donna McBride
Best Books for History Reading Groups, recommended by Donna McBride
It’s a golden age for narrative history, with lots of highly readable books bringing to life many different aspects of the past, says historian Donna McBride. A Fellow of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, she has led ‘The Historians’ reading group there for the last five years. Here, she recommends some of the best popular histories the group has read and shares some tips on how to set up and run your own history reading group.
Best Graphic Histories, recommended by Eleanor Janega & Neil Emmanuel
Graphic histories can offer complex and layered insights into the past and are underused as a medium, argue historian Eleanor Janega and illustrator Neil Emmanuel, authors of The Middle Ages: A Graphic History. Here, they recommend five graphic histories that show the power of comics not only for telling moving stories but also transmitting difficult concepts.
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1
The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World
by Larry Diamond -
2
Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency
by Larry Diamond -
3
How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About Our Future
by Daniel Ziblatt & Steven Levitsky -
4
Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition
by Robert Dahl -
5
Democracy in America
by Alexis de Tocqueville & Harvey Mansfield and Delba Winthrop (translators)
The best books on Liberal Democracy, recommended by Francis Fukuyama
The best books on Liberal Democracy, recommended by Francis Fukuyama
Even some of the world’s most authoritarian rulers continue to pay lip service to democracy and people’s right to vote for their leaders, but the days when many social scientists believed that all countries at a certain level of prosperity would eventually turn to liberal democracy are over, says Francis Fukuyama, now a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute. Here, he recommends books to better understand liberal democracy, and what those of us lucky enough to live in one can do to protect our form of government.
Key Philosophical Texts in the Western Canon, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Even if you’ve never studied philosophy, it’s nice to be able to read a few books and get a sense of what it’s all about. Here, we asked our philosophy editor, Nigel Warburton, to talk us through five key works of Western philosophy—many of them in the public domain and available for free as ebooks—and explain why, despite one or two odd conclusions or quirky writing styles, they’ve played such an important role in expanding our understanding of the world.
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Reflections on the Revolution in France
by Edmund Burke -
2
A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful
by Edmund Burke -
3
A Vindication of the Rights of Men and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
by Mary Wollstonecraft, edited by Sylvana Tomaselli -
4
Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
by Mary Wollstonecraft -
5
The Theory of Moral Sentiments
by Adam Smith
The Best Mary Wollstonecraft Books, recommended by Sylvana Tomaselli
The Best Mary Wollstonecraft Books, recommended by Sylvana Tomaselli
Mary Wollstonecraft lived by her pen and wrote trenchant critiques of the role of women and marriage in late 18th century British society. She died aged 38, a few days after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Shelley. She is often remembered for writing the Vindication of the Rights of Woman, but it was not in fact her best book, says Cambridge intellectual historian Sylvana Tomaselli. Here, she recommends books to read to get a good understanding of the extraordinary Mary Wollstonecraft, and the writers she was both influenced by and reacting against.
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1
The Enigma of Reason: A New Theory of Human Understanding
by Dan Sperber & Hugo Mercier -
2
Knowing Mandela: A Personal Portrait
by John Carlin -
3
The Five Percent: Finding Solutions to Seemingly Impossible Conflicts
by Peter Coleman -
4
Mere Civility: Disagreement and the Limits of Toleration
by Teresa Bejan -
5
Learning Lessons From Waco: When Parties Bring Their Gods to the Negotiation Table
by Jayne Docherty
The best books on Disagreeing Productively, recommended by Ian Leslie
The best books on Disagreeing Productively, recommended by Ian Leslie
Many of us avoid conflict in our relationships with family and friends or at work, but that’s probably a mistake, says Ian Leslie, author of a number of nonfiction books on human behaviour. Here, he recommends books that offer insight into how to disagree productively, from evolutionary biology to 17th century Rhode Island, from Nelson Mandela to seemingly intractable conflicts.
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The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Sam Kean -
2
The Story of N: A Social History of the Nitrogen Cycle and the Challenge of Sustainability
by Hugh Gorman -
3
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
by Kate Moore -
4
Rare Earth Frontiers: From Terrestrial Subsoils to Lunar Landscapes
by Julie Klinger -
5
The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another
by Ainissa Ramirez
Best Books on the Periodic Table, recommended by Henrik Selin & Noelle Eckley Selin
Best Books on the Periodic Table, recommended by Henrik Selin & Noelle Eckley Selin
The periodic table of the elements has been described as “one of the great intellectual achievements of humankind”. Here, Noelle Eckley Selin of MIT and Henrik Selin of Boston University talk us through some of their favourite books about various chemical elements and explain why they’re vital to understanding the world around us.
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Showdown at Gucci Gulch: Lawmakers, Lobbyists, and the Unlikely Triumph of Tax Reform
by Alan Murray & Jeffrey Birnbaum -
2
The Sinews of Power: War, Money and the English State, 1688–1783
by John Brewer -
3
Taxing the Rich: A History of Fiscal Fairness in the United States and Europe
by David Stasavage & Kenneth Scheve -
4
The Income Tax: A Study of the History, Theory, and Practice of Income Taxation at Home and Abroad
by Edwin Seligman -
5
Dimensions of Tax Design: The Mirrlees Review
by Institute for Fiscal Studies
The Best Books on Taxes and Taxation, recommended by Joel Slemrod & Michael Keen
The Best Books on Taxes and Taxation, recommended by Joel Slemrod & Michael Keen
Many of us try to avoid thinking about taxes unless we have to, but the truth is taxation has had a profound effect on the course of history and will play a key in the future society we create, too. Here, Michael Keen and Joel Slemrod, both public finance economists and authors of Rebellion, Rascals, and Revenue: Tax Follies and Wisdom Through the Ages, recommend books about taxes that are not only informative but also good reads.
The best books on Contemporary India, recommended by Kapil Komireddi
As the world’s biggest democracy, India could be an inspiring example of how a multiethnic, multilingual country with many different religions can come together to form a vibrant state with equality enshrined in its constitution. But all that is in danger of going down the drain, as the country transforms into a brutally exclusionary Hindu-supremacist state under the leadership of Narendra Modi, says Kapil Komireddi, essayist and author of Malevolent Republic: A Short History of the New India. Here, he talks us through how the country got to where it is now and recommends five books that present a “comprehensive picture” of contemporary India.
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Critical Assembly: Poems of the Manhattan Project
by John Canaday -
2
Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout
by Lauren Redniss -
3
The Four Faces of Nuclear Terrorism
by Center for Nonproliferation Studies -
4
An Indispensable Truth: How Fusion Power Can Save the Planet
by Francis Chen -
5
Energy: A Human History
by Richard Rhodes
Nuclear Books, recommended by Richard Wolfson
Nuclear Books, recommended by Richard Wolfson
In science, the word ‘nuclear’ refers to anything to do with the atomic nucleus, whether you’re using it to generate power or create weapons of mass destruction. Here, physicist and science educator Richard Wolfson recommends five books relating to things nuclear, from a book of graphic nonfiction about the Curie family to how fusion can save the planet.
Space Travel and Science Fiction Books, recommended by Christopher Mason
Space travel may be the stuff of science fiction but some of it is getting closer and closer to becoming reality. What’s more, we have a duty to pursue it, says Christopher Mason, Professor of Genomics, Physiology, and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine and author of The Next 500 Years, a blueprint of how to set about leaving our solar system. Here, he recommends his favourite science fiction about space travel, and an essential philosophy book.
The Best Vietnamese Novels, recommended by Sherry Buchanan
Vietnam has had a tumultuous history and its literature is one powerful way of trying to understand it better. Journalist, author and publisher Sherry Buchanan—who has spent two decades introducing Vietnam’s culture to English-speaking audiences—talks us through the best Vietnamese novels available in English, spanning the years from French colonialism to the 2016 Pulitzer Prize.
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1
Frenemies: How Social Media Polarizes America
by Jaime Settle -
2
The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health—and How We Must Adapt
by Sinan Aral -
3
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
by Erving Goffman -
4
Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity
by Lilliana Mason -
5
Bit by Bit: Social Research in the Digital Age
by Matthew Salganik
The Best Books on Social Media and Political Polarization, recommended by Chris Bail
The Best Books on Social Media and Political Polarization, recommended by Chris Bail
Convenient as it is to blame our political woes on the polarizing effect of social media, echo chambers, interference by foreign powers or other shadowy operators, the truth is that human nature and our search for identity and status are more likely culprits. Sociologist Chris Bail, a professor at Duke University and director of its ‘Polarization Lab’, talks us through what social science has to say about the connection between social media and political polarization.
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1
Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor (narrator) -
2
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by Malcolm X and assisted by Alex Haley, Laurence Fishburne (narrator) -
3
The City We Became: A Novel (The Great Cities Trilogy)
by N.K. Jemisin & Robin Miles (narrator) -
4
Such a Fun Age
by Kiley Reid & Nicole Lewis (narrator) -
5
More Myself: A Journey
by Alicia Keys
The Best Audiobooks: the 2021 Audie Awards, recommended by Michele Cobb
The Best Audiobooks: the 2021 Audie Awards, recommended by Michele Cobb
There are so many fantastic audiobooks being produced at the moment, across so many genres, that it’s hard to know where to start listening. Fortunately, every year, the judges of the Audie Awards pick out some of the very best. Here, Michele Cobb, Executive Director of the Audio Publishers Association, talks us through some of the 2021 winners, including the ‘audiobook of the year.’
Presidential memoirs (and biographies) as audiobooks, recommended by Robin Whitten
When you listen to presidential memoirs as audiobooks, you can hear an American president telling you their own story—at least when it comes to recent presidents. Going further back in time, biographies may be more useful. Veteran audiobook reviewer Robin Whitten, editor of Audiofile magazine, recommends the best audiobooks about US presidents, and explains the crucial role of professional narrators in bringing big books to life.
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1
The Bride Test
by Helen Hoang and Emily Woo Zeller (narrator) -
2
Get a Life, Chloe Brown
by Talia Hibbert and Adjoa Andoh (narrator) -
3
Boyfriend Material
by Alexis Hall & Joe Jameson (narrator) -
4
Desire Lines
by Elizabeth Kingston & Nicholas Boulton (narrator) -
5
Love Lettering
by Kate Clayborn & Nicol Zanzarella (narrator)
The Best Romance Audiobooks, recommended by Emily Connelly
The Best Romance Audiobooks, recommended by Emily Connelly
With Valentine’s Day only days away, it’s time to get in the mood for love—and what better way than listening to an audiobook about two people who at first don’t get along but then fall madly in love? Emily Connelly, assistant editor of AudioFile magazine, recommends her favourite romance audiobooks.
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1
Hieroglyphs: A Very Short Introduction
by Penelope Wilson -
2
Hieroglyphics: The Writings of Ancient Egypt
by Maria Betro -
3
The Myth of Egypt and Its Hieroglyphs in European Tradition
by Erik Iversen -
4
Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts
by Andrew Robinson -
5
The Dawning Moon of the Mind: Unlocking the Pyramid Texts
by Susan Brind Morrow
The best books on Hieroglyphics, recommended by Diane Greco Josefowicz
The best books on Hieroglyphics, recommended by Diane Greco Josefowicz
Reading the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt reveals much about the worldview of a civilisation that rose to prominence 5000 years ago and flourished for thousands of years. Here, intellectual historian Diane Greco Josefowicz—whose book, The Riddle of the Rosetta, co-written with Jed Buchwald, tells the story of how the meaning of the hieroglyphs was deciphered in 19th century France—recommends the best books to learn more about hieroglyphics.
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1
Life of Galileo
by Bertolt Brecht -
2
Galileo’s Telescope: A European Story
by Franco Giudice, Massimo Bucciantini and Michele Camerota, translated by Catherine Bolton -
3
Letters to Father: Sister Maria Celeste to Galileo
by Suor Maria Celeste (Virginia Galilei) and Dava Sobel (editor and translator) -
4
On Trial for Reason: Science, Religion, and Culture in the Galileo Affair
by Maurice A. Finocchiaro -
5
Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems
by Galileo Galilei & Stillman Drake (trans.)
The best books on Galileo Galilei, recommended by Paula Findlen
The best books on Galileo Galilei, recommended by Paula Findlen
The trial of Galileo by the Roman Inquisition was one of the most public confrontations between the new science emerging in the 17th century and the Catholic Church but, nearly 400 years later, there’s still a lot of scope to argue what it was about. Here historian of science Paula Findlen, a professor at Stanford University, explains the endless fascination of Galileo Galilei, the Renaissance man who turned a telescope to the sky and took the world by storm, and recommends the best books to start learning more about him.
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1
Tante Jolesch or the Decline of the West in Anecdotes
by Friedrich Torberg & Maria Poglitsch Bauer (translator) -
2
The Road into the Open
by Arthur Schnitzler & Roger Byers (translator) -
3
The Radetzky March
by Joseph Roth -
4
The World of Yesterday
by Stefan Zweig & Anthea Bell (translator) -
5
Last Waltz in Vienna
by George Clare
The best books on Jewish Vienna, recommended by Brigid Grauman
The best books on Jewish Vienna, recommended by Brigid Grauman
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Vienna had a vibrant intellectual and cultural life, embraced and at times led by key figures in its large Jewish community. All that would disappear with the rise of anti-Semitism and the Anschluss. Many Jews fled or committed suicide. Others were deported to concentration camps. After the war some went back, but Vienna would never be the same. Here Brigid Grauman, whose father’s family were assimilated Jews from Vienna, recommends books that evoke that poignant, tragic period that ended with World War II.
Best Books by Black Queer Writers, recommended by Robert Jones Jr.
The novels of James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Wallace Thurman and James Early Hardy bring the America of the last two centuries vividly to life. Marlon James brings us a fantasy trilogy set in ancient Africa. Robert Jones Jr., author of The Prophets—a love story set on a plantation in the American South—talks us through his choices of the best books by Black queer writers.
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1
The Return of the Russian Leviathan
by Sergei Medvedev & Stephen Dalziel (translator) -
2
Floating Coast: An Environmental History of the Bering Strait
by Bathsheba Demuth -
3
Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future
by Kate Brown -
4
Stalin's Scribe: Literature, Ambition, and Survival, the Life of Mikhail Sholokhov
by Brian Boeck -
5
This Thing of Darkness: Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible in Stalin's Russia
by Joan Neuberger -
6
An Impeccable Spy: Richard Sorge, Stalin’s Master Agent
by Owen Matthews
The Best Russia Books: the 2020 Pushkin House Prize, recommended by Serhii Plokhy
The Best Russia Books: the 2020 Pushkin House Prize, recommended by Serhii Plokhy
Every year since 2013 the Russian Book Prize run by Pushkin House, a UK charity, has carried out the important task of drawing attention to books that “encourage public understanding and intelligent debate about the Russian-speaking world.” Here, Harvard historian Serhii Plokhy, chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the books that made the 2020 shortlist.
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1
Aftershock: Essays from Hong Kong
by Holmes Chan (editor) -
2
Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang
by James Millward -
3
Forbidden Memory: Tibet during the Cultural Revolution
by Susan Chen (translator) & Tsering Woeser -
4
Beijing from Below: Stories of Marginal Lives in the Capital's Center
by Harriet Evans -
5
Champions Day: The End of Old Shanghai
by James Carter
Best China Books of 2020, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
Best China Books of 2020, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
All eyes are on China as it occupies an increasingly important role on the world stage and its economic growth continues to barrel on. But behind the Chinese Communist Party’s apparent competence lies a deep insecurity about its relationship with its own citizens, particularly those who question its right to rule them. American historian and Sinologist Jeffrey Wasserstrom picks the best books of 2020 on China.
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1
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat
by Raúl the Third, narrated by Gary Tiedemann -
2
Overground Railroad
by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome, narrated by Shayna Small and Dion Graham -
3
When Stars Are Scattered
by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson, narrated by Faysal Ahmed (and full cast) -
4
Before the Ever After
by Jacqueline Woodson, narrated by Guy Lockard -
5
King and the Dragonflies
by Kacen Callender, narrated by Ron Butler
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2020, recommended by Emily Connelly
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2020, recommended by Emily Connelly
Whether you’re on a car journey or sitting on the sofa together at home, listening to audiobooks with kids can be an incredible experience. Some will make you laugh, some will make you weep. Many will help us develop empathy for other human beings in the world around us. Here Emily Connelly, Assistant Editor at AudioFile, talks us through the magazine’s choices of the best audiobooks for kids of 2020.
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1
Vesper Flights
by Helen Macdonald (author and narrator) -
2
The Sandman
by Dirk Maggs (audiobook adaptation), Full Cast & Neil Gaiman -
3
The Pull of the Stars: A Novel
by Emma Donoghue & Emma Lowe (narrator) -
4
The Searcher: A Novel
by Roger Clark (narrator) & Tana French -
5
A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America's First All-Black High School Rowing Team
by Adam Lazarre-White (narrator) & Arshay Cooper
The Best Audiobooks of 2020, recommended by Robin Whitten
The Best Audiobooks of 2020, recommended by Robin Whitten
With most people carrying smartphones these days, entering the world of audiobooks has never been easier. Some are straightforward narrations of a book, but when an audiobook is done well, it can be an extraordinary, all-encompassing experience. Here Robin Whitten, editor of AudioFile magazine—the best resource for finding good quality audiobooks on the web, in our view—talks us through her picks for the best audiobooks of 2020, chosen from the hundreds they’ve reviewed over the course of the year.
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1
The Philosopher Queens: The lives and legacies of philosophy's unsung women
by Lisa Whiting & Rebecca Buxton -
2
The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad
by Emily Thomas -
3
Frank Ramsey: A Sheer Excess of Powers
by Cheryl Misak -
4
The Murder of Professor Schlick: The Rise and Fall of the Vienna Circle
by David Edmonds -
5
Metazoa: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind
by Peter Godfrey-Smith
The Best Philosophy Books of 2020, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2020, recommended by Nigel Warburton
2020 has been a great year for popular philosophy with many excellent books published. Here, Nigel Warburton, our philosophy editor and co-host of the Philosophy Bites podcast, picks his favourites and explains what he likes about them.
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1
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention
by Erin Meyer & Reed Hastings -
2
Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism
by Angus Deaton & Anne Case -
3
A World Without Work: Technology, Automation, and How We Should Respond
by Daniel Susskind -
4
If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future
by Jill Lepore -
5
No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram
by Sarah Frier -
6
Reimagining Capitalism: How Business Can Save the World
by Rebecca Henderson
The Best Business Books of 2020: the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
The Best Business Books of 2020: the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
Whether you’re looking for ideas on how to run a successful business or books that look at the various challenges facing capitalist society, the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award is a great place to start. Andrew Hill, who with colleagues at the Financial Times sifted through hundreds of entries to compile the award’s longlist, talks us through the books that made the 2020 shortlist—as well as offering some predictions for the year ahead.
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1
Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry
by Neil deGrasse Tyson & with Gregory Mone -
2
Cats React to Science Facts
by Izzi Howell -
3
In the Key of Code
by Aimee Lucido -
4
How to Win a Nobel Prize
by Barry Marshall, Bernard Caleo (illustrator) & with Lorna Hendry -
5
Gut Garden: A journey into the wonderful world of your microbiome
by Katie Brosnan -
6
Everyday Journeys Of Ordinary Things
by Libby Deutsch & Valpuri Kerttula (illustrator)
The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Mike Kendall
The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Mike Kendall
To find the best science books for kids, the judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize look for books that are not only accurate but also entertaining. Mike Kendall, Professor of Geophysics at Oxford University and chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six fabulous books that made the 2020 shortlist (the final winner will be chosen by the real experts: more than 13,000 kids).