Non-fiction November

This month, we're talking about our latest and greatest non-fiction books! Michael Lewis is back with Going Infinite, the story of Sam Bankman-Fried, the alleged fraudster who founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Readers may also enjoy essential insights on mental health in A Therapeutic Journey by Alain de Botton or learn about the science behind achieving greater things in Adam Grant's Hidden Potential.

Whether History, Science or Self-help, these books will educate, enlighten and empower you.

Going Infinite

Michael Lewis's Going Infinite unravels the saga of Sam Bankman-Fried, the youngest billionaire of the crypto era. From amassing immense wealth to contemplating paying off a nation's debt, Bankman-Fried's meteoric rise takes a sudden nosedive, leaving the world baffled. Lewis presents a riveting narrative that explores Bankman-Fried's enigmatic persona, his unparalleled financial success, and the staggering collapse of his empire. The book is a psychological profile of an unconventional genius and a wild financial roller-coaster ride, offering a gripping insight into the world of high-stakes crypto trading.

+ Reading List

Hidden Potential

Hidden Potential introduces a fresh framework for identifying and nurturing potential in individuals and groups. It challenges the common practice of solely evaluating achievements and abilities to predict future success, emphasizing the importance of considering personal circumstances and recognizing an individual's progress over time. The book delves into the intangible qualities that lead to surpassing expectations across various fields. It also advocates for a balanced approach to excellence, highlighting that exceeding expectations doesn't necessitate becoming a perfectionist or overworking.

+ Reading List

A Therapeutic Journey

A Therapeutic Journey follows the arc from mental crisis and collapse to convalescence and recovery. Written with kindness, knowledge and sympathy, it is both a practical guide and a source of consolation and companionship in what might be some of our loneliest, most anguished moments. Alain de Botton explores how we can cope with a variety of forms of mental pain and illness, how we can explain things to loved ones; how we can find our ways towards recovery; and how we can build resilience, so as to live wisely alongside our difficulties. At heart this is a book about regaining the thread of our lives, rediscovering meaning, and finding our way back to connection, warmth and joy.

+ Reading List

Normal Women

Normal Women explores the diverse roles of women across nine centuries of history. It showcases the contributions of everyday women—the soldiers, guild widows, highwaywomen, pirates, miners and ship owners, international traders, theatre runners, social campaigners and ‘female husbands’—who significantly shaped society. This is not another book about heroines, but the countless 'normal' women. This book highlights their drive, ingenuity and vast contributions, placing women rightfully at the center of history.

+ Reading List

Web3

Tapscott, co-author of international bestseller Blockchain Revolution, presents a crucial primer on the imminent Internet evolution, from the metaverse to decentralized finance. The Internet has transitioned from a limited 'Read-only Web' to an interactive 'Read-Write Web,' yet cybersecurity issues have prompted a reevaluation. Enter Web3, the 'Read-Write-Own Web,' offering decentralized control and secure peer-to-peer asset exchange through blockchains. Tapscott's Web3 guide explores the metaverse, NFTs, DAOs, decentralized finance, and self-sovereign identity, unveiling the foundational technologies shaping our cultural and economic future.

+ Reading List

Same as Ever

Everyone wants to see the future. Few are good at it. From business to economics, politics to social trends, we're just not very good at predicting what happens next. According to Morgan Housel, this is because we focus too much on what we think will change and not enough on what we know will stay the same. Technological and medical advancements may astound across centuries, but fundamental human behaviors persist. Greed, fear, risk, jealousy, tribal affiliations, overconfidence, and the pursuit of certainty endure through time. While history holds unforeseen surprises, recognizing these enduring aspects provides confidence in decision-making, irrespective of future uncertainties.

+ Reading List

Eve

Eve delves into why women outlive men, experience menopause, and face gender-specific health issues. Cat Bohannon's sharp wit explores 200 million years of female development, challenging the male-centric focus in science. Bohannon's revelations—from the impact of C-sections on pelvic shape to surprising biological connections—reshape evolutionary understanding. A modern take on female physiology, Eve redefines our perception of the female body and its crucial role in human evolution.

+ Reading List

Sustainable Sustainability

Economists Adam Smith and Milton Friedman advocated for profit maximization as a means to incentivize businesses. However, this led to loopholes and irresponsible behavior emerged. Presently, the ESG framework aims for sustainability, but this unfortunately leads to greenwashing. To address modern challenges, a shift to values-driven steward leadership is essential, creating a better future for stakeholders, society, and the environment. Sustainable Sustainability proposes evolving from ESG to ESL, focusing on Steward Leadership and offering a practical guide for purpose-driven businesses.

+ Reading List

Around the World in 80 Games

Why do some games seem to be universal while others have a particular connection to the culture of the people playing them? This is about the mathematics of chance, game theory, gamification, gaming strategies and computer games. Traversing the globe, Marcus du Sautoy looks at the genesis of games new and old, explores how to invent a good game and explains the fascination of a popular lockdown game. The most simple games endure: board games, card games and dice games have captivated us for centuries and the acclaimed mathematician and author of The Creativity Code (among many others) will once again bring mathematics to the fore with insight and aplomb.

+ Reading List

Opinions

Roxane Gay has continued to tackle big issues embroiling society—state-sponsored violence and mass shootings, women’s rights post-Dobbs, online disinformation, and the limits of empathy—alongside more individually personalized matters: can I tell my co-worker her perfume makes me sneeze? Is it acceptable to schedule a daily 8 am meeting? In her role as a New York Times opinion section contributor, she reaches millions of readers with her wise voice and sharp insights. Covering a wide range of topics—politics, feminism, the culture wars, civil rights, and much more, this anthology will delight Roxane Gay’s devotees and draw new readers to this inimitable talent.

+ Reading List

The End of Reality

The End of Reality dismantles the twenty-first-century illusions—metaverse, crypto, space travel, and transhumanism—promoted by billionaires (Thiel, Zuckerberg, Andreesen, Musk). These distractions, Taplin contends, divert attention from pressing issues like income inequality, climate crises, and democratic decline, posing profound moral, political, and economic threats. He reveals how these billionaires' tech empires contribute to stagnant wages, vanishing communities, rising inequality, and societal divisions. The book is a scathing critique and a call for reform, advocating for an economic shift toward a regenerative model promoting sustainable growth and widespread employment.

+ Reading List

Doppelganger

Naomi Klein ventures into a bizarre mirror world of conspiracy theories, anti-vaxxers, and the collision of wellness influencers with far-right propagandists. Her book delves into the surreal landscape of our modern culture, marked by the proliferation of deep fakes, the transformation of nations, and the shift from democracy to something more foreboding. A darkly comedic yet thought-provoking commentary, it invites readers to confront the distorted reflections of our online existence, offering insight into the warped state of contemporary politics and a path towards reclaiming what truly matters in our collective reality.

+ Reading List

Power and Progress

Progress depends on the choices we make about technology. New ways of organizing production and communication can either serve the narrow interests of an elite or become the foundation for widespread prosperity. Power and Progress demonstrates that the path of technology was once—and may again be—brought under control. With their breakthrough economic theory and manifesto for a better society, Acemoglu and Johnson provide the vision needed to reshape how we innovate and who really gains from technological advances.

+ Reading List

Move Fast and Fix Things

Speed has gotten a bad name in business, much of it deserved. There's a widely held belief that we can either make progress or take care of people, one or the other. Leadership experts Frances Frei and Anne Morriss argue that this belief is deeply flawed—and that it keeps you from building a great company. The best leaders solve hard problems with fierce urgency while making their organizations even stronger. They move fast and fix things. With a one-week plan to fix your problems on a fast cycle time of one step per day, this book is your guide to maximizing impact and reinventing your approach to change.

+ Reading List