I am going to put How to be a Living Thing on hold at the library. Getting in touch with our humanity is vital in times like these. How to build communities that allow more opportunities for connection and joy is also a big interest of mine, so Playful will also go on that list.
The best book I read all summer was My Friends by Frederick Backman. The importance of art and how it brings people together, and what it truly means to be a friend. Just a beautiful book.
(And I know there are probably reasons for this, but is it possible to not link to Amazon? When every dollar we spend, and where, is a vote for the type of world we want to live in, you could do a lot of good by linking to Bookshop.org and support independent sellers instead. Just a suggestion.)
One of the most fascinating books I have read is Ed Yong's "An Immense World". All about animal senses and not just homo sapiens basic senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste. How about UV, echolocation, electromagnetic etc? (Blind Daniel Kish has highly developed echolocation among other human senses)
I just finished the first segment and it is indeed riveting as well as entertaining. Kudos to the NPR team. It begs the question about certain African tribes that communicate by clicking. Could there have been ancient generations that discovered clicking for purposes other than normal Communications because they too had congenital or acquired sight deficits (premature cataracts, infectious disorders of the eyes, Retinal or optic nerve dysfunctions Among possibilities)?
Most useful for my work is The Emotionally Intelligent team- building collaborative groups that outperform by Vanessa Urch Druskat. Surprised it’s not on your list Adam. Cheers!
Thank you for this list. I am a new subscriber and you stole my heart by showcasing books. Your list is eclectic which thrills me as it offers choices. I am interested in Playful and will check it out today.
Thank you for this list. I am not reading enough. And you are correct- all of this short form content really does make the critical thinking muscle atrophy.
I read Algospeak this summer. It’s a quick and interesting look both at our current language trends, but it also reminds us that history repeats itself! The reasons WHY trending language was created before social media and why it’s created now are still the same!
It would also be a great read for younger people (although it is def rated PG-13) who are curious about the impact their time online has on their brains.
Thank you for this. I see a bunch of books that I want to pile on top of the others waiting to be read. I want to read the Mari Andrew book with my daughter, who loves watching animal docs with me. I want to read Sorkin's book, since I used to teach history and would lead my teaching of that crash with the fact that my mom was born on Black Tuesday and caused the crash. As a journalism teacher, I love warming up my writers with slang cards from various generations, so it looks like I need to read Algospeak and share it with them. Thanks again!
I definitely want to read Algospeak; I'm curious about Playful too.
It's hard to choose one "best book" from my summer reading list because there have been several really good ones, but I'll go with The Summer Book by Tove Jansson - the writing is so precise and lovely and it's such a summer mood (obviously).
Brain rot doesn’t come from TikTok alone. It comes from mistaking scrolling for seeking, opinions for wisdom, noise for nourishment. A good book isn’t just information. It’s confrontation. It unsettles, rewires, and refuses to leave politely when you’re done.
If a book doesn’t bruise your certainty or stretch your compassion, it’s just another shiny distraction. Pick the ones that haunt you.
I am going to put How to be a Living Thing on hold at the library. Getting in touch with our humanity is vital in times like these. How to build communities that allow more opportunities for connection and joy is also a big interest of mine, so Playful will also go on that list.
The best book I read all summer was My Friends by Frederick Backman. The importance of art and how it brings people together, and what it truly means to be a friend. Just a beautiful book.
(And I know there are probably reasons for this, but is it possible to not link to Amazon? When every dollar we spend, and where, is a vote for the type of world we want to live in, you could do a lot of good by linking to Bookshop.org and support independent sellers instead. Just a suggestion.)
💯agree! No more Amazon!!
Thank you for the no vote on Amazon! I work at a small local independent bookshop, and we can't compete with Amazon.
Thank you for expressing this! #Bookshop
Great list! Best book I read this summer was My Friends by Frederik Backman. Examines how we truly connect to be and how art can change our lives.
One of the most fascinating books I have read is Ed Yong's "An Immense World". All about animal senses and not just homo sapiens basic senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste. How about UV, echolocation, electromagnetic etc? (Blind Daniel Kish has highly developed echolocation among other human senses)
The Invisibilia episode on Daniel is the most riveting podcast I've ever heard: https://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/378577902/how-to-become-batman
An Immense World is in my stack. Excited to read
I just finished the first segment and it is indeed riveting as well as entertaining. Kudos to the NPR team. It begs the question about certain African tribes that communicate by clicking. Could there have been ancient generations that discovered clicking for purposes other than normal Communications because they too had congenital or acquired sight deficits (premature cataracts, infectious disorders of the eyes, Retinal or optic nerve dysfunctions Among possibilities)?
Ray
https://africafreak.com/click-languages
Most useful for my work is The Emotionally Intelligent team- building collaborative groups that outperform by Vanessa Urch Druskat. Surprised it’s not on your list Adam. Cheers!
First I've heard of it-- thanks for the rec! Looking forward to checking it out
I'm diggin' this list! Can't wait to read some of these.
I haven’t had a chance to read it yet but I’ve been excited about Primal Intelligence by Angus Fletchers which just came out.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740110/primal-intelligence-by-angus-fletcher/
Have heard rave reviews
Thank you for this list. I am a new subscriber and you stole my heart by showcasing books. Your list is eclectic which thrills me as it offers choices. I am interested in Playful and will check it out today.
Thank you for this list. I am not reading enough. And you are correct- all of this short form content really does make the critical thinking muscle atrophy.
I think "Finding My Way" sounds interesting and a good gift my nephew Jason. My favorite non-fiction read of the summer was "Reset" by Dan Heath.
I always enjoy adding some books to my TBR list from yours. Thanks for sharing!
I read Algospeak this summer. It’s a quick and interesting look both at our current language trends, but it also reminds us that history repeats itself! The reasons WHY trending language was created before social media and why it’s created now are still the same!
It would also be a great read for younger people (although it is def rated PG-13) who are curious about the impact their time online has on their brains.
Thanks for these recommendations, adding to my long TBR! I have just finished The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter and found it very good!
Thank you for this. I see a bunch of books that I want to pile on top of the others waiting to be read. I want to read the Mari Andrew book with my daughter, who loves watching animal docs with me. I want to read Sorkin's book, since I used to teach history and would lead my teaching of that crash with the fact that my mom was born on Black Tuesday and caused the crash. As a journalism teacher, I love warming up my writers with slang cards from various generations, so it looks like I need to read Algospeak and share it with them. Thanks again!
I definitely want to read Algospeak; I'm curious about Playful too.
It's hard to choose one "best book" from my summer reading list because there have been several really good ones, but I'll go with The Summer Book by Tove Jansson - the writing is so precise and lovely and it's such a summer mood (obviously).
Love this list! Most excited to read The Genius Myth, How to Be a Living Thing, and Playful.
Brain rot doesn’t come from TikTok alone. It comes from mistaking scrolling for seeking, opinions for wisdom, noise for nourishment. A good book isn’t just information. It’s confrontation. It unsettles, rewires, and refuses to leave politely when you’re done.
If a book doesn’t bruise your certainty or stretch your compassion, it’s just another shiny distraction. Pick the ones that haunt you.