The new year is off to a wonderful start with too many great looking books to fill up my TBR list. This month we have new reads on inequality, women in science, religion, tech, ancient history and more.
Happy reading (and shopping)!
The Gender of Capital: How Families Perpetuate Wealth Inequality
By Céline Bessière and Sibylle Gollac
Published March 2023 from Harvard University Press
I came across this book on my Instagram feed and was instantly intrigued by the cover. I’m curious about this book and the approach it takes to its thesis, especially as it relates to current inequalities in our society.
The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science
By Kate Zernike
Published February 2023 from Scribner
Just in time for women’s history month, this fascinating book seems like it will be a great addition to my growing collection of women in science. You can check out my book guide from last March of other remarkable women.
The American Way: A True Story of Nazi Escape, Superman, and Marilyn Monroe
By Helene Stapinski and Bonnie Siegler
Published February 2023 from Simon & Schuster
Ok, I’ll admit: this book’s cover and title absolutely drew me in immediately. Seems like it will have some interesting mid-century perspectives and stories, which is an era I’m especially keen on reading about.
Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion, AD 300-1300
By Peter Heather
Published April 2023 from Knopf
Xavier recommended this one to me, which of course means it’s 700+ pages long. But I taught a class previously on the evolution of religion, and I’m fascinated about the history and role of religion across our society. This looks like a great one.
Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World
By Malcolm Harris
Published February 2023 from Little, Brown and Company
I can’t get enough of Silicon Valley tech history, so this was an immediate add for me. Silicon Valley and the tech that has emerged from this region has fundamentally changed our world – how can one not be curious? It’s a 700-page monster, so let’s hope it’s a great one.
Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World
By Bob Brier
Published October 2022 from Oxford University Press
I was obsessed with ancient Egypt when I was a kid given that it was always all over the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and others. Despite this, I’ve never read a book on the topic! I can’t recall how I found this, but it was an instant add to my TBR list.
Where We Meet the World: The Story of the Senses
By Ashley Ward
Published March 2023 from Basic Books
Basic is one of my favorite publishers of nonfiction science books. This one, aside from having a beautiful cover, caught my attention as a great complement to Ed Yong’s book last year on animal senses.
The Age of AI: And Our Human Future
By Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher
Published November 2022 from Back Bay Books
Despite the importance of AI, I find most books on the topic incredibly unengaging. This one looks like it may be an exception, so it served as my yearly add of AI focused books.
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The Age of AI is my current read. Fascinating, so far. I’ll look forward to your thoughts on it.