The best 66 Change & Evolution books

1
Saving Time

Saving Time

Jenny Odell
Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock
4.1 (277 ratings)

What's Saving Time about?

Saving Time (2023) takes a deep dive into the complicated concepts surrounding time and the multitude of ways it can be experienced. Combining historical research, philosophical ideas, and social commentary, it offers new approaches to perceiving time that can help us learn to truly live in the present while looking toward a more hopeful future.

Who should read Saving Time?

  • Anyone curious about the concept of time
  • People suffering from a lack of time or burnout
  • Fans of history, science, and philosophy

2
On the Origin of Time

On the Origin of Time

Thomas Hertog
Stephen Hawking's Final Theory
4.7 (300 ratings)

What's On the Origin of Time about?

On the Origin of Time (2023) guides you through the humbling, stranger-than-fiction theories that the late physicist Stephen Hawking developed in the last two decades of his life. With quantum physics, holograms, and inspiration from Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory, it reveals what the great scientist came to believe about the origins of the universe.

Who should read On the Origin of Time?

  • Those curious about the origins of space and time
  • People fascinated by the multiverse

Anyone familiar with A Brief History of Time


3
Guns, Germs and Steel

Guns, Germs and Steel

Jared Diamond
The Fates Of Human Societies
4.2 (332 ratings)

What's Guns, Germs and Steel about?

Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997) is a short history of humanity over the last 13,000 years. The question it poses is as simple to state as it is hard to answer: Why did some parts of the world develop advanced technologies while others didn’t? It rejects explanations that rely on assumptions about the relative intelligence of different peoples. Instead, it argues that the divergence of human societies is best explained by natural factors such as climate, biology, and geology. 

Who should read Guns, Germs and Steel?

  • History buffs
  • Scientists
  • Anyone interested in the big picture of humanity’s development

4
The Future is Faster Than You Think

The Future is Faster Than You Think

Peter H. Diamandis
How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives
4.1 (89 ratings)

What's The Future is Faster Than You Think about?

The Future is Faster Than You Think (2020) examines how converging exponential technologies (AI, robotics, 3D printing, CRISPR, Blockchain) are reinventing every industry this decade. Starting with flying cars and artificial intelligence, it explores and predicts the future of industries including retail, manufacturing, transportation, health care, education, finance, and insurance. It also offers a vision for how these technologies can be applied to address many of the world’s most pressing problems.

Who should read The Future is Faster Than You Think?

  • Futurists hungry for big-picture technology visions
  • Anyone interested in AI in the real world
  • Innovation geeks

5
What’s Our Problem?

What’s Our Problem?

Tim Urban
A Self-Help Book for Societies
4.5 (415 ratings)

What's What’s Our Problem? about?

What’s Our Problem (2023) offers a fun and unique perspective on the strange state of the modern world in which we live. Using the author’s iconic comedic style, it draws on observations from political theory, psychology, history, and modern-day events to explain what is going on in our society, and what we can potentially do to fix it.

Who should read What’s Our Problem??

  • Followers of Tim Urban and his blog, Wait But Why
  • The socially-minded looking for clear and clever explanations of complex problems
  • Anyone confused and overwhelmed by the crazy state of the world

6
Why the Universe Is the Way It Is

Why the Universe Is the Way It Is

Hugh Ross
Using Science and Scripture to Answer Humanity’s Big Questions
3.8 (65 ratings)

What's Why the Universe Is the Way It Is about?

Why The Universe Is the Way It Is (2008) takes you on a cosmic journey from the Big Bang to the mysteries of time, all while exploring the universe's beauty and complexity. With a perfect balance of science and theology, it's a must-read for the curious and contemplative.

Who should read Why the Universe Is the Way It Is?

  • Curious cosmic explorers
  • Theological scientists
  • “Big picture” modern philosophers

7
2030

2030

Mauro F. Guillén
How Today's Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything
4.2 (703 ratings)

What's 2030 about?

2030 (2020) isn’t a crystal ball – but it might be the next best thing. Drawing on current sociological trends, demographic trajectories, and technological advancements, it paints a convincing picture of the global changes we can expect to see and experience in the coming decade.

Who should read 2030?

  • Tech workers and marketing professionals keen to stay ahead of the curve
  • Eco-warriors looking for solutions to the climate crisis
  • Anyone curious to see what the future might hold

8
How the World Really Works

How the World Really Works

Vaclav Smil
The Science of Our Past, Present and Future
4.4 (476 ratings)

What's How the World Really Works about?

How the World Really Works (2022) tackles a paradox at the heart of the modern world: we’ve never had so much information at our fingertips and never known so little about how things actually work. Of course, we can’t be experts in everything. But, Vaclav Smil argues, it’s our duty as citizens to be informed about the basics – the big questions that shape our societies and their futures.

Who should read How the World Really Works?

  • History and science enthusiasts
  • Anyone interested in how their food gets made
  • Those wondering what energy actually is

9
The Evolution of Desire

The Evolution of Desire

David M. Buss
Strategies of Human Mating
3.4 (34 ratings)

What's The Evolution of Desire about?

The Evolution of Desire (1994) drew on the largest study of human mating at the time to analyze the evolutionary foundations that lie behind our everyday desires and mating preferences. It was updated with new material in 2016.

Who should read The Evolution of Desire?

  • Psychology nerds
  • Individuals looking to attract a mate
  • Anyone curious about how our deepest desires work

10
Transcendence

Transcendence

Gaia Vince
How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time
4.2 (241 ratings)

What's Transcendence about?

Transcendence (2020) is a wide-ranging overview of humanity’s history, from its beginnings on the savannas of Africa to the globe-spanning civilization of today. This multifaceted exploration shows how fire, language, beauty, and time came to define our species.

Who should read Transcendence?

  • History buffs seeking a deep look at the past
  • Armchair anthropologists curious about the origins of human society
  • Anyone interested in what makes humans human

11
On the Origin of Species

On the Origin of Species

Charles Darwin
By Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life
4.7 (103 ratings)

What's On the Origin of Species about?

The Origin Of Species (1859) is Charles Darwin’s magnum opus. These blinks outline a theory of how traits are selected by nature, where the tremendous diversity of life on earth came from and how animals and plants came to be distributed across the planet.

Who should read On the Origin of Species?

  • Anyone interested in science or natural history
  • Nature lovers

12
The Selfish Gene

The Selfish Gene

Richard Dawkins
A landmark work in the field of biology and evolution
4.5 (298 ratings)

What's The Selfish Gene about?

The Selfish Gene is a landmark 1976 work in the field of biology: It puts the gene at the center of the process of evolution and explains how, when this is taken into account, genes must be seen as “selfish.” Author Richard Dawkins then uses this theory of gene selfishness to explain the massive variety of animal behavior observable on Earth.

Who should read The Selfish Gene?

  • ‘Everyone interested in the universe and their place in it.’
  • Any student of biology or anyone with an interest in biology

13
The Body

The Body

Bill Bryson
A Guide for Occupants
4.4 (240 ratings)

What's The Body about?

The Body: A Guide for Occupants (2019) is an entertaining and fact-filled account of how we all work. With his trademark wit, Bill Bryson explains the astonishing ways in which our bodies are put together, and what goes on inside them.

Who should read The Body?

  • Popular science fans
  • Biology and medicine enthusiasts
  • Anyone keen to learn more about their own body

14
The Moral Animal

The Moral Animal

Robert Wright
Why We Are the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology
4.4 (159 ratings)

What's The Moral Animal about?

The Moral Animal (1994) delves into the fascinating – and occasionally controversial – field of evolutionary psychology to ask what really motivates human behavior. Drawing on the work of Darwin as well as a wealth of anthropological sources, Robert Wright sheds new light on a range of familiar everyday situations in the animal kingdom and our own societies.

Who should read The Moral Animal?

  • Psychologists and keen observers of human behavior
  • Biologists and other natural scientists
  • Anyone fascinated by the evolution of our species

15
The Book of Humans

The Book of Humans

Adam Rutherford
A Brief History of Culture, Sex, War and the Evolution of Us
4.3 (192 ratings)

What's The Book of Humans about?

The Book of Humans (2018) is an accessible tour of evolutionary history. It illuminates both the many qualities we share with animals and the many others that set us apart. Incorporating the latest scientific discoveries from genetics and archaeology, it provides a thrilling compendium of the rich variety of life on Earth.

Who should read The Book of Humans?

  • People seeking a primer on evolutionary biology
  • Darwin enthusiasts
  • Animal lovers

16
Smart Work

Smart Work

Jo Owen
The Ultimate Handbook for Remote and Hybrid Teams
4.4 (80 ratings)

What's Smart Work about?

Smart Work (2022) is a handbook for leaders navigating the post-pandemic transition into a world of remote and hybrid work. These are challenging times for managers, argues author Jo Owen. What worked in the office won’t necessarily work in remote teams. But if there’s one thing Covid-19 showed us, it’s that we can adapt – fast. And change is a good thing, he insists. Why? Well, mastering these challenges isn’t just about future-proofing your job – it’ll also make you a better leader. 

Who should read Smart Work?

  • Leaders and managers 
  • Team players 
  • Self-starters

17
Future Stories

Future Stories

David Christian
What's Next?
4.2 (325 ratings)

What's Future Stories about?

Future Stories: What’s Next? (2022) explains the roots of how we make decisions about the future and illuminates the urgent responsibility on humanity’s shoulders today, with a multidisciplinary approach to time informed by biology, philosophy, and cosmology.

Who should read Future Stories?

  • Historians – both amateur and professional
  • Anyone concerned about climate change
  • Those interested in being a better human

18
Grand Transitions

Grand Transitions

Vaclav Smil
How the Modern World Was Made
4.3 (225 ratings)

What's Grand Transitions about?

Grand Transitions (2020) offers a sweeping overview of global transitions, from population growth to environmental changes. It examines the ways that we’ve shaped the world, for better or worse, and looks at the challenges facing humanity in the decades to come.

Who should read Grand Transitions?

  • People who want to understand world history, and how we got where we are today
  • Environmentalists, and anyone interested in the state of the planet
  • Realists looking for a future forecast based on facts

19
The Narrow Corridor

The Narrow Corridor

Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty
4.3 (140 ratings)

What's The Narrow Corridor about?

The Narrow Corridor (2019) weaves together a rich tapestry from disparate parts of history to answer the question: Why do some countries achieve liberty while others do not? From the ancient city of Uruk to Revolutionary America, from 1950s China to modern-day Argentina, it examines the conditions that enable governments and citizens to thrive as one –⁠ and the consequences when this fails to occur.

Who should read The Narrow Corridor?

  • Fans of world history, philosophy, economics, and political science
  • Citizens concerned about the fate of liberty in their countries
  • Anyone fascinated by a gripping historical tale

20
The Story of the Human Body

The Story of the Human Body

Daniel Lieberman
Evolution, Health, and Disease
4.6 (126 ratings)

What's The Story of the Human Body about?

The Story of the Human Body (2013) is a fascinating exploration of a story over a million years in the making: the evolution of the human body. Departing from the moment our ancestors first distinguished themselves from their hominid brethren, Daniel Lieberman traces the biological history of humans right down to our office-bound present.

Who should read The Story of the Human Body?

  • Anyone who’s ever wondered how we got from cave- to city-dwelling
  • Fans of big-picture science
  • Anyone interested in nutrition and fitness

21
The Epigenetics Revolution

The Epigenetics Revolution

Nessa Carey
How Modern Biology is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance
4.6 (310 ratings)

What's The Epigenetics Revolution about?

The Epigenetics Revolution (2011) is an overview of the cutting-edge field of epigenetics – looking at the various factors that interact with your genes and modify the way they behave in order to make you, you. From mental health to obesity, it examines the fascinating and often unexpected ways that epigenetics can influence our lives and health.

Who should read The Epigenetics Revolution?

  • Science enthusiasts interested in biology’s new frontiers
  • Dinner-party sages looking to wow friends with fascinating scientific wisdom
  • Amateur psychologists open to an epigenetic interpretation of trauma

22
A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century

A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century

Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein
Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life
3.8 (405 ratings)

What's A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century about?

Hunter Gatherers (2021) explores the mismatch between our evolutionary tendencies and our modern environments. It outlines how seemingly innocuous aspects of contemporary living are harming us, and stifling our true nature and potential.

Who should read A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century?

  • Psychology buffs looking for fresh insights
  • Anyone interested in evolutionary biology
  • Fans of natural history

23
Stonewall

Stonewall

Martin Duberman
The Definitive Story of the LGBTQ Rights Uprising that Changed America
3.4 (117 ratings)

What's Stonewall about?

Stonewall (1994) is the definitive history of the 1969 uprising that catalyzed the gay rights movement in the United States. By examining the lives of six gay and lesbian people involved in the movement, author Martin Duberman sheds light on the systems of oppression – as well as the incredible dedication and bravery – that led to mainstream society’s greater acceptance of the gay and lesbian community. 

Who should read Stonewall?

  • Activists
  • Those inspired by grassroots movements
  • Anyone interested in how communal action can lead to change

24
Genome

Genome

Matt Ridley
The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
4.3 (57 ratings)

What's Genome about?

Genome (2006, second edition) takes you on an exciting journey into your own body, exploring the genetic building blocks that make up not only who you are but also all life on earth. You’ll examine the basics of genetics and discover what genes influence, from aging to illness to even your own personality. Importantly, you’ll better understand why the future of healthcare and wellness may be found in the human genome.

Who should read Genome?

  • Students of biology or genetics
  • People curious about biological determinism vs. societal determinism
  • Anyone wondering how exactly genes work

25
Exercised

Exercised

Daniel E. Lieberman
Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding
4.3 (217 ratings)

What's Exercised about?

Exercised (2020) is a cutting-edge account of physical activity, rest, and human health. Drawing on groundbreaking research in the fields of exercise science, evolutionary theory, and anthropology, it presents a unique account of the human body’s needs and abilities.

Who should read Exercised?

  • Fitness fanatics interested in a broader view of health and exercise
  • Exercise-avoiders seeking to change their ways for good
  • Amateur anthropologists and armchair doctors

26
Why We Eat (Too Much)

Why We Eat (Too Much)

Andrew Jenkinson
The New Science of Appetite
4.1 (168 ratings)

What's Why We Eat (Too Much) about?

Why We Eat (Too Much) (2021) illuminates the new science of metabolism. An exploration of how our bodies process the calories we eat into the fuel that keeps our cells running, it demolishes old myths about the value of dieting. When we really understand appetite, it argues, we can finally begin eating healthfully rather than attempting to starve our bodies into submission. 

Who should read Why We Eat (Too Much)?

  • Frustrated dieters 
  • Science lovers 
  • Sugar addicts

27
The Evolution of Money

The Evolution of Money

David Orrell and Roman Chlupatý
From ancient Greece to the digital era
4.1 (70 ratings)

What's The Evolution of Money about?

The Evolution of Money (2016) offers an insightful look at the history of currency in civilized society, from shells and coins to the digital ones and zeroes of an online bank account. Find out how monetary systems have always functioned much like religion – without faith and belief, they’d collapse – and learn what the future may have in store.

Who should read The Evolution of Money?

  • Students of politics and economics
  • Businesspeople
  • Anyone curious about the financial crisis of 2007

28
Zero

Zero

Charles Seife
The Biography of a Dangerous Idea
4.4 (318 ratings)

What's Zero about?

Zero (2000) is the fascinating story of a number banned by the ancient Greeks and worshipped by ancient Indians. Zero – as well as its twin, infinity – is a number that’s been at the heart of both mathematics and philosophy over the centuries.

Who should read Zero?

  • Popular science enthusiasts
  • History buffs curious about how concepts have evolved over time
  • Philosophers interested in everything . . . and nothing

29
Israel

Israel

Daniel Gordis
A Concise History of a Nation Reborn
4.1 (73 ratings)

What's Israel about?

Israel (2016) offers a big-picture historical overview of the small but mighty country. From its improbable beginnings to its controversial wars with neighboring Arab states, Israel’s evolution is a story of change, tragedy, and victory. 

Who should read Israel?

  • History buffs interested in Europe and the Middle East
  • News junkies eager to be more informed about a controversial subject
  • Anyone curious about the modern political landscape

30
The Black Jacobins

The Black Jacobins

C.L.R. James
Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution
4.6 (67 ratings)

What's The Black Jacobins about?

The Black Jacobins (1938) traces the remarkable history of the revolution in the French colony of San Domingo (modern day Haiti). It describes the events that helped the revolution become the first successful slave rebellion in history.

In particular, The Black Jacobins views the events through the prism of the revolution’s greatest figure, Toussaint L’Ouverture. It shows how he, a former slave who was inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution, successfully defeated the European empires and helped to destroy the brutal practice of slavery in San Domingo.

Who should read The Black Jacobins?

  • Students of history and postcolonial studies
  • Anyone who wants to understand why people revolt
  • Anyone interested in how political ideas can change the world

31
A Crack in Creation

A Crack in Creation

Jennifer A. Doudna and Samuel H. Sternberg
Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution
4.7 (59 ratings)

What's A Crack in Creation about?

A Crack in Creation (2017) describes everything you need to know about CRISPR, a new technique to alter the genes of living organisms. These blinks explain the scientific details of gene editing, while also discussing its medical and ethical implications.

Who should read A Crack in Creation?

  • Biologists, chemists and natural scientists
  • Philosophers and ethicists who wonder about the implications of gene editing
  • Anyone interested in the future of medical science

32
On the Fringe

On the Fringe

Michael D. Gordin
Where Science Meets Pseudoscience
4.0 (105 ratings)

What's On the Fringe about?

On the Fringe (2021) delves into what defines a pseudoscience along historical and philosophical lines. With the rise of climate-change deniers and anti-vaxxers, understanding the demarcation between science and pseudoscience has a newfound urgency. By exploring pseudosciences such as astrology, the flat-Earth model, and ESP, we can learn about the nature of science in both the past and the present.

Who should read On the Fringe?

  • Historians, scientists, and philosophers
  • Astrology enthusiasts
  • Climate-change activists

33
The Evolution of Everything

The Evolution of Everything

Matt Ridley
How New Ideas Emerge
4.3 (63 ratings)

What's The Evolution of Everything about?

The Evolution of Everything (2015) argues that the phenomenon of evolution – gradual change without goal or end – reaches far beyond genetics. Evolution happens all around us in economic markets, our language, technology and customs, and is what’s behind nearly all changes that occur in these fields.

Who should read The Evolution of Everything?

  • Liberal thinkers
  • Anyone curious about the power and beauty of evolution outside biology

34
Work

Work

James Suzman
A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots
4.2 (80 ratings)

What's Work about?

Work (2020) is an anthropological history of the human relationship with work. From the first single-celled bacteria in the oceans billions of years ago to the unprecedented wealth inequality we experience today, Work is a sweeping history of what motivates our species. 

Who should read Work?

  • All those wondering whether they have a “bullshit job”
  • Deep-divers who love human history and how we got here
  • People who worry about how they spend their time

35
Thunderstruck

Thunderstruck

Erik Larson
One of the Greatest Criminal Chases of All Time
4.3 (29 ratings)

What's Thunderstruck about?

Thunderstruck (2006) is the true story of two seemingly unrelated people, an inventor and a murderer. Set in Edwardian England, the lives of the men intersect in one of the most suspenseful criminal cases in history.

Who should read Thunderstruck?

  • History buffs
  • Narrative nonfiction lovers
  • Erik Larson fans

36
Hooked

Hooked

Michael Moss
Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our Addictions
4.2 (283 ratings)

What's Hooked about?

Hooked (2021) explores our complex relationship with processed food. It explains why certain foods leave us wanting more, and reveals how our brain chemistry and our evolutionary biology are exploited by the fast-food industry.

Who should read Hooked?

  • Parents wanting to give their children a healthy start
  • Anyone struggling to lose weight
  • Psychology buffs looking for fresh insights

37
If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal

If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal

Justin Gregg
What Animal Intelligence Reveals about Human Stupidity
4.3 (183 ratings)

What's If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal about?

If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal (2022) takes a playful yet profoundly meaningful look at what makes humans so different from the other animals on the planet. In doing so, it makes a strong case for why the human mind may be dangerously unsuccessful from an evolutionary standpoint.

Who should read If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal?

  • Animal lovers and pet owners
  • Science geeks
  • People worried about the fate of humanity

38
Blockchain Chicken Farm

Blockchain Chicken Farm

Xiaowei Wang
And Other Stories of Tech in China's Countryside
3.8 (74 ratings)

What's Blockchain Chicken Farm about?

Blockchain Chicken Farm (2020) is an examination of the way technology is entangled with everyday life. This sweeping survey of life in rural China unpacks the social, political, and economic changes we can expect in the twenty-first century.

Who should read Blockchain Chicken Farm?

  • Luddites skeptical about the impact of new technologies
  • Techno-utopians eager for more critical insights
  • Anyone interested in forecasting the future

39
Black-and-White Thinking

Black-and-White Thinking

Kevin Dutton
The Burden of a Binary Brain in a Complex World
4.5 (277 ratings)

What's Black-and-White Thinking about?

Black and White Thinking (2020) examines the human brain’s irresistible impulse to sort things into binary categories: black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. The instinct to categorize is strong –⁠ and we have evolution to thank for it. But while categorization helped us survive in ancient times – when every trip into the forest was life or death – it’s become an obstacle in the modern world. Today, life’s rarely black-and-white, but often shades of gray.

Who should read Black-and-White Thinking?

  • Anyone fascinated by the human brain
  • People who love to pick apart the intricacies of language
  • Those who want to think more clearly in their daily lives

40
Arabs

Arabs

Tim Mackintosh-Smith
A 3,000 Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires
4.2 (178 ratings)

What's Arabs about?

Arabs (2021) is a deep dive into the 3,000-year history of the people we know as Arabs. It’s an exploration of the forces that gave birth to the idea of Arabs as a group – and the forces that have kept them apart ever since. 

Who should read Arabs?

  • Lovers of a good yarn
  • Those fascinated by transnational histories
  • News junkies looking to go deeper

41
Drunk

Drunk

Edward Slingerland
How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization
4.5 (557 ratings)

What's Drunk about?

Drunk (2021) is a scientific and historical inquiry into the evolutionary reasons why humans started getting drunk. Drunk examines how inebriation helped our ancestors evolve into creative, communal, cultural beings, and considers whether or not alcohol is an appropriate tool for the modern age.

In the audio version of these blinks, you'll hear "Also Sprach Zarathustra," composed by Richard Strauss, made available under a Creative Commons Attribution license by Kevin MacLeod. Thanks, Kevin! 

Who should read Drunk?

  • Anyone who drinks
  • People curious about human behavior
  • Anyone interested in evolution

42
The Human Instinct

The Human Instinct

Kenneth R. Miller
How We Evolved to Have Reason, Consciousness, and Free Will
4.0 (227 ratings)

What's The Human Instinct about?

The Human Instinct (2018) is a celebration of humanity’s development of reason, consciousness, and free will through the process of evolution. It shows that our remarkable capacities are all the more unique for having arising from natural origins.

Who should read The Human Instinct?

  • Theologians, philosophers, scientists, and anyone else interested in the condition of our peculiar species
  • Anyone curious about evolution and what it means for humanity
  • Humans who enjoy contemplating our place in creation

43
The Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Klaus Schwab
A new transformation in technology and industry
3.9 (73 ratings)

What's The Fourth Industrial Revolution about?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (2016) tells the story of a new transformation in technology and industry. These blinks explain the major industrial revolutions of the past and go on to tell how a current industrial revolution is spawning new technologies that fuse previously separate fields – with incredible results.

Who should read The Fourth Industrial Revolution?

  • Students of political science, technology and economics
  • Leaders and educators
  • Workers worried about their job security

44
The Better Angels of Our Nature

The Better Angels of Our Nature

Steven Pinker
Why Violence Has Declined
4.5 (77 ratings)

What's The Better Angels of Our Nature about?

The Better Angels of Our Nature (2012) takes a close look at the history of violence in human society, explaining both our motivations to use violence on certain occasions and the factors that increasingly restrain us from using it – and how these factors have resulted in massive reductions in violence.

Who should read The Better Angels of Our Nature?

  • Anyone who thinks the world is becoming an increasingly violent place
  • Anyone who’s interested in the forces and reasons that drive us to and keep us from violence
  • Anyone interested in the history of violence in human societies

45
Nine Nasty Words

Nine Nasty Words

John McWhorter
English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever
4.0 (125 ratings)

What's Nine Nasty Words about?

Nine Nasty Words (2021) is a foul-mouthed exploration of our linguistic taboos. This title picks apart exactly why some words come to be profane.

Who should read Nine Nasty Words?

  • Language-lovers aiming to deepen their appreciation of words
  • Salty talkers looking to pick up new profanity
  • Anyone curious about the origin of taboos

46
The Sixth Extinction

The Sixth Extinction

Elizabeth Kolbert
An Unnatural History
4.1 (195 ratings)

What's The Sixth Extinction about?

The Sixth Extinction (2014) chronicles the history of species extinction and shows how humans have had more than a hand in the rapidly decreasing numbers of animal species on earth. Through industrialization and deforestation, not to mention climate change, humans have damaged the environment and disrupted habitats, leading to a massive reduction in biodiversity.

Who should read The Sixth Extinction?

  • Scientists, environmentalists or activists concerned with climate change
  • People curious about how human activity affects animal survival
  • Students examining theories of species extinction

47
The Rift

The Rift

Alex Perry
A New Africa Breaks Free
4.3 (53 ratings)

What's The Rift about?

The Rift (2015) is a revealing look at Africa’s emergence as a continent no longer defined by poverty, war, corruption and dependence on the West. Find out how modern farming methods, solar and mobile technologies and new leadership are creating a brighter future for Africa.

Who should read The Rift?

  • Investors looking for new opportunities in Africa
  • Those dubious of the idea that Africa is only about war and famine

48
The Robots Are Coming!

The Robots Are Coming!

Andrés Oppenheimer
The Future of Jobs in the Age of Automation
4.5 (119 ratings)

What's The Robots Are Coming! about?

The Robots Are Coming! (2019) provides a wide-ranging survey of the rapidly approaching – and, in many cases, already emerging – future of automation. In the coming decades, sophisticated robots, computer programs and other forms of automated technology will eliminate many jobs in many fields, and will radically transform the jobs that remain. Andrés Oppenheimer takes us on an insightful and eye-opening tour of some of the key industries to be affected and the major transformations that lie ahead.

Who should read The Robots Are Coming!?

  • Skeptics who wonder if the robots really are coming
  • Pessimists who fear the future they will bring
  • Optimists who hope they will unlock new possibilities for humanity

49
Energy

Energy

Richard Rhodes
A Human History
4.4 (120 ratings)

What's Energy about?

Energy (2018) looks back at over 500 years of human progress, examining the scientific, financial, and social forces behind the development of artificial energy. From wood to coal to oil and beyond, each new invention was informed by those that came before it. But while these technologies ushered in new promise, they also brought with them new challenges that were not always anticipated, including environmental impact.

Who should read Energy?

  • Science buffs interested in the development of world-changing ideas
  • People curious about the origins of modern technology
  • Environmental activists who want to learn about the struggle between innovation, capitalism, and environmental protection

50
What is Life?

What is Life?

Erwin Schrödinger
With Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches
4.4 (280 ratings)

What's What is Life? about?

What is Life? (1944) is a classic scientific text based on a series of lectures given at Trinity College, Dublin, by famous physicist Erwin Schrödinger. Though Schrödinger was a physicist, these lectures addressed issues in biology and genetics –⁠ primarily the fundamental question of how physics and chemistry can account for the processes that occur within living organisms. The concepts he explored went on to spark a revolution in genetics, inspiring, among others, the biologists James D. Watson and Francis Crick, who together proposed the double helix structure of DNA.

Who should read What is Life??

  • Science geeks
  • Big-picture thinkers, ponderers, and questioners
  • Anyone who loves getting to the bottom of how the universe works

51
Longpath

Longpath

Ari Wallach
Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs - an Antidote for Short-Termism
4.3 (256 ratings)

What's Longpath about?

Longpath (2022) is written to change the way you think about humankind. By teaching the lessons of the Longpath mentality, it shows how to break the bad habit of short-term thinking and embrace a mentality that helps connect humanity’s past, present, and future in order to make a better world. 

Who should read Longpath?

  • Individuals interested in improving their connection to others
  • Anyone held back by short-term thinking
  • Policymakers at the local, state, or federal level

52
1491

1491

Charles C. Mann
New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
4.5 (202 ratings)

What's 1491 about?

1491 (2005) is a study of the Western Hemisphere before 1492, the year in which an Italian sailor employed by the Spanish empire first set foot in the Americas. Within a century of Columbus’s “discovery” of the New World, some of humanity’s most sophisticated cultures had all but disappeared. In 1491, Charles Mann sets out to recover their ways of life and remarkable achievements.

Who should read 1491?

  • History buffs
  • Myth-busters 
  • Americaphiles

53
Extra Life

Extra Life

Steven Johnson
A Short History of Living Longer
4.4 (56 ratings)

What's Extra Life about?

Extra Life (2021) looks at some of the breakthroughs that allowed the global human life expectancy to double in just one hundred years. From seat belts to explosives, from Ireland to Constantinople, it’s an account as gripping as it is wide-ranging.

Who should read Extra Life?

  • History buffs interested in lesser-known tales from times past 
  • Medical nerds fascinated by the history of human health
  • Humanitarians who want to learn from past progress

54
Some Assembly Required

Some Assembly Required

Neil Shubin
Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA
4.1 (41 ratings)

What's Some Assembly Required about?

Some Assembly Required (2020) is an approachable account of the great transformations in the history of life. Paleontologist Neil Shubin started his career looking to fossils for the answers to life’s greatest questions – but with recent scientific advancements, he argues that studying DNA reveals more about the journey we took to become human.

Who should read Some Assembly Required?

  • People interested in the history of evolution
  • Science enthusiasts
  • Anyone who loves an amazing factoid

55
Our Wild Calling

Our Wild Calling

Richard Louv
How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives—and Save Theirs
4.5 (43 ratings)

What's Our Wild Calling about?

Our Wild Calling (2020) examines how humans and other animals can enjoy mutually beneficial relationships. It explores stories and philosophy from the ecological movement, and outlines how we can move toward a more hopeful future for all Earthlings. 

Who should read Our Wild Calling?

  • Nature lovers looking for inspiration
  • Office dwellers seeking ways to reconnect with nature
  • Anyone looking for direct ways to respond to global climate change

56
The Emerald Planet

The Emerald Planet

David Beerling
How Plants Changed Earth's History
4.6 (33 ratings)

What's The Emerald Planet about?

The Emerald Planet (2007) looks at the central role plants have played in shaping the planet and its environment. New research makes use of plants, both fossilized and living, to explain how the planet got where it is, and where it might go in the future. The Emerald Planet inspired a three-part BBC series called How to Grow a Planet.

Who should read The Emerald Planet?

  • Anyone interested in plant biology and paleobotany
  • People who want to learn more about ancient mass extinctions
  • Evolutionary science enthusiasts

57
Open

Open

Johan Norberg
The Story of Human Progress
4.5 (65 ratings)

What's Open about?

Open (2020) traces the progress of ancient and modern human accomplishments, and reveals that behind all of our major advancements is a policy of openness, tolerance, and free trade. You’ll see how, from the Phoenicians to the Dutch East India Trading Company, the free flow of commerce and ideas has led to wealth, innovation, and problem-solving that would have never been possible otherwise.

Who should read Open?

  • History buffs
  • Those interested in the Brexit debate
  • People keen to know the secrets of innovation and progress

58
A Brief History of Motion

A Brief History of Motion

Tom Standage
From the Wheel, to the Car, to What Comes Next
4.3 (93 ratings)

What's A Brief History of Motion about?

A Brief History of Motion (2021) provides a revealing overview of the history, and possible future, of the automobile. From the invention of the wheel, to early steam engine contraptions and the enticing promises of automated cars, you’ll find out how these vehicles changed the course of human history, and the unexpected problems they’ve caused along the way. 

Who should read A Brief History of Motion?

  • Gearheads
  • Anyone concerned about climate change 
  • Investors wondering about the future of transportation

59
What to Do When You’re New

What to Do When You’re New

Keith Rollag
How to be Comfortable, Confident, and Successful in New Situations
4.1 (35 ratings)

What's What to Do When You’re New about?

What to Do When You’re New (2015) is the result of Rollag’s 20 years of research on why people become anxious and stressed in new situations. It provides strategies for changing your outlook on new situations and offers techniques for handling such situations with comfort and confidence.

Who should read What to Do When You’re New?

  • Those who get anxious in unfamiliar situations
  • Employees new on the job
  • Students transferring to a new school

60
Oxygen

Oxygen

Nick Lane
The Molecule That Made the World
4.3 (26 ratings)

What's Oxygen about?

Oxygen (2002) is a guide to the element that is so essential to our very existence that we sometimes forget it even exists. These blinks explain how oxygen enables and boosts life on earth while simultaneously threatening it.

Who should read Oxygen?

  • Anybody fascinated by the evolution of life on Earth
  • Anyone interested in biology, chemistry or physics

61
Your Inner Fish

Your Inner Fish

Neil Shubin
A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body
4.7 (16 ratings)

What's Your Inner Fish about?

Drawing on findings from paleontology, genetics and developmental biology, Your Inner Fish describes the evolutionary history of the human body, tracing it back to the fish. The author shows how studying fossils, genes and embryonic development can help us understand our complex evolutionary past.

Who should read Your Inner Fish?

●  Anyone who wants to know more about our evolutionary past
●  Anyone interested in genetics, developmental biology and paleontology
●  Anyone who wants to know how we can detect the inner fish in our bodies


62
Too Much of a Good Thing

Too Much of a Good Thing

Lee Goldman
How Four Key Survival Traits Are Now Killing Us
3.5 (11 ratings)

What's Too Much of a Good Thing about?

The human body evolved to allow us to survive in a world very different from the one we inhabit today. These blinks explain why we’re not suited to the modern world, and the health complications we’re suffering as a result.

Who should read Too Much of a Good Thing?

  • People suffering from obesity, high blood pressure, depression or coronary illnesses
  • Medical professionals
  • Anyone interested in genetics or evolution

63
Falling Upwards

Falling Upwards

Richard Holmes
How We Took to The Air
3.9 (12 ratings)

What's Falling Upwards about?

Falling Upwards (2014) details the surprisingly rich history of hot-air balloons. It begins with the first successful human attempts to take to the air using balloons and goes on to chronicle their clandestine role in escape attempts and military ventures. From daring balloonists from the golden age of ballooning to the literature they inspired, it’s all covered here.

Who should read Falling Upwards?

  • Anyone with a taste for exploration and invention
  • Science enthusiasts
  • Historians of science

64
Diversity and Complexity

Diversity and Complexity

Scott E. Page
How Diversity Can Contribute to The Performance of Adaptive Systems

What's Diversity and Complexity about?

Diversity and Complexity (2011) offers an in-depth examination of the nature of the world's complex systems, from natural ecosystems to economic markets. It outlines the reasons that diversity within such systems is so crucial, as well as showing how diversity helps fuel innovation and novelty.

Who should read Diversity and Complexity?

  • Scientists or graduate students who study biology, ecology or evolution
  • Political scientists interested in complex social systems
  • Economists or marketers wanting to learn more about how innovation happens

65
The Boom

The Boom

Russell Gold
How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World

What's The Boom about?

The Boom looks at the development and consequences of fracking, meaning the controversial drilling of shale gas and oil.

Who should read The Boom?

  • Anyone interested in environmentalism or earth science
  • Anyone interested in the future of US energy policy
  • Anyone who wants to understand why fracking is so controversial

66
Normal Accidents

Normal Accidents

Charles Perrow
Living with High-Risk Technologies

What's Normal Accidents about?

Normal Accidents delves into the accidents that can and have occurred in high-risk environments, like nuclear plants and dams, airplanes and even space. It shows us how mind-bogglingly complex modern systems have become, and that no one could possibly predict the trivial failures that cascade into catastrophe.

Who should read Normal Accidents?

  • Anyone involved in complicated operations, like start-ups, research operations, or project management
  • Perfectionists or technological solutionists
  • Anyone who travels by plane or ship

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