When I listed the recommended books for this summer, I realized that the themes of these books sounded rather heavy for holiday reading. They are about gender equality, political polarization, climate change and the cruel fact that life has never been as smooth as young people think. It doesn't sound like something suitable for reading on the beach.
But none of the following five books is heavy (although Lincoln highway has nearly 600 pages, which is really not light). Each author - three novelists, a journalist, and a scientist - is able to pick a rich topic and make it fascinating without sacrificing complexity.
I like these five books. I hope you can find some content you like from them. Welcome to share your recent good books in the comments area below.
01
The Power
Power
By Naomi Alderman
Power
By Naomi Alderman
I am glad that I read this novel on the recommendation of my eldest daughter. It cleverly uses the idea - what if all the women in the world suddenly had the ability to produce a fatal electric shock—— To explore gender roles and gender equality. When I read power, I had a stronger and deeper feeling about the abuse and injustice experienced by many women today. I would also like to express my gratitude to those who have worked to solve these problems in the United States and around the world.
02
Why We’re Polarized
Why are we polarized
By Ezra Klein
Why are we polarized
By Ezra Klein
I am generally optimistic about the future, but one thing that worries me is the growing polarization in the United States, especially in politics. In this insightful book, Klein convincingly demonstrates that the cause of this division is identity - the human instinct that allows our group identity to guide our decision-making. This book is fundamentally about American politics, but its observations on human psychology are also fascinating.
03
The Lincoln Highway
Lincoln highway
By Amor Towles
Lincoln highway
By emertoles
As early as 2019, I included TOLES' Moscow gentleman in my summer book list, but I prefer this subsequent novel. The story takes place in 1954. It is about two brothers trying to drive from Nebraska to California to find their mother. Their trip was disrupted by a grumpy boy his brother knew. Taking inspiration from the famous heroic journey, TOLES seems to be saying that our personal journey has never been as smooth or predictable as we might hope.
04
The Ministry for the Future
Future Department (temporary translation of Chinese name)
By Kim Stanley Robinson
Future Department (temporary translation of Chinese name)
Author: Kim Stanley Robinson
Last year, when I was promoting my new book on climate change, many people told me that I should read this novel because it vividly expressed many of the problems I had written. I'm glad I read this book because it's great. It is so complex that it is difficult to summarize, but Robinson presents an exciting and fascinating story, spanning decades and continents, full of fascinating ideas and characters.
05
How the World Really Works
How the world works
By Vaclav smil
How the world works
Author: vaclavsmir
This is another masterpiece of a writer I like. Most of Vaclav's books read like textbooks and discussed a topic in depth. But this book is different. It is written for ordinary readers. It is an overview of his main professional fields. If you want to make a brief but comprehensive study of various fundamental forces shaping human life from the perspective of digital thinking, this is the book you want to read. This book is a masterpiece.