Big ideas, bold discussions, and insightful reads. Explore the most popular books on society, psychology, politics, philosophy, the history of ideas—and beyond. Dive into something new, revisit the familiar, or challenge your thinking with fresh perspectives. Did someone say genius?
Top list: Society and Social Sciences
Democracy at Work
Richard D. Wolff lays out a hopeful and concrete vision of how to make genuine democracy possible, addressing the many people who have concluded economic inequality and politics as usual can no longer be tolerated and are looking for a concrete program of action.
The Craftsman
In this thought-provoking book, Richard Sennett explores the work of craftsmen past and present, identifies deep connections between material consciousness and ethical values, and challenges received ideas about what constitutes good work in today's world.
Confronting Capitalism
A strategic guide to building a more democratic and egalitarian future.
The Untethered Soul : The Journey Beyond Yourself
Who are you? When you start to explore this question, you find out
how elusive it really is. Are you a physical body? A collection of
experiences and memories? A partner to relationships? Each time you consider these aspects of yourself, you realize that there is much more to you than any of these can define. In The Untethered Soul,
spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer explores the question of who we are and arrives at the conclusion that our identity is to be found in our
consciousness, the fact of our ability to observe ourselves, and the world around us. By tapping into traditions of meditation and
mindfulness, Singer shows how the development of consciousness can
enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful
thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and
self-realization.
The Untethered Soul offers a frank and friendly discussion of consciousness and how we can
develop it. In part one, Singer examines the notion of self and the inner dialogue we all live with. Part two examines the experience of energy as it flows through us and works to show listeners how to open their hearts to the energy of experience that permeates their lives. Ways to overcome tendencies to close down to the rest of the world are the subject of
part three. Enlightenment, the embrace of universal consciousness, is the subject of part four. And finally, in part five, Singer returns to daily life and the pursuit of unconditional happiness. Throughout, the book maintains a light and engaging tone, free from heavy dogma and prescriptive religious references. The easy exercises that figure in each chapter help listeners experience the ideas that Singer presents.
The Way Forward : Master Life's Toughest Battles and Create Your Lasting Legacy
“The Way Forward will help every reader master their own challenges—this is a must-read book!” —Admiral Bill McRaven, U.S. Navy (Retired) and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Make Your Bed
American Sniper meets Make Your Bed in these life lessons from decorated United States service members and New York Times bestselling authors Robert O’Neill and Dakota Meyer—an in-depth, fearless, and ultimately redemptive account of what it takes to survive and thrive on battlefields from Afghanistan and Iraq to our daily lives, and how the perils of war help us hold onto our humanity.
Rob O’Neill and Dakota Meyer are two of the most decorated and recognized US service members: O’Neill killed the world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, and Meyer was the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. But beyond their actions and courage in combat, O’Neill and Meyer also have much in common in civilian life: they are both sought-after public speakers, advocates for veterans, and share a non-PC sense of humor. Combining the best of military memoirs and straight-talking self-help, The Way Forward alternates between O’Neill’s and Meyer’s perspectives, looking back with humor at even the darkest war stories, and sharing lessons they learned along the way.
The Way Forward presents O’Neill and Meyer’s philosophy in combat and life. This isn’t a book about the glory of war and combat, but one about facing your enemies, some who are flesh and blood and some that are not: Your thoughts. Your doubts. Your boredom and your regrets. From Rob’s dogged repetition at the free throw line of his childhood basketball court to Dakota’s pursuit of EMT and firefighter credentials to aid accident victims, these two American heroes turn their experiences into valuable lessons for every reader.
Gritty and down-to-earth, O’Neill and Meyer tell their stories with candor and vulnerability to help readers handle stress, tackle their biggest obstacles, and exceed their expectations of themselves, while keeping life’s battles in perspective with a sense of humor.
Hell to Pay
Cate Corvin presents Book 2 in the Razing Hell series. Contains mature themes.
BioShock and Philosophy : Irrational Game, Rational Book
Considered a sign of the "coming of age" of video games as an artistic medium, the award-winning BioShock franchise covers vast philosophical ground. BioShock and Philosophy: Irrational Game, Rational Book presents expert reflections by philosophers (and BioShock connoisseurs) on this critically acclaimed and immersive fan-favorite.
● Reveals the philosophical questions raised through the artistic complexity, compelling characters, and absorbing plots of this ground-breaking first-person shooter (FPS)
● Explores what BioShock teaches the gamer about gaming, and the aesthetics of video game storytelling
● Addresses a wide array of topics including Marxism, propaganda, human enhancement technologies, political decision-making, free will, morality, feminism, transworld individuality, and vending machines in the dystopian society of Rapture
● Considers visionary game developer Ken Levine's depiction of Ayn Rand's philosophy, as well as the theories of Aristotle, de Beauvoir, Dewey, Leibniz, Marx, Plato, and others from the Hall of Philosophical Heroes
Unstressable : A Practical Guide to Stress-Free Living
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
This audiobook is read by the authors, Mo Gawdat and Alice Law.
From the author of Scary Smart, Unstressable applies Mo Gawdat's brilliant engineering mind and Alice Law's stress-management expertise to the 'stress pandemic'.
'Everything he writes is an enlightening education in how to be human.' - Elizabeth Day
This follow up to bestselling Solve For Happy will show you that chronic stress is not an unavoidable part of modern life, but a predictable – and therefore preventable – response, often as much to do with negative thought patterns as external circumstances. Mo explains how he made it through the most acutely stressful times in his own life, and the book touches on the idea of post-traumatic growth – both on a personal level and in response to huge events that affected all of us, such as the COVID pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil.
Practical exercises will help you build up the skills to manage stress no matter your circumstances, backed up by neuroscience and accessible psychology.
It Begins with You : The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER
The beloved relationship coach, teacher, and host of the top relationship podcast Jillian on Love reveals nine core truths about love and self-acceptance and provides powerful self-healing techniques and strategies to help us repair our relationship with ourselves and start building the rewarding relationships we deserve.
Jillian Turecki’s holistic, compassionate, yet no-nonsense approach to love has attracted a devoted following of millions. In her highly anticipated debut book, she makes clear that if you want a meaningful relationship filled with connection, security, and intimacy, you have to look within. The common denominator in all your relationships is you.
Drawing from decades of experience helping clients heal themselves and their relationships, It Begins with You introduces the 9 core truths we must accept in order to change our lives:
Truth 1: It begins with you. Truth 2: The mind is a battlefield. Truth 3: Lust is not the same thing as love. Truth 4: You have to love yourself. Truth 5: You must speak up and tell the truth. Truth 6: You need to be your best self (even after the honeymoon). Truth 7: You cannot convince someone to love you. Truth 8: No one is coming to save you. Truth 9: You must make peace with your parents. Blending therapeutic strategies, somatic techniques, client case studies, practical tools, tips, and guiding questions, It Begins with You gives us a roadmap to finally start doing the work needed to love ourselves and find the love we deserve. It's never too late to choose yourself.
Intimate Communion
David Deida, internationally known for his work in personal growth and intimate relationships, shares the deep understandings and effective techniques that he has refined through his twenty years of consultation, research, and spiritual practice.
The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values
New York Times bestselling author Sam Harris’s first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion. In the aftermath, Harris discovered that most people—from religious fundamentalists to non-believing scientists—agree on one point: science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, our failure to address questions of meaning and morality through science has now become the primary justification for religious faith.
In this highly controversial book, Sam Harris seeks to link morality to the rest of human knowledge. Defining morality in terms of human and animal well-being, Harris argues that science can do more than tell how we are; it can, in principle, tell us how we ought to be. In his view, moral relativism is simply false—and comes at an increasing cost to humanity. And the intrusions of religion into the sphere of human values can be finally repelled: for just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, there can be no Christian or Muslim morality. Using his expertise in philosophy and neuroscience, along with his experience on the front lines of our “culture wars,” Harris delivers a game-changing book about the future of science and about the real basis of human cooperation.
Life at the Bottom
A searing account of life in the underclass and why it persists as it does, written by a British psychiatrist.
Divine Might : Goddesses in Greek Myth
New York Times bestselling author Natalie Haynes returns to the world of ancient Greek myth in this scintillating follow-up to Pandora’s Jar.
Few writers today have reshaped our view of the ancient Greek myths more than revered bestselling author Natalie Haynes. Divine Might is a female-centered look at Olympus and the Furies, focusing on the goddesses whose prowess, passions, jealousies, and desires rival those of their male kin, including:
Athene, who sprang fully formed from her father’s brow (giving Zeus a killer headache in the process), the goddess of war and provider of wise counsel. Aphrodite, born of the foam (and sperm released from a Titan’s castrated testicles), the most beautiful of all the Olympian goddesses, the epitome of love who dispenses desire and inspires longing—yet harbors a fearsome vengeful side, doling out brutal punishments to those who displease her. Hera, Zeus’s long-suffering wife, whose jealousy born of his repeated dalliances with mortals, nymphs, and other goddesses, leads her to wreak elaborate and often painful revenge on those she believes have wronged her. (Well, wouldn’t you?) Demeter, goddess of the harvest and mother of Persephone; Artemis, the hunter and goddess of wild spaces; the Muses, the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory; and Hestia, goddess of domesticity and sacrificial fire. Infused with Haynes’s engaging charm and irrepressible wit, Divine Might is a refreshing take on the legends and stories we thought we knew.
Japan's Infamous Unit 731
This is a riveting and disturbing account of the medical atrocities performed in China during WWII.
Boyd
Robert Coram finally brings to light the remarkable story of John Boyd, a man who polarized all who knew him, but who left a legacy that will influence the military-and all of America-for decades to come.
Paid For
An astonishingly brave memoir of life in prostitution and its lingering influence on a woman's psyche and life.
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
“Smart, insightful, and warm. Dr. Julie is both the expert and wise friend we all need.” –Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and co-host of the ""Dear Therapists"" podcast?
Drawing on years of experience as a clinical psychologist, online sensation Dr Julie Smith provides the skills you need to navigate common life challenges and take charge of your emotional and mental health in her debut book.
Filled with secrets from a therapist's toolkit, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before teaches you how to fortify and maintain your mental health, even in the most trying of times. Dr Julie Smith’s expert advice and powerful coping techniques will help you stay resilient, whether you want to manage anxiety, deal with criticism, cope with depression, build self-confidence, find motivation, or learn to forgive yourself. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before tackles everyday issues and offers practical solutions in bite-sized, easy-to-digest entries which make it easy to quickly find specific information and guidance.
Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Packed with proven strategies, Dr. Julie’s empathetic guide offers a deeper understanding of how your mind works and gives you the insights and help you need to nurture your mental health every day. Wise and practical, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before might just change your life.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
One of the Good Guys : A Page-Turning Mystery Exploring Gender, Power and the Dark Side of "Nice Guys"
Try free nowOne of the Good Guys : A Page-Turning Mystery Exploring Gender, Power and the Dark Side of "Nice Guys"
The audiobook is narrated by Elliot Fitzpatrick, Olivia Vinall and Helen Keeley and also features Olivia Dowd, Paul Panting, Joe Gaminara and Heather Long.
'Araminta is one of the most daring and intriguing writers working today. This is a resonant, razor-laced and dangerously glittering novel' Gillian Flynn
'An absolutely thrilling tale, full of breathless cliffside terror and fresh feminist theory masked in tight, propulsive mystery. I devoured this book' Lisa Taddeo
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If most men say they’re one of the good guys, then why are so many women afraid to walk alone at night?
Cole is the perfect husband: a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.
So when Mel leaves him, he's floored. She was lucky to be with a man like him.
Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.
Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons. She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. It’s an undeniably scary location, but sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.
As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.
This is what happens when women have had enough . . .
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‘A dark, dazzling shock to the system. One of the Good Guys is clever, composed, exciting and frightening’
Chris Whitaker
'Scorching, smart and soaked in feminist rage, this is a suspense that stays with you long after the last page'
Ellery Lloyd
'It got me by the throat and wouldn’t let go. It’s creepy, thought-provoking, compelling and so very relevant'
Julie Cohen
'A mind-bending tour de force. Araminta Hall has always been one of my favorite writers, but what she has done here is groundbreaking. This thriller is shocking, twisted, dark, and absolutely on-point'
Samantha Downing
'A bold and on-point feminist thriller about gendered violence with Gone Girl twistiness and narrator unreliability'
Victoria Selman
'A dark, original and thought-provoking read. This book will hook you from the first page and keep you thinking long after the last'
Alice Feeney
Crushin' Candy
Maddison Cole presents Book 1 in the I Love Candy series. Contains mature themes.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Book Analysis) : Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
Try free nowHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Book Analysis) : Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
Unlock the more straightforward side of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, the first book in the bestselling series. In the novel, we are introduced to the Boy Who Lived and the wizarding world, which is inhabited by a range of colourful characters and fantastical creatures. In Harry’s first year at Hogwarts School at Witchcraft and Wizardry, he begins his magical education, shines on the Quidditch field and overcomes a series of sinister obstacles to find the mysterious Philosopher’s Stone. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the first novel in J.K. Rowling’s bestselling seven-book series, which has inspired films, video games, board games and even a theme park. Rowling is now a household name around the world, and her other books include The Casual Vacancy (2012) and The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013), which was published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
Find out everything you need to know about Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
•A complete plot summary
•Character studies
•Key themes and symbols
•Questions for further reflection
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