Our review of : Before Brooklyn

Killers of the Flower Moon is a nonfiction book by David Grann about the murders of 24 Native Americans in Osage County, Oklahoma during the 1920s. The FBI began investigating these killings in 1924 and was able to solve them with help from Tulsa law enforcement officials and Texas Rangers. For who is this book [...]

The Warmth of Other Suns is a historical account of the great migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North and West between 1915 and 1970. Isabel Wilkerson meticulously researched and documented this little-known chapter in American history, amassing over 3000 interviews with former migrants. The result is a gripping, eye-opening [...]

David Graeber’s The Dawn of Everything is a comprehensive and insightful history of humanity that offers readers a new perspective on the origins and development of our species. From prehistoric times to the present day, Graeber provides an engaging and accessible account of human civilization that will appeal to anyone interested in learning more about [...]

How the Word is Passed takes an unflinching look at America’s history of slavery. It moves beyond traditional narratives that focus narrowly on the institution in the South, instead reckoning with how racism and its legacy have played out across the country. The book offers a searing indictment of white supremacy while also celebrating Black [...]

‘Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win’, is a book written by Jocko Willink which chronicles the author’s time as a SEAL officer, and how he applied the principles of ‘extreme ownership’ to lead his troops to victory in some of America’s most high-profile military engagements during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The book provides [...]

The Man Without a Face is a riveting and alarming account of the rise to power of Vladimir Putin, one of the most enigmatic and powerful leaders in recent history. Journalist Masha Gessen traces Putin’s trajectory from rural obscurity to president of Russia, uncovering along the way his dark secrets and mysterious past. This richly [...]

This is a book about the Vanderbilt dynasty – one of America’s most famous and powerful families. It tells the story of their rise to power, as well as their eventual fall from grace. The book is written by Anderson Cooper, an acclaimed journalist and TV personality who happens to be related to the Vanderbilts [...]

In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer draws on her life as a scientist and a member of the Potawatomi Nation to explore the connections between traditional indigenous teachings and modern scientific knowledge. She demonstrates that both systems are based on observation, rationality, and respect for the land-and that by integrating these two ways of knowing [...]

In The Bomber Mafia, Malcolm Gladwell tells the story of a group of Canadian airmen who became obsessed with bombing Germany during World War II. These men were determined to take down as many enemy targets as possible, and they were willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. The bomber mafia was [...]

In this sweeping, century-spanning history of American race relations, Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson argues that the social caste system in America is not based on skin color but on African Americans’ origin—a “caste” derived from slavery. Wilkerson chronicles two centuries of race relations in America, from the arrival of the first. For who is [...]

The Way Forward is a history book written by Robert O’Neill. The book chronicles some of the most pivotal moments in human history, and examines how individuals have faced and overcome adversity to create lasting legacies. O’Neill draws on his own experiences as a Navy Seal officer to provide insights into what it takes to [...]

The Woman Who Smashed Codes tells the extraordinary story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, a codebreaking genius whose work helped win World War II. Friedman was born in Chicago in 1892 and came from a family of accomplished women. She originally wanted to be an actress, but she eventually pursued cryptography instead, learning how to break [...]