Our review of : The 1619 Project

This book is about the Endurance expedition, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton, which set out to cross Antarctica in 1914. The ship was eventually crushed by ice pack and the crew had to abandon it, trekking across miles of frozen wasteland to find safety. Despite numerous hardships – including being stranded on an ice floe [...]

The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956 is a nonfiction book by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn that documents the existence of the Soviet Union’s forced labor camp system. The work consists of testimonies from survivors, as well as analysis and documentation from Solzhenitsyn himself. It is often considered to be one of the most important books on Russian history [...]

This book is all about the lessons that Navy SEALs learned during their training and how they applied them to parenting. Eric Davis, a former Navy SEAL himself, provides readers with an inside look at this unique fraternity of warriors and what it takes to become one. He also shares valuable wisdom on fatherhood and [...]

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 [...]

In The Nineties, Chuck Klosterman examines the era-defining decade through a cultural lens. He explores how technologies like cell phones and the internet changed both our personal lives and public discourse; he considers what made Kurt Cobain such an influential musician and why America’s politicians became so unpopular; he looks at how various figures—from Jean-Claude [...]

Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands is a disturbing and brilliantly executed study of the area between Hitler and Stalin that accounted for upwards of 14 million deaths. Snyder examines the policies and politics behind this staggering figure, as well as the personal experiences of those who lived through it. The result is both comprehensive and harrowing, painting [...]

In 1995, Barack Obama visited Kenya for the first time since he was two years old. He had come to see the land of his father’s birth and to learn more about the country where his family came from. Nearly two decades later, as president of the United States, he returned to Africa—this time with [...]

The Boys in the Boat tells the story of nine American rowers and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Led by team captain George Pocock and head coach Al Ulbrickson, these young men overcame incredible obstacles to achieve one of the most improbable victories in Olympic history. Their stirring tale provides [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

‘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 [...]

Money is a non-fiction book by Jacob Goldstein that tells the story of money and its history. The book includes several interviews with experts on the topic, as well as Goldstein’s own thoughts on money. It covers everything from ancient coins to modern day financial systems, and provides an in-depth look at how money has [...]