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Recommendations based on $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in Americaby Kathryn J. Edin
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
by Matthew Desmond
An exploration of eviction’s devastating consequences on the lives of the urban poor.
NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF, TIME,’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • One of the most acclaimed books of our time, this modern classic “has set a ... (Barnes & Noble)
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
by Bryan Stevenson
A powerful true story of justice and redemption, exposing the flaws of America's criminal justice system.
In 1989, idealistic young Harvard law graduate Bryan Stevenson travels to Alabama hoping to help fight for poor people who cannot afford proper legal representation. Teaming with Eva Ansley, he ... (Wikipedia)
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Michelle Alexander
Exploring the roots and reality of systemic racism in the U.S. criminal justice system.
"Jarvious Cotton's great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Klu Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting ... (Goodreads)
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei
Memoir of George Takei's childhood in Japanese-American internment camps during WWII and his journey to become an activist for social justice.
New York Times Bestseller!,A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei's childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the ... (Barnes & Noble)
Gratitude
by Oliver Sacks
A collection of essays on the importance of gratitude in life, written by the renowned neurologist and author Oliver Sacks.
“My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved. I have been given much and I have given something in return. Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on ... (Goodreads)
Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets
by Sudhir Venkatesh
An exploration of urban poverty and gang life, through the eyes of an unlikely researcher.
The story of the young sociologist who studied a Chicago crack-dealing gang from the inside captured the world's attention when it was first described in, Freakonomics,., Gang Leader for a Day, is ... (Goodreads)
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
by J.D. Vance
An exploration of the struggles of working-class Americans, and the power of family and culture to shape one's life.
Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis—that of white working-class Americans. The disintegration of this group, a process that has been slowly occurring now for ... (Goodreads)
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
by Jane Jacobs
Exposes the flaws of urban planning, advocating for a more organic approach.
A direct and fundamentally optimistic indictment of the short-sightedness and intellectual arrogance that has characterized much of urban planning in this century, The Death and Life of Great ... (Goodreads)
We Should All Be Feminists
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A call to action for an inclusive, gender-equal society through an examination of feminism.
What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists , a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by ... (Goodreads)
America
by Jon Stewart
A satirical take on American politics and democracy, filled with humor and wit.
Jon Stewart, host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show , and his coterie of patriots, deliver a hilarious look at American government. American-style democracy is the world's most ... (Goodreads)
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
by Immaculée Ilibagiza
True story of a woman's faith and resilience in the face of the Rwandan genocide.
Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family ... (Goodreads)
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A guide for raising children with feminist values, and advocating for gender equality.
From the best-selling author of, Americanah, and, We Should All Be Feminists, comes a powerful new statement about feminism today–written as a letter to a friend. A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi ... (Goodreads)
The Library Book
by Susan Orlean
A true story of the devastating 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library, and the mystery surrounding it.
On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not ... (Goodreads)
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
by Art Spiegelman
A graphic novel depicting the traumatic experiences of a Holocaust survivor and his son.
The first installment of the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust” (Wall Street Journal) and “the first ... (Goodreads)
How to Be an Antiracist
by Ibram X. Kendi
A guide to understanding and dismantling racism, exploring the history and impact of racist ideas and offering a path towards antiracism.
Ibram X. Kendi's concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America–but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ... (Goodreads)
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
by Reza Aslan
An examination of Jesus' life, death and legacy within the context of 1st century Judea.
From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as ... (Goodreads)
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
by Anne Fadiman
Exploring the cultural divide between the Hmong people and the medical establishment.
Lia Lee was born in 1982 to a family of recent Hmong immigrants, and soon developed symptoms of epilepsy. By 1988 she was living at home but was brain dead after a tragic cycle of misunderstanding, ... (Goodreads)
What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
by Randall Munroe
A humorous exploration of science, tackling the most bizarre questions with real-world scenarios.
Randall Munroe left NASA in 2005 to start up his hugely popular site XKCD 'a web comic of romance, sarcasm, math and language' which offers a witty take on the world of science and geeks. It now has ... (Goodreads)
Henry VIII: The King and His Court
by Alison Weir
A detailed account of the life and reign of Henry VIII, focusing on his court and the people who surrounded him.
Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power and celebrated for his intellect, presided over one of the most magnificent–and dangerous–courts in Renaissance Europe. Never before has a detailed, ... (Goodreads)
Love Her Wild
by Atticus Poetry
A collection of romantic poems that explore the beauty and complexity of love, nature, and the human experience.
The first collection of poetry by the, New York Times, bestselling author of, The Dark Between Stars., Love Her Wild is a collection of new and beloved poems from Atticus, the young writer who has ... (Barnes & Noble)
Anne Frank's Tales from the Secret Annex: A Collection of Her Short Stories, Fables, and Lesser-Known Writings
by Anne Frank
A collection of Anne Frank's lesser-known writings, including short stories and fables, showcasing her talent as a writer beyond her famous diary.
Hiding from the Nazis in the "Secret Annexe" of an old office building in Amsterdam, a thirteen-year-old girl named Anne Frank became a writer. The now famous diary of her private life and thoughts ... (Goodreads)
One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter
by Scaachi Koul
A collection of personal essays exploring identity, culture, and family, with humor and honesty.
A collection of essays about growing up the daughter of Indian immigrants in Canada, "a land of ice and casual racism," by the cultural observer, Scaachi Koul. In One Day We'll All Be Dead and None ... (Goodreads)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
by Atul Gawande
An exploration of the human experience of mortality and the importance of end-of-life care.
In, Being Mortal, author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending Medicine has triumphed in modern ... (Goodreads)
Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High
by Melba Pattillo Beals
An autobiographical account of a young African American student's struggle to attend an all-white high school in 1957.
In this essential autobiographical account by one of the Civil Rights Movement’s most powerful figures, Melba Pattillo Beals of the Little Rock Nine explores not only the oppressive force of racism, ... (Goodreads)
Below Stairs
by Margaret Powell
Memoir of a kitchen maid in early 20th century England, revealing the harsh realities of domestic service.
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants, Margaret Powell's classic memoir of her time in service is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she ... (Goodreads)
America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't
by Stephen Colbert
Entertaining and thought-provoking exploration of America's history, politics and culture.
Book nation, in the history of mankind there has never been a greater country than America . You could say we're the #1 nation at being the best at greatness. But as perfect as America is in every ... (Goodreads)
Where Am I Now?
by Mara Wilson
A memoir by former child actress Mara Wilson, reflecting on her life in and out of the spotlight.
For readers of Lena Dunham, Allie Brosh and Roxane Gay, this funny, poignant, daringly honest collection of personal essays introduces Mara Wilson—the former child actress best known for her starring ... (Goodreads)
Tears of the Silenced
by Misty Griffin
A memoir of a woman's escape from a polygamous cult and the abuse she endured.
#1 Best Seller in Cults & Demonism and Parenting & Relationships ─ Surviving Severe Child Abuse, Sexual Assault and Leaving the Amish Church A gripping story that takes you on the journey of a child ... (Barnes & Noble)
Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery
by Robert Kolker
The true story of the unsolved murders of five young women in Long Island, and the societal issues that contributed to their deaths.
Award-winning investigative reporter Robert Kolker delivers a humanizing account of the true-life search for a serial killer still at large on Long Island and presents the first detailed look at the ... (Goodreads)
Barefoot in Paris
by Ina Garten
A culinary journey through the streets of Paris, discovering the city's unique charm.
Hearty boeuf Bourguignon served in deep bowls over a garlic-rubbed slice of baguette toast; decadently rich croque monsieur, eggy and oozing with cheese; gossamer crème brulee, its sweetness offset ... (Goodreads)
