Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – This one may already be my book of the year. An incredible look at human history and easily digestible.
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas – A short story will get you thinking deeply about the systems that take advantage of people. You can read it in 10 minutes then spend the next 10 hours in a daze.
The Wizard and the Prophet – A remarkable book that had me switching both sides. Sometimes I think technology is going to be the solution to the problems that lay ahead and, at the same time, I feel a pull that we need to return to a more sustainable model. Every problem has a solution otherwise it would be a situation.
On Anarchism – Anarchy is not the western definition we have been indoctrinated to believe. Rather, any person or structure that exercises authority over someone must be intensely scrutinized. And if that system cannot be justified we must replace it with something more just.
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark – Humans are more easily duped into believing things we cannot see and instead of putting their faith in what we can test. Everyone has faith, where then do you choose to put yours?
Capital in the Twenty-First Century – A very demanding book. The old adage that, “It takes money to make money” is true for a reason. This book proves why so many can’t get ahead regardless of the number of hours one works. Without business, financial, or real estate capital, it is very difficult to see upward mobility. I would recommend an audiobook for this one (if you can find it). The last 60 pages or so are really eye-opening and tie it all together.
Why We Sleep – Another good choice for audio. I get tired just listening to it (in a good way). If we are not prioritizing sleep we are robbing ourselves from a higher quality of life.