“In Praise of Slowness” by Carl Honoré (ep. 009)
But it’s loaded with data on surveys about things most people already recognize, like working less reduces stress, and eating better is…better. No one needs a study to tell them that.
“Out of Office” by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen (ep. 008)
You’ll like this book if you’re interested in history of work, urban planning, technology, and hard truths about focusing on our lives and not just our work.
“The Secret Life of Groceries” by Benjamin Lorr (ep. 007)
I thought this book was going to be about things I already knew about groceries—how they’re arranged, how terrible the animal rights violations are, etc. But it was so much more than that. Well-researched, clearly from lived experiences, and excellent writing bring this otherwise everyday topic to life.
“Mediocre” by Ijeoma Oluo (ep. 006)
If you think starting a conversation by saying liberals are snobs, weak, idiots, etc. is a poor way of making an argument, then you have the inverse of how this book starts.
If you think starting a conversation by saying conservatives are racist, ignorant, mean, etc. is a poor way of making an argument, then you have some of the premise of this book.
Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado (ep. 005)
Life is worth living. Do not waste a breath. In October 1972, a plane carrying dozens of Rugby players from Uruguay to Chile crashed in the Andes mountains. This book is the first-person account of the events that happened until December when they were finally rescued.