This edition has a couple, somewhat topical non-fiction titles. That’s kind of where my brain is out right now. There’s also some translated magical realism and a crafting book.
The Chaos Machine
I wouldn’t say this is an uplifting read, but it sure is eye-opening. I think it’s especially pertinent right now.
From a New York Times investigative reporter, this “authoritative and devastating account of the impacts of social media” (New York Times Book Review) tracks the high-stakes inside story of how Big Tech’s breakneck race to drive engagement—and profits—at all costs fractured the world. The Chaos Machine is “an essential book for our times” (Ezra Klein).
We all have a vague sense that social media is bad for our minds, for our children, and for our democracies. But the truth is that its reach and impact run far deeper than we have understood. Building on years of international reporting, Max Fisher tells the gripping and galling inside story of how Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social network preyed on psychological frailties to create the algorithms that drive everyday users to extreme opinions and, increasingly, extreme actions. As Fisher demonstrates, the companies’ founding tenets, combined with a blinkered focus on maximizing engagement, have led to a destabilized world for everyone.
Traversing the planet, Fisher tracks the ubiquity of hate speech and its spillover into violence, ills that first festered in far-off locales, to their dark culmination in America during the pandemic, the 2020 election, and the Capitol Insurrection. Through it all, the social-media giants refused to intervene in any meaningful way, claiming to champion free speech when in fact what they most prized were limitless profits. The result, as Fisher shows, is a cultural shift toward a world in which people are polarized not by beliefs based on facts, but by misinformation, outrage, and fear.
His narrative is about more than the villains, however. Fisher also weaves together the stories of the heroic outsiders and Silicon Valley defectors who raised the alarm and revealed what was happening behind the closed doors of Big Tech. Both panoramic and intimate, The Chaos Machine is the definitive account of the meteoric rise and troubled legacy of the tech titans, as well as a rousing and hopeful call to arrest the havoc wreaked on our minds and our world before it’s too late.
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How to Survive a Plague
This also has a documentary of the same name, which I believe came out before the book. One of my more politics-involved friends is reading it right now as a way of connecting more with science activism causes.
A definitive history of the successful battle to halt the AIDS epidemic, here is the incredible story of the grassroots activists whose work turned HIV from a mostly fatal infection to a manageable disease. Almost universally ignored, these men and women learned to become their own researchers, lobbyists, and drug smugglers, established their own newspapers and research journals, and went on to force reform in the nation’s disease-fighting agencies. From the creator of, and inspired by, the seminal documentary of the same name, How to Survive a Plague is an unparalleled insider’s account of a pivotal moment in the history of American civil rights.
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Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon
Imagine if Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Teller of Small Fortunes had a cousin.
A suspenseful magical realism novel about a mysterious teenage “Go-Between” who arranges meetings between the living and the dead, from multimillion copy Japanese bestselling author Mizuki Tsujimura.
I bring together the living and the departed. I am the Go-Between.
When a young woman from Tokyo contacts the Go-Between to request a meeting with a deceased TV star who once helped her, she doesn’t expect a teenage boy to show up. Dressed in a designer duffel coat and carrying a tattered notebook, Ayumi Shibuya, our mysterious intermediary, offers an extraordinary he reunites the living with their dearly departed. Meeting his clients at a luxury hotel, Ayumi lays down the ground each reunion is a one-time arrangement that the dead can refuse; the service is entirely free, and the meeting must take place during a full moon.
As Ayumi arranges these reunions, we encounter a resentful eldest son who wants to ask his mother to unearth the deeds to a plot of land; a teenage girl who blames herself for her best friend’s death; and a weary businessman seeking answers about his fiancée’s disappearance days after he proposed. With each rendezvous, clues begin to surface, leading readers to unravel the mystery of the boy in the duffel coat, whose own story is eventually revealed.
A runaway, multimillion copy bestseller in Japan, Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is storytelling at its finest, from an international sensation whose work has been hailed as “strange and beautiful” (The Guardian). With an artful balance of heart and mystery, Mizuki Tsujimura creates an unforgettable page-turner in which the living and the dead are given one last chance for closure.
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Unofficial Bridgerton Embroidery
Is it too early to start talking about gift books for the holidays?
Create elegant, Regency-inspired embroidery projects with Unofficial Bridgerton Embroidery, bringing the opulence of your favorite Netflix drama to your stitching.
Inspired by the hit Netflix series and Julia Quinn’s bestselling books, this collection of in-the-hoop embroidery projects lets you stitch your way into the lavish world of Bridgerton. With easy-to-follow instructions and stunning designs, you can create elegant keepsakes and accessories fit for royalty. Perfect for both beginners and experienced embroiderers, each project captures the beauty, charm, and drama of the Bridgerton universe.
Whether you’re looking to re-create the grandeur of Lady Danbury’s diadem or craft a project reminiscent of the Featherington sisters’ vibrant wardrobe, this book offers everything you need to bring the magic of Bridgerton into your stitching. Easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials for basic embroidery stitches help embroidery debutants stitch projects fit for Queen Charlotte, while experienced stitchers of The Ton enjoy recreating iconic motifs!
20 unique in-the-hoop embroidery: Beautiful designs inspired by the Bridgerton series and popular motifs of the Regency era.
Step-by-step instructions for basic: From beginner-friendly to advanced projects, you’ll be able to make any design with the comprehensive stitch guides.
Go beyond the master in-the-hoop methods and create stunning pieces with ease.
High-quality photos and visual guides help you bring the opulence of Bridgerton into your home.
Unofficial Bridgerton Embroidery is your ticket to creating handcrafted pieces inspired by the beloved world of Bridgerton—perfect for gifts, home décor, and more!
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