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Neil Shubin’s “Your Inner Fish” tells the story of evolution by tracing the organs of the human body back millions of years, long before the first creatures walked the earth.
Shubin shows us that our hands actually resemble fish fins, our head is organized like that of a long-extinct jawless fish, and major parts of our genome look and function like those of worms and bacteria.
In “Lost Realms,” Thomas Williams focuses on nine kingdoms representing every corner of the island of Britain.
From the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coastline, from the Welsh borders to the Thames Estuary, Williams uncovers the forgotten life and untimely demise of realms that hover in the twilight between history and fable.
This is a book about those lands and peoples who fell by the wayside: the lost realms of early medieval Britain.
Author: Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint
“Names for Light” traverses time and memory to weigh three generations of a family’s history against a painful inheritance of postcolonial violence and racism.
In spare, lyric paragraphs framed by white space, Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint explores home, belonging, and identity by revisiting the cities in which her parents and grandparents lived. As she makes inquiries into their stories, she intertwines oral narratives with the official and mythic histories of Myanmar, according to a review on goodreads.com.
While her family’s stories move into the present, her own story ― that of a writer seeking to understand who she is―moves into the past, until both converge at the end of the book.
Author: Becky Diamond
Food historian Becky Diamond’s “The Gilded Age Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from America’s Golden Era,” published in 2022, is an invitation to step into the lavish dining rooms of late 19th-century America — particularly between 1868-1900 — a time when grand opulence and excess defined both social life and cuisine.
The book, which is part-history, part-recipe collection, captures the grandeur of a period that saw the rise of grand hotels, extravagant banquets and a growing fascination with French-inspired fine dining in the US.
Each recipe — ranging from elegant terrapin stew to delicate oyster patties — is accompanied by historical context, allowing readers the chance to imagine, not only how the food was prepared, but why it was significant. Some seem easy enough by today’s standards.
Through anecdotes of extravagant multi-course feasts and the social norms surrounding them, Diamond paints a vivid picture of a time that valued culinary spectacle as much as social status.
The inclusion of detailed notes on dining etiquette, such as the correct way to serve a souffle or the intricacies of formal table settings, adds layers of authenticity to the reading experience.
The book features some menus of the time, showcasing what one could get for $1. Spoiler alert; it was a lot.
It also highlights how many of the glittering Gilded Age mansions of New York and Newport were built by the railroads — which made food transport much easier and, as a result, allowed people the ability to enjoy more foods and more elaborate meals.
Ultimately, “The Gilded Age Cookbook” is a feast for both the mind and the palate, offering historical spoonfuls alongside a delightful — if slightly questionable — selection of recipes to try.
Author: William Stroebel
In 1923, the Greco-Turkish Population Exchange uprooted and swapped nearly 2 million Christians and Muslims, “pacifying” the so-called Near East through ethnic partition and refugeehood.
This imposition of borders not only uprooted peoples from their place in the world; it also displaced many of their stories from a place in world literature. In “Literature’s Refuge,” William Stroebel recovers and weaves together work by fugitive writers, oral storytellers, readers, copyists, editors, and translators dispersed by this massive “unmixing” of populations and the broader border logic that it set in motion.
Stroebel argues that two complementary forces emerged as a template for the Eastern Mediterranean’s cultural landscape: the modern border, which reshuffled people through a system of filters and checkpoints; and modern philology, which similarly reshuffled their words and works.
Author: Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” first published in 1936, is still a staple of the self-help genre.
Its advice on building relationships and navigating social dynamics has not lost relevance. The central idea? Ditch the self-focused mindset and prioritize empathy — Carnegie insists real influence starts with authenticity and mutual respect.
The book breaks down his philosophy into straightforward rules: Don’t criticize people, give honest praise, and get others excited about their goals.
He also stresses the value of listening deeply, famously noting that you will make more friends by showing curiosity about others than by trying to impress them.
Packed with stories — from boardroom deals to casual chats — Carnegie shows how humility and emotional intelligence can turn conflicts into collaborations.
What makes Carnegie’s approach work is its simplicity. He avoids slick manipulation tricks, arguing instead for small, sincere gestures.
Sure, advice such as smiling more or using someone’s name might sound obvious, but these acts of kindness lay the groundwork for trust.
The book blends psychology with actionable tips, demystifying what drives human behavior.
Some critics call parts of his formula outdated, but Carnegie’s focus on understanding others hits home now more than ever.
His ideas have shaped everyone from Warren Buffett to today’s startup founders, proving that connecting with people never goes out of style.
For modern readers, the book does two things: It calls out our habit of treating relationships like transactions, then hands us the tools to fix it. In a world glued to screens, Carnegie’s push for genuine, in-person communication feels almost revolutionary.
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” is not just about climbing the ladder — it is about doing it without losing yourself.
As Carnegie wrote, “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” Nearly 90 years later, that balance still defines his message.
