Worthy of a Read
The books of I.
One of the greatest challenges for a human being is how to “get out of their own head”: to see the world through another’s eyes, to understand how individual we all are, and that our vision of the world is unique to us and implies nothing about the visions of others.
The weakness of being stuck in your own head—this very human misunderstanding—leads to a particular danger that occurs any time one attempts to “make a recommendation” to a friend, to a co-worker, or to a relative:
“Oh, you’d love this movie!”
“Try this cilantro dressing—it's perfect!”
“This Bruce Springsteen album is the greatest ever!”
Your enthusiasm for a song or television show or the work of an artist may spring from a genuine belief in its beauty or its depth or originality, but what guarantee is there that others—anyone at all, really—will share your feelings?
The concept of “beauty” being “…in the eye of the beholder” is traceable as far back as Plato. Although Shakespeare nodded to the same concept in Love’s Labor Lost (“Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye…”), the particular phrasing we are familiar with today became common only by the 19th century. For example, the Irish novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (who often published under the playful pen name “The Duchess”) had one of her characters in her 1878 novel Molly Bawn use the phrase directly in a discussion with her sister about their lovely cousin:
The cousin! I am so glad. Anything new is such a relief. And I have heard she is beautiful: is she?
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” quotes Marcia, in a low tone, and with a motion of her hand toward the open door inside which sits Molly, that sends Lady Stafford upstairs without further parley.
Despite widespread awareness of this principle, we continue to fall into the trap of believing that what resonates with us the most, what brings us joy or brings us pleasure, will, in turn, bring resonatingly pleasurous joy to those around us—to people who quite clearly reside in a different body, have a different mind, and are formed by an uncountable number of experiences different from our own: who behold beauty in their own unique way.
So why do we do it?
We humans want to share delight; we like to pass on pleasure so that others can take a sip: it somehow feeds our souls. This instinct is not a failing—even if it’s often executed naively—and so here I am, wanting to share something with you (reading recommendations), but being careful along the way to never to imply that “you’ll love this!” My approach to avoiding the “recommendation trap” (perhaps I should rebrand them suggestions or proposals or endorsements) is simply to:
1. Share descriptions only of books that were a true joy to read or gave me great new insight
2. Recommend a limited number of books, but across a wide range of genres (two main books for each), hopefully hitting some target, some nail right on the head, in at least one area for each reader, thereby giving them a reason to be interested enough to consider my recommendation and its detail.
Imagine if every reader of books made their own list of this kind. Even if we don’t find interest in reading the books they’ve loved, what can we learn about a person from the literature they find most important in their lives? Let’s see…
A few points:
Age: There are books I’ve loved that were written in the 20th century, the 19th century, even the 5th century BC (Euripides), but any number of people are in a position recommend those. I want my suggestions to be fresh and accessible to as wide an audience as possible, so you’ll notice many of them are from the last few decades.
Content: I’ve striven to recommend books that are exciting to read, not ones that are “...a slog, but you’ll learn so much from them!”
Fiction? Sorry, but the Fiction section is skimpy. I have not been a prolific reader of fiction in my life, having found that the real world “is fascinating enough for me,” but that is starting to change (if you are mainly a fiction reader, you could just skip to that section at the end).
Here we go:
U.S. History
A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World (2008), by Tony Horwitz
This is a good one to start with: Horwitz’s writing is so fun to read and expertly crafted. He traces the arrivals in the Americas of the Vikings, the Spanish, and the French, but makes the scenes come alive by actually visiting those places that those people traveled through in the late 1400s, the 1500s and the early 1600s. He talks to people living there today and tells the stories that make that early part of modern American history come alive. A great idea for how to tell this story! And did I mention that it is truly fun to read?
These Truths: A History of the United States (2018), Jill Lepore
What “truths”? Why was the United States founded on what were claimed to be truths? Have we really followed the path laid out in our founding documents? Did we really mean it? I love Lepore’s way of telling an important story.
===Honorable Mention:
The Nation that Never Was: Reconstructing America’s Story (2022) - Kermit Roosevelt III
Similar in tone to the Lepore book, but the “reconstructing” in the title refers to the Reconstruction Era. Roosevelt argues that our nation was not so much founded in 1776, or even 1865, and takes a closer look at what followed Reconstruction to find the answers. Loved this book.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration (2010) - Isabel Wilkerson
“Epic” is right—you do have to be ready to read a very long book, but it is worth it: very well-researched, beautifully-written and, to me, more impressive than the book she wrote next, Caste. (The style and depth almost remind me of another great book: Common Ground, by J. Anthony Lukas, centered on Boston’s busing crisis of the early 1970s.)
Local History:
A City So Grand: The Rise of an American Metropolis, Boston 1850-1900 (2010), by Stephen Puleo
Puleo is a well-known local historian and author. I’ve read several of his books (and gone to a talk he gave), but this one puts in the hands the reader a comprehensive understanding of why modern Boston is the way it is today, by describing what he argues are its most formative years. You’ll understand Boston more deeply after reading A City So Grand.
Harvard Square: A Love Story (2023), by Catherine J. Turco
Anyone who has felt past or present love for Harvard Square should get a lot out of this book. It talks about The Square as a marketplace from its earliest days and how it changed over the years, with each successive generation complaining that it “ain’t what it used to be,” which kind of implies that it has had several great eras over its long history.
===Honorable mention, both great books, focusing on different cultural aspects of Boston:
The Boston Irish: A Political History (1995) - Thomas H. O’Connor
Boston Boy: Growing Up with Jazz and Other Rebellious Passions (1986) - Nat Hentoff
…and I can’t leave out…
Eden on the Charles: The Making of Boston (2010) - Michael Rawson
Biographies/Memoirs:
Never Look an American in the Eye (2016), by Okey Ndibe
Ndibe is a Nigerian and writes like one—if you read the book, you’ll know what I mean and that it’s not an insult. If you’ve ever lived in the Amherst area, you’ll get some extra fun out of this, given the setting. Very interesting, funny, and enjoyable read.
Finding Me: A Memoir (2022), by Viola Davis
Davis had a very complex and tortuous path to fame—her fascinating memoir is about the path and not the fame. She lived for a time in Rhode Island when she was young and so there’s an interesting New England connection.
===Honorable mention:
Harriet Jacobs: A Life (2004) - Jean Fagin Yellin
Jacobs was born into slavery, but escaped that particular hell (how that part of the story plays out alone is worth reading about) and lived a long and eventful life. She actually wrote her own autobiography, but this is a modern account and includes her time in Cambridge, Massachusetts (she’s buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery).
Mala’s Cat (2022) - Mala Kacenberg
A memoir whose premise might be hard to see the joy in, but was thoroughly engaging: a young girl’s family is deported from Poland and she hides from the Nazis in the forest for a surprisingly long time—and with a surprisingly resilient cat. Several of my friends have also read this, and all have loved it.
===More biographies, because so many are so good:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965)- Alex Haley
A “classic”, but still very powerful story of a hugely important American figure.
Never Caught: the Story of Ona Judge (2019) - Erica Armstrong Dunbar
George Washington had a slave. She escaped. He hunted her, but failed. Fascinating story.
Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (2011) - Justin Martin
If you know, you know.
To Tell the Truth Freely: The Life of Ida B. Wells (2009) - Mia Bay
We know the name Ida B. Wells, but this book lets you see her resilience and power and importance to our history.
Sociology/Politics:
Can We Talk about Israel? (2021), by Daniel Sokatch
This is one of those books that was so well thought through, so focused, so balanced, so readable, that it helped me to take in any news about the region with a depth of understanding I had never had before. I’ve recommended it to several people who have all read it and agreed.
Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist (2018) - Eli Saslow
Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be an outright Neo-Nazi…and then change your mind? The guy was the son and heir apparent of a white nationalist leader and then opened his eyes. Fascinating.
===Honorable mention:
South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation (2022) - Imani Perry
The first lines are “We all think we know the South.” Northerners do have that kind of arrogance, don’t they? Perry takes the trip and travels to many of the places many of us have heard of but don’t really know.
China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power (2006) - Rob Gifford
It’s a big and mysterious place. Most of us have never been there. Gifford is an expert at helping us begin to understand the history and culture and people.
Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China (2017) - Peter Hessler
A beautifully-written piece that bounces between the past and present, focuses on real, regular people in China and is a great companion to China Road.
Supreme Court Decisions: A selection of the landmark Supreme Court decisions that have shaped American society (2012) - Richard Beeman
Every American should probably read this, or a book like it. I found it truly fascinating. Well-written, every paragraph made me pause to think—and it’s only 172 pages!
Nature/Travel:
Sandstone Spine: Seeking the Anasazi on the First Traverse of the Comb Ridge (2006) - David Roberts
The author and two old friends decided to traverse the 100 miles that make up the Comb Ridge (in Utah & Arizona). It’s about nature, about the Southwest in particular, about hiking, the Anasazi people, the nature of ruins and exploration. Roberts was a mountaineer, professor, and author of dozens of well-written books; he lived in Cambridge for several years.
127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2004) - Aron Ralston
You may have seen the movie? If not, you’re in for a treat to read the book before the movie. It’s a riveting and reflective 127 hours and puts the reader in the position of asking: what would I do? It’s also a true story of Aron Ralston’s love of hiking and fight for survival.
Bicycles and Bicycling:
Bicycle: the History (2006) - David Herlihy
For a machine that many use every day, most of us know very little of “the backstory.” This is the best history of the bicycle I’ve ever read. Filled with surprises about the entire timeline of the device that billions use to move forward.
Life is a Wheel: A Passage Across America by Bicycle (2014) - Bruce Weber
There was a time where I got really into accounts of people who have biked around the world. This was the most recent of them and does not disappoint. Be ready for an adventure—and since the author never knew what to expect, neither will you.
===Honorable mention:
It’s All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels (2010) - Rob Penn
He wanted to buy a new bike. He wrote a book. The book he wrote is about the history of bikes, but also the science and the happiness of bikes. Fun read.
Spirituality:
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind (1970) - Shunryu Suzuki
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind, there are few.” If you want to understand, close your eyes. Suzuki is there. I read it in college and “it worked for me.”
The Noble Eightfold Path (1984) - Bhikku Bodhi
What is the essence of Buddhism? What are its foundations, regardless of how it is practiced in different parts of the world? Does it have any gifts for you? This concise, clear, explanatory, and short book helped me to understand “the path.”
===Honorable mention. Two classics, with very very different feels:
Tao Te Ching - Gia-Fu Fen and Jane English 1972 translation of the 4th century Lao Tsu original.
The highest good is like water. It flows to the lowest places. The beauty of this translation and the images for each chapter give a naturally flowing peace.
The Upanishads - Eknath Easwaran’s 1987 translation of the 3rd century original
It’s a tale that preceded, and partially led to, Hinduism. The story connects the actions of individuals and groups to the spiritual and the cosmic. I was in the right mood for reading when I did in the 1990s and so if this sounds right for you now, enjoy.
Mathematical Explorations:
Fermat’s Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World’s Greatest Mathematical Problem (1997) - Simon Singh
Now we’re in the realm of books that I know are not for everyone. This book is incredibly well-written (I’ve read a half dozen books by this author), but of course this recommendation is for anyone with a strong interest in mathematics, and less so for others. (I recommend almost anything by Singh.)
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth (1998) - Paul Hoffman
For many years this man did not live anywhere. He would show up to mathematician’s homes around the world, unannounced, move in, do math with them for a few months, then leave. He’s a legend and Hoffman is great at telling his story.
The Mathematical Experience (1981) - Philip Davis & Ruben Hersh
There have been many similar books written in the 44 years since this was published, so this is a bit of a “classic,” but it’s a great one and it led me down many many interesting paths as a teacher of high school mathematics.
Computer Science:
The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution (2014) - Walter Isaacson
Walter Isaacson is one the great modern biographers. In this case, he is writing not about an individual, but about how a particular subculture worked—not just their innovations, but their personalities and what drove them. Isaacson is a great storyteller.
Nine Algorithms That Changed the Future: The Ingenious Ideas That Drive Today’s Computers (2011) - John MacCormick
How does Google’s PageRank work? It’s important to know! Also, cryptography, error-correcting codes, data compression, digital signatures, and more. This is a great enough book that I chose it to be given annually to my deserving computer science students alongside the Rochester Institute of Technology award.
A Love of Words:
Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries (2017) - Korey Stamper
If you love words and their complexities, you’ll love this book. If you don’t have a love for words, you might still, if you read this book. Stamper worked for Merriam-Webster and wow, does she have stories to tell. The thirteen pages that comprise the single chapter only about the word “take” will blow your mind.
The Dictionary Wars: The American Fight over the English Language (2019) - Peter Martin
In the early years of the American experiment, there was a drive to develop a dictionary of the English language that followed our own rules—to break away from England. From there, the story gets even more interesting with competing authors, disagreements, and a race to the finish. Fun!
FICTION:
Mystery/Crime:
Elmore Leonard:
Mr. Majestic, Stick, Glitz, Touch, Freaky Deaky, Killshot, Get Shorty, Maximum Bob…and about 20 more that came out after these
Elmore Leonard is just a great writer. He’s funny, he’s creative, he weaves a great tale. He doesn’t overdo violence or sex, but they’re in there. I could say the same about Robert Parker’s Spenser for Hire novels, set in Boston. In Leonard, you’ll learn something about other parts of the country (Detroit, Florida, Louisiana), in Parker, you have the fun of being a local yourself.
Lou Berney:
I exhausted all of the Leonard books a long time ago and recently found someone who wrote with that same kind of delivery and set of skills. There are two categories:
Shake Bouchon series (in order): Gutshot Striaight, Whiplash River, Double Barrel Bluff, …
Standalone novels: Long and Faraway Gone, November Road, …
Sci-Fi/Time Travel/Time Slip:
I got really into time travel (or “time slip”—google it) books along time ago. The first for me was Replay (1988) by Ken Grimwood. The main character kept slipping back in time to when he was younger. The first time, he realizes that he never met his wife and that the kids that he raised no longer exist. Rinse and repeat and you get quite a tale.
More timey books I’ve loved:
Timeline (1999) - Michael Crichton
How to Stop Time (2017) - Matt Haig
The Midnight Library (2020) - Matt Haig
Other:
Lessons in Chemistry (2022) - Bonnie Garmus
My son Adam gifted this to me and I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a fun and interesting read, set in the 1950s with rampant sexism bearing down on women, especially in male-dominated offices and in the scientific community. The protagonist has such a good approach to handling and pushing back on all that and there’s a really fun story behind it. Hard to describe how engaging it is—highly recommend. (I tried the Netflix series after reading the book and, like with most books, it does not do it justice.)
Home to Harlem (1928) - Claude McKay
Yes, I’m ending my list with an almost-100-year-old novel. While in college, Claude McKay was my favorite of the Harlem Renaissance writers: his poetry, his short stories, his novels. Home to Harlem dives right in from the first pages with a complex mix of cultures and how those cultures clash and understand each other. McKay was originally from Jamaica and brings the Jamaican expressionful style to his American writing.