How to Be an Antiracist is a groundbreaking approach to understanding and uprooting racism and inequality in our society—and in ourselves. The author, Ibram X. Kendi, weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism.
Isabel Wilkerson’s ‘Caste’ is an eye-opening portrayal of American society, examining the unspoken caste system that has shaped the nation and affects every aspect of life. The book parallels the caste systems in America, India, and Nazi Germany, and analyzes how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions.
A Promised Land is a memoir by Barack Obama, in which he explores his political career and his time in the White House. Obama discusses the early days of his presidency, including his work on the economy and healthcare reform, and reflects on the forces that opposed him at home and abroad. He also offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of the awesome reach of presidential power.
The Hate U Give is a powerful young adult novel by Angie Thomas. It tells the story of Starr, a 16-year-old African-American girl who becomes a reluctant activist after she witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend by a police officer. The novel explores themes of racism, police violence, friendship, and community, and is inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Fire and Fury gives a thorough look into the first year of the Donald Trump presidency. It details the disarray in the White House and the infighting between key players. Based on exclusive interviews, the author paints a disturbing picture of a chaotic White House with many concerned about the president’s abilities.
Fear: Trump in the White House is a non-fiction book written by American journalist Bob Woodward. It presents a harrowing portrait of the Trump presidency based on in-depth interviews, meeting notes, diaries, and government documents. Woodward meticulously presents the chaos, paranoia, and instability unfolding in the Trump White House.
Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan is a non-fiction book. Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard comprehensively narrate the last year of the Pacific War, focusing particularly on the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The book explores the moral issues surrounding these events, providing in-depth descriptions of the key people involved.
Hillbilly Elegy is a personal reflection on upward mobility in America seen through the lens of a white, working-class family in the Midwest. The book explores the struggles of the white working-class in the midst of economic changes, a lack of access to resources, and systemic failures.
Between the World and Me is a letter by Ta-Nehisi Coates to his teenage son about the reality of being black in America. The book is a reflection on how race has shaped American history, often at the cost of black bodies and lives. It provides a thoughtful and personal exploration of America’s racial history and what it means to be black in the USA today.