Nick Thompson

Discover how Buddhism can provide moral clarity and enduring happiness in a secular age in this groundbreaking book by a New York Times bestselling author. Drawing on psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and meditation, the author explains how suffering arises from our inability to see the world clearly and how meditation can help us gain a deep and valid happiness. With wit and clarity, the book argues for a spiritual life in the modern age and shows how we can save ourselves from anxiety, regret, and hatred.

Explore extreme ethical commitment and the lives of those who devote themselves entirely to helping others in this captivating read. In Strangers Drowning, author Larissa MacFarquhar tells intimate stories of individuals who've made deep sacrifices in pursuit of their beliefs, highlighting their integrity, compromises, bravery, and recklessness, as well as their joys and defeats. MacFarquhar also delves into the literature, philosophy, social science, and self-help that have contributed to a deep suspicion of do-gooders in Western culture. This thought-provoking book challenges us to examine what we truly value and why.

This riveting non-fiction book by a Pulitzer Prize winner tells the dramatic story of families in Annawadi, a makeshift settlement in the shadow of luxury hotels near the Mumbai airport, striving for a better life amidst global change and inequality. Through the eyes of Abdul, an enterprising teenager, Asha, a woman of formidable ambition, and Kalu, a young thief, readers witness the electric hope the residents of Annawadi feel as India begins to prosper. But false accusations, brutal tensions, and the onset of global recession threaten to derail these dreams. With humor and deep insight, Behind the Beautiful Forevers is a powerful reminder of the resilience and humanity of those living in the world's hidden corners. Winner of multiple awards and named one of the best books of the year by major publications, this book is a literary masterpiece that will change the way you see and feel.

Discover the ancient craft of birch-bark canoe-making in The Survival of the Bark Canoe. Follow author John McPhee on a 150-mile journey through the Maine woods with Henri Vaillancourt, who builds these beautiful canoes using the same methods and tools as the Native Americans. The book explores the evolution of the bark canoe and its role in opening up the Canadian North Woods to fur traders. McPhee's talents as a journalist are on brilliant display in this fascinating and effortless read.

Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright examines the direction of evolution and human history, and where it will lead us next. Wright uses the principles of evolutionary biology to explain how life has followed a basic pattern - growing more complex by mastering internal cooperation. From fossilized bacteria to the World Trade Organization, Wright reveals surprising benefits of barbarian hordes and the stability of feudalism. This refreshingly insightful and witty book suggests that human morality has improved over time and our instinct to discover meaning may serve a higher purpose. Nonzero offers breathtaking implications for what we believe and how we adapt to technology's transformation of the world.