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Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise June 2020
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| The Hilarious World of Depression by John MoeWhat it is: An engaging and inspiring memoir of the author's ongoing battle with clinical depression, a topic he discusses with famous guests on his podcast of the same name.
Cameos by: Andy Richter, Maria Bamford, John Green, Dick Cavett, Patton Oswalt, and other famous people who have struggled with their mental health.
Reviewers say: This "edifying, enjoyable take on the realities of living with depression will uplift any reader" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek H. Murthy, MDWhat it's about: The problem of loneliness as a public health concern, with a look at the ways that isolation can negatively impact seemingly unrelated physical conditions, like heart disease.
About the author: Dr. Vivek H. Murthy served as the Surgeon General of the United States from 2014-2017.
You might also like: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam; The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing.
Also available as an ebook |
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| Growing Old: Notes on Aging with Something Like Grace by Elizabeth Marshall ThomasWhat it is: A candid and amusing guide about how to face aging, in both practical terms and with a look at more nebulous topics, like time and the nature of memory.
Topics include: Reflections on hearing loss; keeping up (or not) with technology; the importance of planning ahead despite the temptation to avoid topics like nursing homes and burial. |
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| Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You by Jenara NerenbergWhat it's about: Women with ADHD and/or autism, who face unique difficulties of getting properly diagnosed and have not been sufficiently included in research studies.
Why you should read it: The author shares her own story of misdiagnosis and provides a thought-provoking argument against medicalizing the "symptoms" of people whose brains process the world differently than what is considered "normal." |
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The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind by Jonah BergerWhat it's about: A best-selling marketing professor discusses techniques that can be used to change minds and catalyze change by examining the reasons behind why people resist change and how to help them move forward. Reviewers say: "A well-written guide that can be useful in both business and personal life" (Kirkus Reviews).
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Books You Might Have Missed
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How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny OdellWhat it's about: In this field guide to doing nothing (at least as capitalism defines it), it is argued that our attention is the most precious -- and overdrawn -- resource we have. Once we start paying a new kind of attention, we can undertake bolder forms of political action, reimagine humankind's role in the environment, and arrive at more meaningful understandings of happiness and progress. Far from the simple anti-technology tirade, or the back-to-nature meditation we read so often, this is an action plan for thinking outside of capitalist narratives of efficiency and techno-determinism. Reviewers say: "A complex, smart and ambitious book that at first reads like a self-help manual, then blossoms into a wide-ranging political manifesto" (The New York Times Book Review).
Also available as an ebook
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| No Visible Bruises: What We Don't Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise SnyderWhat it is: A sobering investigation of a heavy subject, told through case studies and including insights on the systemic problems that help perpetuate domestic violence.
What makes it unique: The detailed analysis of how domestic abuse affects all aspects of a victim's life; the way it's framed as a public health problem, not a private one.
About the author: Rachel Louise Snyder is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Slate, and on This American Life.
Also available as an ebook |
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| Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCullochWhat it is: A thought-provoking, conversational look at how the Internet has affected human language, both on and offline.
Don't miss: The way every generation of adults has despaired over teenage language use; the origin stories of words like "meme" and "lol."
About the author: Gretchen McCulloch writes the Resident Linguist column for Wired and hosts her own language podcast called Lingthusiasm. |
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| Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Haveby Tatiana SchlossbergWhat it's about: The less obvious ways our day-to-day lives connect to environmental problems like pollution and climate change, many of which are hiding in plain sight.
Topics include: The fashion industry, the environmental impact of corn, and the high human cost of producing lithium ion batteries.
Why you might like it: Despite the scope of the topic, the book is organized into digestible sections with straightforward advice, written in a witty style that makes everything seem more approachable. |
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| How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul & Maria RussoWhat's inside: Encouraging, actionable advice on how to cultivate a love of reading in children of all ages. Also included are diverse reading lists organized by age group and surprising insights on the ways that digital technology can keep kids engaged in reading.
Why you should read it: The authors -- both New York Times book editors -- combine their professional literary knowledge with relatable, first-hand experiences with helping their own children become readers. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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