Reading list

Based on the true story of a Muslim family in New Orleans and how Katrina changed their lives. The blend of novelistic and reporting sensibilities is surprisingly fluid.

Deliciously written characters, belly aching laughter, and America's (un)reconstructed racism all rolled into one narrative.

Full of unexpected moments of vulnerability and hilarity; so layered that I found myself reading it twice. Also, a humble suggestion for a 4th Rule: Do two female characters talk about something other than stereotypical female domains?

Biomedical research's troubled history intersects with race, gender, and the first ever immortal cell line in Baltimore. So glad Ms. Skloot is donating some proceeds to the Lacks family.

A lullaby to seafaring and the Danish towns that relied on it across three generations of an Æro family.

A good way to pass the time while awaiting the next installment from Black Letter Labs—although I swear the cipher in Chapter 8 is erroneous.

Concrete suggestions for considering more options and addressing confirmation bias. Interesting overlap with the principles of design thinking.

Storytelling and findings from a data-driven approach to poverty alleviation. Interesting summary of the evidence base for various interventions--most of which is mixed.

I liked this even better than Lacuna, possibly due to the heavy dose of entomology and compassionate portrayal of both sides of an entrenched debate.

A refreshing contrast to the reified film version of TE Lawrence. The subtitle says it all: "War, deceit, imperial folly, and the making of the modern Middle East."

After abandoning the Brothers Karamazov, Tolstoy provided a nice balance of insight into characters' interior worlds while keeping pace with the sweeping changes of a century.

The best plain English explanation of Bayesian modeling yet. I wish Mr. Silver would apply his skills to fields other than sports, cards, and elections.

Brutal and beautifully written fiction about the slave revolt in Haiti and the class tensions that fueled the violence. This was on Hilary Mantel's list of recommended historical fiction.

The sequel to Mann's 1491 contains interesting insights into the galleon trade. It's also nice to see information about maroon communities outside of the academic literature.

A convincing narrative about Thomas Cromwell, Thomas More, and Henry VIII without pandering to common caricatures. (Although Cardinal Wolsey still makes me see Orson Welles.)

The characters are a bit over the top, but the semi-fictional tour of our very own Temescal is worth it.