Breaking news from the Next Big Idea Club: Curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink have reviewed the book nominations for Spring 2020—a number of which were submitted by club members—and have hand-picked the finalists. We’re proud to present their selections for the six most exciting nonfiction books of the season.
Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization
By Scott Barry Kaufman
Publication Date: April 7, 2020
In this groundbreaking book, renowned psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman reimagines Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs, unraveling the mysteries of his unfinished theory and integrating these ideas with the latest research on connection, creativity, love, purpose, and other building blocks of a life well-lived. View on Amazon
Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life
By John Kaag
Publication Date: March 17, 2020
Sick Souls, Healthy Minds is a compelling introduction to William James’s life and thought that shows why the founder of pragmatism and empirical psychology—and an inspiration for Alcoholics Anonymous—can still speak so directly and profoundly to anyone struggling to build a fulfilling, meaningful life. View on Amazon
Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World
By Olga Khazan
Publication Date: April 7, 2020
The Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan explores why it is that we crave conformity, and how that affects people who are different. She then reveals the hidden upsides to being “weird,” as well as the strategies that people who are different can use to achieve success in a society that values normalcy. View on Amazon
Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism
By Anne Case & Angus Deaton
Publication Date: March 17, 2020
For the white working class, today’s America has become a land of broken families and few prospects. As the college-educated become healthier and wealthier, adults without a degree are literally dying from pain and despair. In this critically important book, Case and Deaton argue that capitalism is destroying the lives of blue-collar America. View on Amazon
Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life
By Ozan Varol
Publication Date: April 14, 2020
In this practical and insightful book, rocket scientist turned law professor Ozan Varol reveals nine simple strategies from rocket science that can help you achieve your goals, whether it’s landing your dream job, accelerating your business, learning a new skill, or creating the next breakthrough product. View on Amazon
Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
By Vivek H. Murthy
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
The 19th Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Vivek Murthy makes a case for loneliness as a public health concern, a root cause and contributor to many of the epidemics sweeping the world today. From alcohol and drug addiction to depression and anxiety, the effects of loneliness appear in myriad forms—but a better future is within reach. View on Amazon
