When we’re kids, many of us think that holiday magic comes from a single source: presents! But as we get older we realize, as the Grinch did, that the real magic comes from spending time with people you love. And listening to good music. And reflecting on what really matters in life. (And a present or two doesn’t hurt.) So to reconnect with the magic of the holidays, check out the five smart, joyful books below.
Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living
By Dimitris Xygalatas
In birthday parties and coronations, in silent prayer, in fire-walks and terrifying rites of passage, in all the bewildering variety of human life, Ritual reveals the deep and subtle mechanisms that bind us together. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Dimitris Xygalatas, in the Next Big Idea App
Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self
By Andrea Wulf
An exhilarating story about a remarkable group of young rebels—poets, novelists, philosophers—who, through their epic quarrels, passionate love stories, heartbreaking grief, and radical ideas launched Romanticism onto the world stage, inspiring some of the greatest thinkers of the time. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Andrea Wulf, in the Next Big Idea App
Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides
By Geoffrey Cohen
A Stanford University psychologist applies his and others’ groundbreaking research to the myriad problems of communal existence and offers concrete solutions for improving daily life at work, in school, in our homes, and in our communities. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Geoffrey Cohen, in the Next Big Idea App
Taxi from Another Planet: Conversations with Drivers About Life in the Universe
By Charles S. Cockell
Insightful, good-humored essays on the possibilities of alien life and the uses of space exploration, based on an astrobiologist’s everyday conversations with his fellow humans―taxi drivers, to be precise. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Charles S. Cockell, in the Next Big Idea App
This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You
By Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas
A sound engineer turned cognitive neuroscientist guides readers to recognize their musical personality, and offers language to describe one’s own unique taste. This is a journey into the science and soul of music that reveals the secrets of why your favorite songs move you. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by co-author Susan Rogers, in the Next Big Idea App
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