For each of us, there are two realities: the world as it really is, and the world as we think it is. And while that first reality is changing constantly, the second one tends to lag behind. We cling to outdated beliefs and get stuck in old patterns of thought that no longer correspond to objective truth.
So if you’re ready to give your worldview a major system update, check out the seven thought-provoking reads below. They may surprise or challenge you, but one thing is certain: The world will never look the same again.
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The Wires of War: Technology and the Global Struggle for Power
By Jacob Helberg
From the former news policy lead at Google, an urgent and groundbreaking account of the high-stakes global cyberwar brewing between Western democracies and the autocracies of China and Russia that could potentially crush democracy. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Jacob Helberg, in the Next Big Idea App
Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age
By Annalee Newitz
An acclaimed science journalist takes readers on a mind-bending adventure into the deep history of urban life by exploring the rise and fall of four ancient cities, each the center of a sophisticated civilization. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Annalee Newitz, in the Next Big Idea App
Mine!: How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives
By Michael Heller and James Salzman
A hidden set of rules governs who owns what, explaining everything from whether you can recline your airplane seat to why HBO lets you borrow a password illegally. And in this surprising book, two renowned law professors reveal how things become “mine.” Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by authors Michael Heller and James Salzman, in the Next Big Idea App
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
By Heather McGhee
One of today’s top experts on social and economic policy offers a powerful exploration of inequality and the lesson that generations of Americans have failed to learn: Racism has a cost for everyone—not just for people of color. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Heather McGhee, in the Next Big Idea App
To Rule the Waves: How Control of the World’s Oceans Shapes the Fate of the Superpowers
By Bruce Jones
From a brilliant Brookings Institution writer comes a vivid, timely, and insightful examination of the critical role that oceans play in the daily struggle for global power. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Bruce Jones, in the Next Big Idea App
Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization
By Edward Slingerland
From a University of British Columbia professor comes a long overdue investigation into the history and psychology of humanity’s oldest indulgence—one that explains not only why we want to get drunk, but also how it might actually be good for us to tie one on now and then. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Edward Slingerland, in the Next Big Idea App
The Ten Equations That Rule the World: And How You Can Use Them Too
By David Sumpter
These ten equations are integral to everything from investment banking to betting companies and social media giants. They can help you to increase your chance of success, guard against financial loss, live more healthfully, and see through scaremongering. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author David Sumpter, in the Next Big Idea App
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