This just in from the Next Big Idea Club: Curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink have carefully read through our list of newly nominated books, and have hand-picked the most exciting nonfiction titles of the season. We’re proud to announce that the eight finalists for Winter 2021 are…
Beginners: The Transformative Joy of Lifelong Learning
By Tom Vanderbilt
Publication Date: January 5, 2021
The bestselling author of Traffic and You May Also Like now gives us a thought-provoking, playful journey into the transformative joys that come with starting something new, no matter your age. View on Amazon
Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas
By Alexi Pappas
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
The Olympic runner, actress, and filmmaker Alexi Pappas shares what she’s learned about confidence, self-reliance, mental health, embracing pain, and achieving your dreams. View on Amazon
Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It
By Ethan Kross
Publication Date: January 26, 2021
An award-winning psychologist reveals the hidden power of our inner voice, and shows how we can harness it to live a healthier, more satisfying, and more productive life. View on Amazon
The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics
By Tim Harford
Publication Date: February 2, 2021
Aided by new research in science and psychology, Tim Harford proposes ten strategies for using statistics to erase our biases and replace them with the patience, curiosity, and good sense to better understand ourselves—and the world. View on Amazon
Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age
By Annalee Newitz
Publication Date: February 2, 2021
A quest to explore some of the most spectacular ancient cities in human history―and figure out why people abandoned them. View on Amazon
What Is Life?: Five Great Ideas in Biology
By Paul Nurse
Publication Date: February 2, 2021
A Nobel Prize-winning scientist’s elegant explanation of the fundamental ideas in biology, and their uses today. View on Amazon
Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion, and What Makes Us Good
By Dilip Jeste, with Scott LaFee
Publication Date: November 3, 2020
From the field’s pioneer, an exploration of the neurobiology and psychology of wisdom: what science says it is, and how to nurture it within yourself―at any stage of life. View on Amazon
Work: A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots
By James Suzman
Publication Date: January 19, 2021
Anthropologist James Suzman shows that while we have evolved to find joy and purpose in work, for most of human history our ancestors worked far less and thought very differently about work than we do now. View on Amazon
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