2021 was a turbulent year for many of us, but through the ups and downs, one thing kept us company: excellent books. In fact, Next Big Idea Club curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink hand-picked eight particularly remarkable reads over the course of the year. So if you’re looking to add a few new top books to your shelf, we recommend the often surprising and always thought-provoking titles below.
Download the Next Big Idea App for “Book Bite” summaries of hundreds of new nonfiction books like these.
Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It
By Ethan Kross
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. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Ethan Kross, in the Next Big Idea App
The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain
By Annie Murphy Paul
A bold new book reveals how we can tap the intelligence that exists beyond our brains—in our bodies, our surroundings, and our relationships. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Annie Murphy Paul, in the Next Big Idea App
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
By Oliver Burkeman
An acclaimed Guardian writer offers a lively, entertaining, philosophical guide to time and time management, setting aside superficial efficiency solutions in favor of reckoning with and finding joy in the finitude of human life. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Oliver Burkeman, in the Next Big Idea App
High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out
By Amanda Ripley
When we are baffled by the insanity of the “other side”—in our politics, at work, or at home—it’s because we aren’t seeing how the conflict itself has taken over. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Amanda Ripley, in the Next Big Idea App
How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
By Katy Milkman
An award-winning Wharton professor reveals a proven path to lasting, positive, meaningful behavior change. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Katy Milkman, in the Next Big Idea App
The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning
By Paul Bloom
Drawing on groundbreaking findings from psychology and brain science, a University of Toronto professor shows how the right kind of suffering sets the stage for enhanced pleasure. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Paul Bloom, in the Next Big Idea App
Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain
By Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler
From the New York Times bestselling author and host of Hidden Brain comes a thought-provoking look at the role of self-deception in human flourishing. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Shankar Vedantam, in the Next Big Idea App
Work: A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots
By James Suzman
An acclaimed anthropologist 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. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author James Suzman, in the Next Big Idea App
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