A novel, a genre-bender, and some quick 100-pagers for your summer reading lists.
If there’s anything that a California-based publishing house knows how to do, its summer (take that New York)—and beach-reading happens to be a particular forte of ours. Whether lounging poolside or in the sand (or simply wishing you were), here are a few books guaranteed to entertain, enlighten, and intrigue.
1
RECOMMENDED READING FOR:
feminists, bibliophiles, and fans of Hilary Mantel
Written by three-time novelist, Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, The Woman Who Read Too Much swirls around the mysterious Poetess of Qazvin and the intrigues of 19th-century Qajar Iran. A graceful blend of history, allegory, and literary invention, the book is the first novel published under SUP’s new trade imprint, Redwood Press. The French translation was lauded by the Times Literary Supplement as one of the “best three novels of the year” in 2007, while its 2015 debut in English was hailed by Kirkus as one of 10 new novels to lose yourself in.
“The Woman Who Read Too Much reminds us all that whether Tudor, Qajar, or Clinton, behind every throne is a queen mother, wife, and sister who runs the show.”
—The Washington Independent Book Review
2
The Manhattan Project: A Theory of a City »
RECOMMENDED READING FOR:
philosophers, people who ❤ New York, and fans of Walter Benjamin
The Manhattan Project begins by resuscitating Walter Benjamin—wistfully rewriting history to imagine a world in which the celebrated social critic survived World War II and fled to New York City, there to begin an NYC-based sequel to his Paris-centric Arcades Project. Kishik’s book is an analysis of this fictitious manuscript—a book about a book-that-never-was. Starred by Kirkus and acclaimed by The Brooklyn Rail as an “effervescent text” about the “de facto capital of the 20th century,” Kishik’s genre-bending book blends analysis with play, observation with thought experiment, and a love of the city with a deep appreciation for its cultural underpinnings.
“Finally. A book about Walter Benjamin that Walter Benjamin might consider reading.”
3
The Emotional Politics of Racism »
How Feelings Trump Facts in an Era of Colorblindness
RECOMMENDED READING FOR:
activists, sociologists, and advocates of the #BlackLivesMatter movement
Through four case studies ranging from Abu Ghraib to post-Katrina New Orleans, The Emotional Politics of Racism explores how racial phobia eludes reason and operates on an emotional, pre-conscious level. Listed by Flavorwire as one of 10 Must-Read Academic Books for 2015, Paula Ioanide’s insightful and timely work considers the societal consequences of racism—including police brutality, divestment from welfare, and the expansion of military and prison systems. But she doesn't stop there—Ioanide also offers potential solutions for reorienting our embodied prejudices in search of greater social justice for all.
“This book does exactly what it purports to do: it shows, methodically, how emotions overwhelm facts. . . . And most importantly: it looks for new ways forward.”
4
RECOMMENDED READING FOR:
historians, trivia fiends, and American culture buffs
Steven Cassedy’s Connected offers an energetic account of the sweeping transformations that defined the United States at the turn-of-the-century. During the tumultuous 40-year period from 1880 to 1920, endless technological innovation and the constant evolution of social mores and behavior signaled sea changes in myriad aspects of American life. Cassedy reveals the importance of these breakages, giving us a glimpse into the origins of phenomena that continue to shape U.S. society today—from standard time, to globalization, to debates about facial hair hygiene.
“This book is best read as a sprightly survey of social and technological transformation set in an era that makes our current high-tech age seem relatively dull.”
5
How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate »
RECOMMENDED READING FOR:
environmentalists, sustainability gurus, and students of argument and rhetoric
The scientific community’s warnings about climate change are unequivocal—and yet somehow, the issue remains one of the most divisive of our time. Weighing in at a slim 100 pages, How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate intelligently explores the maelstrom of social factors that lead people to reject the scientific consensus on climate change. Andrew Hoffman’s succinct guide—excerpted in the Stanford Social Innovation Review—also offers tactical suggestions for how to speak across these knowledge gaps and persuasively bridge the cultural divides that have resulted in the mass confusion over climate science.
“Hoffman’s book is … punchy and engaging, his arguments are well articulated, and the book is well worth reading.”
—Union of Concerned Scientists
6
The Size of Others' Burdens »
Barack Obama, Jane Addams and The Politics of Helping Others
RECOMMENDED READING FOR:
social workers, volunteers, Chicagoans, and other good Samaritans
The résumés of Jane Addams and Barack Obama are remarkably similar—both are Chicago activists and writers; both social crusaders who began as community organizers before assuming ever more influential political roles. In The Size of Others’ Burdens (excerpted in Salon) Erik Schneiderhan studies the parallels and divergences of these two great American figures to tease out answers to what Schneiderhan calls the “American dilemma”—the tension between individual drive and our sense of social obligation.
“Schneiderhan leaves it to us to continue the journey [Jane Addams and Barack Obama] began. His work, like theirs, is inspiring.”
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