Book Recommendations (Q1, 2023)

Science, philosophy, political satire and more

Hello readers,

Hope you got a chance to read last month’s piece on how not to destroy other people’s bodies and minds when you debate with them. If you missed it, take out 5 mins for some learning+giggling and head over here.

This weekend’s piece is on something people can’t get enough of: some juicy-as-hell book recommendations.

I’ve done it only a couple of times last year and boy, people just loved reading these articles, buying some of those books, talking about them…and then letting them rot on the goddamn shelf.

Jk. I know that many people in the LM community have been reading and enjoying some of these books. Here’s what one of the readers, Haretha, commented on the world-fiction list from last year:

Hi, thanks for these book recommendations that explore various cultures. I wanted to share this quote by my favorite author, 'If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.' One of the reasons why I give importance to reading your newsletters is just that, to cherish all that isn't commonly cherished. It's been wonderful getting to know a piece of your mind. Thanks for sharing :)

Well said! That’s the whole point- read things others aren’t reading and cultivate wisdom with a diversity of ideas and worldviews.

(And as an aside- I really enjoy discussing and debating so if you have a counter-view or even just want to tell me I’m the best person in the world, keep responding to these emails/commenting on the web article).

In service of that goal, today’s list is going to be a mixed bag. Here are some of my favorite reads from Jan-Feb-March, 2023:

1. Bullshit Jobs
   

   

   
   This might turn out to be one of the most thought-provoking reads of the year. In this deep analysis, anarchist-anthropologist David Graeber explores the rise and rise of utterly useless jobs, where even those doing them can’t justify their existence- and it’d make no difference to the world if those jobs were to suddenly disappear. Graeber begins by defining the concept, creating a quirky taxonomy of the different varieties of such jobs- from flunkies to box tickers, and then goes on to analyze their origins, proliferation, and the psychological impact they have. Expect to learn some deep insights about the human condition and mind-boggling paradoxes about modern work. I’ve already written about the idea of ‘pleasure at being the cause’- this might be the elevator pitch you need to pick up the book.
   

2. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

   

   Part fantasy, part political satire, and part murder mystery, this uncategorizable book was the first by a Sri Lankan author to clinch the booker prize. This isn’t your usual fiction read. Told from the POV of a gay war photographer, this book takes the reader through the disgusting depravities and sheer sadness of the Lankan civil war. Reading this induced feelings of alternating horror and gratitude- of how fortunate we are to have never experienced what the Lankans did as they watched their beautiful paradise getting torn apart. But hey, it’s not just a sad book on civil war. You can find an utterly non-intuitive mix of beautiful writing, biting humor, hard-hitting philosophical musings, and a treatise on (the futility of) life. Highly recommended. But beware, this isn’t an easy read.
   

3. Savarkar: A Contested Legacy

   

   
   Last year, I read the first half of this gripping 2-part biography on Veer Savarkar. I’m not a biography buff and would probably never have picked this up had it not been a gift from my brother and sister-in-law. I’m glad I came across these books because not only do they offer an illuminating peak into the life of India’s most significant freedom fighters, but they also provide a detailed account of the significant events that shaped our freedom struggle. Savarkar was a complex figure- and in talking about his daring acts, far-sighted ideas, and contradictions, one gets a completely different picture than what popular media would want you to believe.
   

4. Foundation and Empire

   

   
   For the uninitiated, Foundation is one of the most popular series in the history of science fiction, which has led to a burst of popular movies that take inspiration from its ideas. It won’t make much sense to talk about this book (which was the 2nd one in the series) unless you’ve read the first one- Foundation. The ideas in these books are as grand as they get. Read them to get a glimpse into the endlessly fascinating idea of psychohistory- the mathematics of human behavior which has perfected the analysis of economic and sociological forces to predict the way human history will unfold. Determinists and fans of the deep future are sure to have an absolute blast.
   
   

5. On Bullshit
   

   

   
   This is a philosophy book. It’s not just a joke. And it very cleverly analyses the true nature of bullshit- something that has permeated our jobs, PPTs, statements- almost everything. Even though we throw the term around all the time, we don’t quite have a handle on what it means. Frankfurt picks it up from here and explores the essential characteristics of bullshit, how it’s different from lying, and the motives of those who keep resorting to its use all the time. At less than 80 pages, this book punches way above its weight.
   
   

6. Invisible Women

   
   

   

   
   Ever since I heard about this book, I felt this weird urge to read it soon. It seemed to contain ideas that men would never think up on their own, which is why it seemed like a necessary read to get a deeper perspective on the systemic design issues which make so many parts of the world biased against women. The final trigger was when, after a discussion with a friend, I realized that the number of women authors I read last year accounted for a painfully low percentage of the total number of books. I’m glad I read this right away. Without it, I’d have continued to not see through the numerous design errors that occur because we assume the average human to be a male and design everything- from toilets to smartphones, accordingly. The Women’s Day piece on the Male Default Bias, which got a hell lot of traction, took direct inspiration from the ideas presented in this book.

That’s it, folks. If you enjoyed this, here are 2 more articles for you to revisit:

• 5 Non-Fiction Books with deep ideas

• 6 unusual fiction recommendations- some amazing books from around the world

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Thanks for tuning in. I hope you try at least one of these and if you end up doing that, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. I’d also love to know which books you have enjoyed reading in the last few months. Share your picks and list them in the comments or respond to this email.

And if you haven’t subscribed to this newsletter, then don’t waste another moment: