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A novel about the urban native experience. Maybe the best debut novel I've read since White Teeth. The book does an amazing job of building up momentum until the final event: a powwow in Oakland, CA.

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Sabrina is the first graphic novel to ever be nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Illustrated in mostly muted colors, it has a fantastically compelling way of representing the black hole of fake Internet news.

Bullshit Jobs: A Theory

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I read this right before I quit my job. It's hilarious, in a depressing sort of way. Talks about the history of middle-management, the dangers of it, and the human-drive for self-fulfillment. Much more readable than Graeber's other works.

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I resisted reading this memoir because it was so popular that I thought it might be overrated. But after reading it, I think it's deserving of all its accolades. It should probably come with a trigger warning, though, as its vivid and moving descriptions of gaslighting may be especially difficult for survivors of physical and psychological trauma.

Organic, Inc.: Natural Foods and How They Grew

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Thoroughly researched, this book presents a balanced history of food policy of organic foods, from salad mix to soymilk. I really like how it isn't blindly pro-organic - it reveals many of the complexities missing from other books in this genre.

How to Change Your Mind

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Pollan uses psychedelics as a vehicle for illustrating the tension between spirituality and science, counterculture and medical legitimacy. Weaves together his personal journey with research from child development, neuroscience, and psychology.

nonfiction, science

Lisa Brennan-Jobs

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What stands out most to me about this book is the vivid use of metaphors, from comparing a companion’s handwriting to a “bouncing string of a kite” to a reunion as a “sumptuous feast frozen solid.” Describing the author merely as Steve Job’s first daughter discredits the deliberate and unforgettable writing of this coming of age memoir.

Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables

Joshua McFadden

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I love this cookbook. Everything in it tastes at least great, and I've probably gone through 70% of it.

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A response to Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, this book, written by Guardian journalist Dawn Foster, counters Sandberg's advice through compelling arguments about the systemic barriers that preclude women's success. She highlights the inherent and unique privileges that have contributed to Sandberg's rise to power.

Calvin and Hobbes: Sunday Pages 1985-1995: An Exhibition Catalogue

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I remember very specifically buying this book from a B. Dalton at my local mall in high school. I read it then, and I re-read it now and had a much deeper appreciation for it. The book reveals Watterson's process of composing his Sunday strips, using examples of how printing and publication constraints shaped the way he laid out his stories.

Counter Intelligence: Where to Eat in the Real Los Angeles

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Counter Intelligence is a compilation of reviews written by the late LA-Times food critic Jonathan Gold. I always appreciated his unique writing style and sometimes will read a review from this book before I write my own reviews for my snack blog Tasty Snacking.

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A series of memorable short stories, including parents responding to their child's interest in stand-up comedy, a woman who is mistaken for a porn star, and a family immigrating from Japan. I love the amount of detail in the illustrations, from the Amoeba bag to the Owl sports team merch that cuts across all 6 stories.

Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor

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If you are worried about how 'big data' disproportionally impacts at-risk communities (or don't know much about this topic), you should read this book. It highlights examples from child welfare to healthcare and does a great job of weaving personal narratives with hard numbers on how algorithms affect modern society

The House of Broken Angels

Luis Alberto Urrea

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A funny and timely novel that potrays immigration, border regulations, DACA, and more through multiple generations taking part in a family reunion / funeral / birthday party.

The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness

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This book starts off describing how, in the 1950s, the American Air Force designed cockpits for the average pilot and discovered, after thousands of injuries, that customization, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, was necessary, i.e., there is no such thing as an 'average-sized' person. Rose then goes on to describe how this idea of 'sameness' impacts culture from our education system to corporate-life.

Convenience Store Woman

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A short and funny novel about turning into an automaton. Written from the perspective of a woman who spends her entire professional career working in a Japanese convenience store

The Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing

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This book uncovers the fascinating and somewhat disturbing background of the mother-daughter team that created the famous Myers-Briggs personality test and ultimately exposes a disconnect between the original intensions of its designers and how it is used today.

Imagine Me Gone

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An example of a novel I didn't necessarily enjoy, but will definitely stick with me. Imagine Me Gone is one of the most believable and human examples of mental illness and depression I've read in recent memory.

The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor

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When someone says 'My grandmother's X tasted better,' they're probably right because the ingredients themselves have diminshed in flavor over several generations. This is because the food industry has pushed to optimize for yield rather than flavor. The Dorito Effect talks about the history of flavor science and how it affects modern taste and health.

Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior

Leonard Mlodinow

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Written by a physicist (PhD) turned writer, Subliminal is a reminder that many of our emotions and preferences are physiological. For example, when doing a taste test between Coke and Pepsi, people that are prompted with the brand of the beverage before they even take a sip actually have a different physiological response, which is bizarre.

nonfiction, science

The User Illusion: Cutting Consciousness Down to Size

Tor Nørretranders

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A philosophy book that argues that meaning is derived from the discarding of information, drawing from research in psychology and information theory.

nonfiction, science

The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It

Jonathan L. Zittrain

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Even though it was published a decade ago, this book still feels prescient. Zittrain discusses the future of the generative internet, which is threatened by our increasing inability to shape it as consumers.

nonfiction, science

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Finally read this one. A moving, well-written novel about family, culture, and sacrifice. There were moments in the novel, such as the scene when the daughter is confronted by her mother that long abandoned her, that were so descriptive it felt cinematic.