Tag: bookstr

Improve Your Life With These Awesome Book Recommendations!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are self development picks to improve your quality of life! Dig in and enjoy!

 

 

5. ‘How to be bawse’ by Lilly Singh 

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How To Be Bawse by Lilly Singh offers her advice on success and shares what she learned on her way to internet superstardom. Her tips are both conventional (things like “say what you mean”) and unconventional (“be the dumbest person” in the room — aka, learn from those who are smart than you).

 

4. ‘Presence’ by Amy Cuddy

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Presence by Amy Cuddy shows how to get the best of those stressful situations without doing a lot of life-changing and soul-searching. Instead, she delves into research about how things like body language, posture, and other mind-body techniques can banish the butterflies from our stomachs.

 

3. ‘Deep work’ by Cal Newport

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Deep Work by Cal Newport, a professor of Georgetown, outlines the benefit of really tuning out all distractions, and gives four rules to help re-wire yourself so you can deeply focus again. (Check now: How many browser tabs do you have open?)

 

2. ‘creativity inc.’ by ed Catmull

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Creativity INC. by Ed Catmull tells of the process of creativity and inspiration through the eyes of Pixar. People think of Pixar as a company that creates great art — and it is — but it’s also a business. One of the co-founders of the animation studio goes into the company’s nerve center to show how Pixar’s leadership and management styles protect and nourish its creative output. Whether you’re a Woody or a Buzz, you can learn something about heading up a team from Pixar’s unique organizational structure.

 

1. ‘the little book of hygge’ by meik wiking

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The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking is all about the cozy Danish philosophy of hygge. But what exactly is it again, apart from being, well, cozy? And how do you achieve it at home in your chaotic, not-all-that-cozy life? Meik Wiking demystifies it all, showing how light, food and drink, and togetherness can make for a happier home.

 

 

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Dive into These New Biographies and Great Personal Stories!

 

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are new biographies for you to dig into and be inspired! Dig in and enjoy!

 

5. The Man in the glass House by Mark Lamster

 

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The Man in the Glass House by Mark Lamster tells the story of the most famous architect in the 20th Century: Philip Johnson. Award-winning architectural critic and biographer Mark Lamster’s The Man in the Glass House lifts the veil on Johnson’s controversial and endlessly contradictory life to tell the story of a charming yet deeply flawed man. A rollercoaster tale of the perils of wealth, privilege, and ambition, this book probes the dynamics of American culture that made him so powerful, and tells the story of the built environment in modern America.

 

4. Who Am I again? by Lenny Henry

 

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Who Am I Again? by Lenny Henry tells the extraordinary story of his early years and sudden rise to fame. Born soon after his Jamaican parents had arrived in the Midlands, Lenny was raised as one of seven siblings in a boisterous working household, and sent out into the world with his mum’s mantra of ‘H’integration! H’integration! H’integration!’ echoing in his ears. A natural ability to make people laugh came in handy. At school it helped subdue the daily racist bullying. In the park, it led to lifelong friendships and occasional snogs. Soon, it would put him on stage at working men’s clubs and Black Country discotheques—before an invitation to a TV audition changed his life for ever.

 

3. they don’t teach this by Eniola Aluko

 

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They Don’t Teach This by Eniola Aluko steps beyond the realms of memoir to explore themes of dual nationality and identity, race and institutional prejudice, success, failure and faith. It is an inspiring manifesto to change the way readers and the future generation choose to view the challenges that come in their life, applying life lessons with raw truths from Eni’s own personal experience.

 

2. 1919 by Eve L. eWing

 

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1919 by Eve L. Ewing tells of The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, the most intense of the riots comprising the nation’s Red Summer, which shaped the last century but is not widely discussed. In 1919, award-winning poet Eve L. Ewing explores the story of this event—which lasted eight days and resulted in thirty-eight deaths and almost 500 injuries—through poems recounting the stories of everyday people trying to survive and thrive in the city. Ewing uses speculative and Afrofuturist lenses to recast history, and illuminates the thin line between the past and the present.

 

1. Kd by Marcus Thompson 

 

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KD by Marcus Thompson traces the famous journey of Kevin Durant. As a sports columnist for The Athletic Bay Area, and longtime beat reporter covering the Golden State Warriors, Marcus Thompson is perfectly positioned to trace Durant’s inspirational journey. KD follows Durant’s underdog story from his childhood spent in poverty outside DC; to his rise playing on AAU teams with future NBA players; to becoming a star and hometown hero for the Oklahoma Thunder; to his controversial decision to play for the NBA rival Golden State Warriors; to his growth from prodigy into a man, in the first true inside account of this superstar player.

 

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Explore The Natural World With These Wildlife Recommendations!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most—just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s picks are wildlife recommendations to immerse yourself in the natural world. Dig in!

 

 

5. ‘Texas Reptiles and Amphibians’ by James Kavanagh

 

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Texas Reptiles & Amphibians by James Kavanagh is a handy new guide for reptile lovers in Texas. The diverse habitats of Texas—swamps, marshes, pine forests, rocky hills, mountains, deserts and prairies—combined with its central location where species from the east, west and Mexico converge, make it a prime destination to find and study reptiles and amphibians. This portable folding guide includes illustrations and descriptions of 140 species and a back-panel map featuring some of the state’s top nature viewing hot spots. A handy field reference and the perfect take-along guide for visitors and nature enthusiasts of all ages.

 

4. ‘Wildling’ by Isabelle Tree

 

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Wildling by Isabelle Tree chronicles what happens when 3,500 acres of farmland are returned to nature and what happens when the wilder world overtakes the farm. For years Charlie Burrell and his wife, Isabella Tree, farmed Knepp Castle Estate and struggled to turn a profit. By 2000, with the farm facing bankruptcy, they decided to try something radical. They would restore Knepp’s 3,500 acres to the wild. Using herds of free-roaming animals to mimic the actions of the megafauna of the past, they hoped to bring nature back to their depleted land.

 

3. ‘Make a Home for Wildlife’ by Charles Fergus 

 

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Make a Home for Wildlife helps you see your property in new ways and is the resource you need to take the sometimes daunting steps to improve the quality of your land. Focusing on the eastern US from Canada to Florida and west to the Great Plains, this book describes basic habitat types—forest, shrublands, grasslands, and wetlands—and highlights over 150 select native and introduced trees, shrubs, and plants, explaining how they are used—or not—by wildlife. The book includes more than 100 profiles of prominent and interesting species of insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals with information on animals and their habitat needs. Large and small mammals, resident and migratory birds, and insects are covered. Fergus relates stories of landowners who have made habitat in different states and regions in different ways.

 

2. ‘Ohio Wildlife’ by Amalia Celeste Fernand 

 

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Ohio Wildlife by Amalia Celeste Fernand is a great fun book for kids and adults. Have you ever wondered where frogs go in the winter or how to identify a bird? Do you enjoy taking walks in the woods and want to learn more about the wildlife in your backyard? Then kids and adults, this book is for you! Unique coloring pages feature Ohio wildlife with information that is formatted like a guide book. Find out about animal tracks and scat, life cycles, diet, and habitat. Increase your nature knowledge with fun facts, an extensive dictionary, art, science, games, and more. Calling all Ohio Nature Explorers, this is your go-to guide for discovering more about your favorite animals!

 

1. ‘A Field Guide to the Natural World of the Twin Cities’ John j. Moriarty 

 

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A Natural World of the Twin Cities by John J. Moriarty is a handy guide to the wildlife of Minneapolis and St. Paul. John J. Moriarty is a congenial expert on the remarkable diversity of plants and animals in the region’s habitats, from prairies and savannas to woods and wetlands such as swamps and marshes, to fens and bogs, lakes and rivers, and urban and suburban spots. Featuring Siah L. St. Clair’s remarkable photographs, maps, and commentary on natural history, this field guide invites readers to investigate the Twin Cities’ wildlife—familiar and obscure, sun-loving or nocturnal, shy or easily observed. Here are snapping turtles, otters, and Cooper’s hawks, the wild lupines, white water lilies, and sprawling white oaks, among hundreds of species found in the wild, the park, or even the backyard. Including notes on invasive species and a list of references and organizations, this book is a perfect companion and an unparalleled resource for anyone interested in discovering the rich natural world of the Twin Cities.

 

 

 

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Here are Bookstr’s Self-Development Recommendations!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most—just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are new self-development picks that can improve your quality of life! Dig in!

 

 

5. ‘No happy endings’ by Nora McInerny 

 

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No Happy Endings by Nora McInerny is a book for people living life after life has fallen apart. It’s a book for people who know that they’re moving forward, not moving on. It’s a book for people who know life isn’t always happy, but it isn’t the end: there will be unimaginable joy and incomprehensible tragedy. As Nora reminds us, there will be no happy endings—but there will be new beginnings.

 

4. ‘Range’ by David Epstein

 

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Range by David Epstein is all about learning from failure. This book makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers. The most impactful inventors cross domains rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area. As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive.

 

3. ‘How to do nothing’ by jenny Odell

 

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How to To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell argues the case of doing nothing, especially in the digital age of distraction and people vying for your attention. This is is an action plan for thinking outside of capitalist narratives of efficiency and techno-determinism. Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this book is a four-course meal in the age of Soylent.

 

 

2. ‘The Life Changing magic of tidying up’ by Marie Kondo

 

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The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo is a detailed book about how to declutter your house from its infernal mess. With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

 

1. ‘Belong’ by Radha Agrawal

 

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Belong by Radha Agrawal is about building a community with like minded people in the digital age when people feel more isolated than ever. A book that’s equal parts inspiring and interactive, and packed with prompts, charts, quizzes, and full-color illustrations, Belong takes readers on a two-part journey. Part one is Going IN—a gentle but intentional process of self-discovery and finding out your true energy levels and VIA (values, interests, and abilities). Part two is Going OUT—building on all that you’ve learned about yourself to find those few special people who feed your soul, and discovering, or creating, the ever-widening groups that align with your aims and desires.

 

 

 

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Be Inspired By Our Nonfiction Biography Picks!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are new biographies for you to dig into and be inspired! Dig in and enjoy!

 

5. ‘The Ride of a Lifetime’ by Bob Iger 

 

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The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger is a biography by the CEO of Disney, offering tips and life advice from Iger’s fifteen years of service to the company. When Bob Iger became CEO, the Disney company was a shallow parody of itself. But Bob Iger committed to the fixing the company with his new ideas. Ten years later, Disney is the most respected and powerful media entertainment corporation in the world. Sharing stories about Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney behind the scenes, this is a must read for Disney fans.

 

4. ‘Accidental president’ by A.J. Baime

 

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The Accidental President by A.J. Baime tells the biography of the man who didn’t sign up to be President but got the job anyway: Harry S. Truman. Selected as FDR’s fourth term Vice President, he was an ordinary man until FDR’s sudden and shocking death. This biography follows Harry S. Truman in the one-hundred-twenty days he was president, during which he was forced to preside over some of the toughest moments the nation ever faced: the founding of the United Nations, the fall of Berlin, victory at Okinawa, firebombings in Tokyo, the first atomic explosion, the Nazi surrender, the liberation of concentration camps, the mass starvation in Europe, the Potsdam Conference, the controversial decision to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the surrender of imperial Japan, and finally, the end of World War II and the rise of the Cold War. This is a fascinating look into the man who never was supposed to be President but became one of our strongest for the brief period he was in office.

 

3. ‘Madame Fourcade’s Secret War’ by Lynne Olson

 

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Madame Fourcade’s Secret War by Lynne Olson is the true tale of a young woman who led a spy network against Hitler’s Nazi Germany. In 1941 a thirty-one-year-old Frenchwoman, a young mother born to privilege and known for her beauty and glamour, became the leader of a vast intelligence organization—the only woman to serve as a chef de résistance during the war. Strong-willed, independent, and a lifelong rebel against her country’s conservative, patriarchal society, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was temperamentally made for the job. Her group’s name was Alliance, but the Gestapo dubbed it Noah’s Ark because its agents used the names of animals as their aliases. The name Marie-Madeleine chose for herself was Hedgehog: a tough little animal, unthreatening in appearance, that, as a colleague of hers put it, “even a lion would hesitate to bite.” Now, in this dramatic account of the war that split France in two and forced its people to live side by side with their hated German occupiers, Lynne Olson tells the fascinating story of a woman who stood up for her nation, her fellow citizens, and herself.

 

2. ‘Every Man a Hero’ by Ray lambert 

 

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Every Man A Hero by Ray Lambert is the unforgettable story not only of what happened in the incredible and desperate hours on Omaha Beach, but of the bravery and courage that preceded them, throughout the Second World War—from the sands of Africa, through the treacherous mountain passes of Sicily, and beyond to the greatest military victory the world has ever known.

 

1. ‘Mind and Matter’ by John Urscel 

 

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Mind and Matter by John Urschel is a memoir by the former offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, giving him the opportunity to tell his story. John Urschel developed an appetite for mathematics when he was young, devouring math contests, exams, and textbooks by the truckload. But when he reached his older years, football challenged him in a new way and he became thrilled by the physical contact of the sport. With his two loves competing for his attention, his football and love of math, he shares pivotal moments from his life to inspire others.

 

 

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