Weekly Non-Fiction Reading List 9.16.24
This week’s reading list starts out with Salman Rushdie’s book that meditates on the attempt someone took on his life. Then, we have one of my favorite psychology books and an awesome book about what makes things popular. Enjoy!
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Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie
I find the topic of free speech super interesting, so I’ve heard of Salman Rushdie and a little about his story, but I didn’t know too much about him. After someone tried to take his life a couple of years ago, I learned a little more about him and really wanted to read this book once it came out. I never read Salman’s books because I’m a non-fiction guy, but he’s an incredible non-fiction writer as well.
This book is part autobiography but really focuses on the events of surviving the knife attack from a would-be killer who failed. It was cool learning about Salman’s life, his deep relationship with his wife and how she helped with his recovery, and just the pure bravery of this man. By far, my favorite chapter of this book is an imaginary conversation Salman creates with the man who tried to kill him. You can tell it was therapeutic for Salman, and I think a lot of us could benefit from doing something like this with those who’ve caused us some type of harm. It forced Salman to get into the mind of the assailant and understand how the kid was brainwashed while also giving Salman a tiny bit of closure.
This is a short read and 100% worth it. I highly recommend everyone checks it out.
How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like by Paul Bloom
I’ve been re-reading my favorite books, and all of Paul Bloom’s books are on my list. This was one of the first books I read by him, and I still love it each time I read it. This book is exactly what the title suggests. As much as you think you know why you like what you like, you’re probably wrong. We’re strange creatures, and this book really shows how true that is.
Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction by Derek Thompson
I’ve only read this book once before, which is odd because it’s a topic I’m obsessed with. After re-reading the amazing book from Duncan Watts, I kept thinking about this one and gave it a second read. It’s a phenomenal book and touches on a lot of interesting topics about what makes things popular.
Thompson dispels a lot of myths about movies, TV shows, books, music, and more that get popular while also providing theories (backed by research) as to what actually makes things popular. As much as I love to fall back on the idea that quality is extremely subjective and a lot of popularity comes from randomness. Thompson does an excellent job discussing why certain things gain popularity, and it’s given me some ideas for my own content.
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