The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you have a good handle on the state of the world? Are things worse than ever? By almost any measure, there’s never been a better time to be alive than right now. That’s the belief of Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund. Their book Factfulness explores the misconceptions that color our view of the world. Continue reading for several Factfulness questions that will test your knowledge and adjust your thinking.
How permanent are the changes we’ve made to our planet? Have we left scars that will never heal, or is nature resilient enough to erase any damage we’ve done? The World Without Us by Alan Weisman is a thought experiment that’s designed to answer those questions. He contemplates the world before people and speculates what the world would be like if the human race disappeared. Keep reading for an overview of this book, and discover Weisman’s conclusions for his thought experiment.
What is stochastic terrorism? What’s behind the rise in violence and hate crimes in the United States? From racially motivated mass shootings to threats to elected officials to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, political violence and hate crimes have been on the rise in the U.S. Some psychological experts point the finger at stochastic terrorism. Read on to learn what stochastic terrorism is and why it could be to blame for this uptick in violent acts.
How committed are you to your neighbors? Your work? How can commitments see us through tough times? In The Second Mountain, David Brooks endorses the relationalist worldview, arguing that it’s more satisfying that its counterpart (individualism). He outlines the four commitments in life that he believes are crucial to relationalism—your vocation, marriage, community, and belief system. Read on to learn about the four commitments that constitute relationalist living.
How does overworking affect your health? Can you really die from working too much? Owerwoking and burnout are very common in today’s fast-paced society. It may be good for the economy, but it can wreak serious havoc on one’s health and even kill. Here’s a look at the health effects of overworking.
What’s the relationship between the population and the environment? Is it straightforward or nuanced and complex? In The World Without Us, science journalist Alan Weisman outlines the ways the human race has left a mark on our planet. He asserts that the Earth’s environment would benefit if the human population declined or even vanished, and he conducts a thought experiment to explore the implications. Keep reading to learn about the interplay between the population and the environment from the perspective of this thought experiment.
What’s pidgin? Why and how does it come about? What’s a creole? Steven Pinker contends that language is biologically innate. The innatist theory provides a key insight into the field of linguistics: It explains the ability of people to spontaneously create new languages. Pinker uses pidgin as an example to illustrate this ability. Keep reading to learn the origin of pidgin and what it tells us about human abilities.
How is personal character formed? Why should we look back into history? What are the pros and cons of intellectual pursuits? In his book The Second Mountain, cultural commentator David Brooks contrasts the individualist approach to life with the relationalist approach. He argues that you should embrace relationalism—the worldview that prioritizes selflessness and service to others—to lead a deeply fulfilling life. Keep reading for The Second Mountain quotes that provide insight into the book’s themes.
Is Europe’s gas shortage over or is another energy crisis on the way? Why do experts’ viewpoints differ on this issue? Last November, Europe appeared on the brink of an energy crisis, facing a shortage of natural gas as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted global supply and distribution. Now, some say that Europe not only weathered the storm but put itself in a stronger energy position than ever—but others don’t readily agree. Read on to learn if Europe’s gas shortage is truly over or if another energy crisis is on the horizon.
What could wipe out humanity? How have civilizations been destroyed in the past? In The World Without Us, science journalist Alan Weisman asks what would happen if the human race vanished overnight. Although he states that the means of extinction are not necessarily relevant to the thought experiment, he speculates about how it might occur. Read more to learn about a few doomsday scenarios that might cause the extinction of the human race.