For those making holiday plans, carry these short, insightful books as on-board entertainment for some unplugged fun.
'Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words' by Randall Munroe
Have you ever tried to learn something new only to be frustrated by incomprehensible jargon? Randall Munroe is here to help with this 64-page book that uses drawings and the 1,000 most common words to give readers simple explanations for different complicated subjects.
'Prisoners of Geography' By Tim Marshall
This 320 pager uses maps to offer insight into world history, answering everything from Putin’s obsession with Crimea to why the US became a superpower. The book is a reminder of the salience of geography in international affairs — of the threats such open plans continue to pose in this age of Predator drones and cyber-attacks.
'Real Artists Don’t Starve' by Jeff Goins
Bestselling author Jeff Goins dismantles the myth that being creative is a hindrance to success by revealing how an artistic temperament is in fact a competitive advantage. This 240-page book explores the competitive benefits of being creative, and opines creative people have a powerful tool that needs to be harnessed.
'Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations' by Dan Ariely
This 128-page book investigates the nature of motivation and is written by behavioural economist Dan Ariely. In it, he reveals fascinating new insights into motivation, showing that the subject is far more complex than we ever imagined. Along the way, he explores intriguing questions such as: Can giving employees bonuses harm productivity?
'The Visual Miscellaneum: A Colorful Guide to the World’s Most Consequential Trivia' by David McCandless
The book takes a unique look at the modern information age, helping readers make sense of the countless statistics and random facts that constantly bombard us. It uses graphs, charts, and illustrations in its 256 pages to help readers make sense of facts and statistics. It covers topics from how long it takes different condiments to spoil to world maps of Internet search terms.
'We Should All Be Feminists' By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It’s a personal, eloquently-argued essay adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name. A MacArthur Genius Grant winner, Adichie provides a modernday definition of feminism, and explores the sexual politics at work in society.
'The War of Independence' By John Fiske
Originally published in 1890, this 115-page book provides a historical perspective on the American Revolution, a hundred years following the war, rather than today’s more than 230 years. It was written by a historian and scholar who graduated from Harvard Law School.
Source: The Economic Times