I learned early that information doesn’t change people’s minds and that we can’t lecture our way into people’s hearts. Real change comes through building empathy, and we do that through compelling, personal storytelling. I’ve been working on disrupting bias and building empathy my whole life. It’s why I write, and why I teach, and why I travel to speak with different groups. It’s my theory of change in the world—the first step towards moving us to a more caring, kinder global society.
It’s at once personal and relatable, and also unfamiliar and eye-opening. I learned so much about what I didn’t know, and I loved doing so, because the writing is so light and funny.
The insights were powerful, and I truly felt like I was stepping into a new world and learning so much about what other people’s lives can be like, even and especially when they’re so different from my own.
I loved this book and recommend it to anyone and everyone.
The compelling, inspiring, (often comic) coming-of-age story of Trevor Noah, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.
One of the comedy world's brightest new voices, Trevor Noah is a light-footed but sharp-minded observer of the absurdities of politics, race and identity, sharing jokes and insights drawn from the wealth of experience acquired in his relatively young life. As host of the US hit show The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, he provides viewers around the globe with their nightly dose of biting satire, but here Noah turns his…
This book was also heart-touching and eye-opening.
The writing was beautiful, the story was remarkable, and the insights were compelling. Maybe more than that, I kept finding myself reminded by how much our outlooks and opinions are shaped by the perspectives we receive.
Hearing “Jim’s” first-hand account was a drastically different experience than hearing about him through Huck Finn, and appreciating that—with all the complexities it entails—made the experience of reading James all the more enriching and enjoyable.
'Truly extraordinary books are rare, and this is one of them' - Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha
James by Percival Everett is a profound and ferociously funny meditation on identity, belonging and the sacrifices we make to protect the ones we love, which reimagines The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. From the author of The Trees, shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and Erasure, adapted into the Oscar-winning film American Fiction.
The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new…
I have never read a book like Babel, that is so deeply entrenched in histories of colonialism, and also sheds so much light on the inequities of our world today.
We see how well-meaning people get sucked into power, and it causes each reader to reflect on how the decisions we make daily can put us on different trajectories.
Babel is such a forceful vision, with beautiful writing and inspiring imagination.
This is one of the most remarkable memoirs I’ve ever read.
My parents are immigrants from South Asia, and I thought I’d heard all the stories from them and their friends. But this one is like no other, and it’s so funny and engaging, too. From wealth in Mumbai, to being homeless, to starting life over again in the US, and then rising to comedy stardom.
This book was such a treat to read, and gave me a newfound appreciation of what people go through to make a new home.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Award-winning comedian Zarna Garg turns her astonishing life story into a hilarious memoir, spilling all the chai on her wild ride from escaping an arranged marriage and homelessness in India to carving her own path in America and launching a dazzling second act in midlife.
Don't miss Zarna Garg's new standup special, Practical People Win, now streaming on Hulu!
“A deeply honest and hilarious book about how you always win if you bet on yourself.”—Amy Poehler
Throughout Zarna's whole childhood in India, everyone called her “so American” just for reading the newspaper, having deep thoughts,…
This book reflected a particular story that’s so different from my own—cultural, familial, and otherwise.
Yet the author’s attention to detail and her open vulnerability helped me see myself in it, recognizing that there are echoes of her life in my own, and that so much of what we experience in life is a shared human experience.
The book is beautifully written and a pleasure to read, and it’s helped me see the challenges that I face and the challenges others encounter as something that bind us all together.
The New York Times bestseller from the Grammy-nominated indie rockstar Japanese Breakfast, an unflinching, deeply moving memoir about growing up mixed-race, Korean food, losing her Korean mother, and forging her own identity in the wake of her loss.
'As good as everyone says it is and, yes, it will have you in tears. An essential read for anybody who has lost a loved one, as well as those who haven't' - Marie-Claire
In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer,…
The Light We Give shares a powerful approach to living a purposeful and rewarding life. The author reflects on his upbringing in Texas, confronting racism, bullying, and ethnic slurs throughout his life, and how, instead of growing bitter or angry, he drew from Sikh teachings to seek out the good in every situation and find positive ways to direct his energy.
The Light We Give is a light, fresh approach to building a personal vision of ethical living in which love, caring, and service go hand in hand with personal happiness. Part memoir, part spiritual journey, The Light We Give is a transformative book of hope that shows how each of us can turn away from fear and uncertainty and move toward renewal and positive change.
