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Book cover of American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics

Gigi Griffis Author Of The Lioness

From Gigi's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Feminist History nerd Humorist

Gigi's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Gigi Griffis Why Gigi loves this book

I adore anytime I can pick up a well-written, commercial book that teaches me something new about history. I had no idea that EMS services started with a handful of committed Black paramedics and their story was by turns inspiring, shocking, upsetting, and also deeply emotional. As with many parts of history, the real foundations of paramedic services have been erased. What an incredible gift this book was for me to get a much clearer picture of a slice of US history.

By Kevin Hazzard ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked American Sirens as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Until the 1970s, if you suffered a medical crisis, your chances of survival were minimal. A 9-1-1 call might bring police or even the local funeral home. But that all changed with Freedom House EMS in Pittsburgh, a group of Black men who became America's first paramedics and set the gold standard for emergency medicine around the world, only to have their story and their legacy erased-until now.

In American Sirens, acclaimed journalist and paramedic Kevin Hazzard tells the dramatic story of how a group of young, undereducated Black men forged a new frontier of healthcare. He follows a rich…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives

Gigi Griffis Author Of The Lioness

From Gigi's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Feminist History nerd Humorist

Gigi's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Gigi Griffis Why Gigi loves this book

This a deeply important and difficult book. I have a special place in my heart for the history of the Congo, which was colonized brutally by Belgium and then exploited further by both Belgium and other western powers even once they "granted" independence. But I was not informed about the current realities of cobalt mining in Congo today - the very same cobalt that powers our batteries and is enabling me to write this review. If you want to know what's happening and what we can do to help the (largely children) in Congo who are being harmed by mining practices and the tech industry that turns a blind eye, this is a great place to start.

By Siddharth Kara ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cobalt Red as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Cobalt Red is the searing, first-ever expose of the immense toll taken on the people and environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by cobalt mining, as told through the testimonies of the Congolese people themselves. Activist and researcher Siddharth Kara has traveled deep into cobalt territory to document the testimonies of the people living, working, and dying for cobalt. To uncover the truth about brutal mining practices, Kara investigated militia-controlled mining areas, traced the supply chain of child-mined cobalt from toxic pit to consumer-facing tech giants, and gathered shocking testimonies of people who endure immense suffering and even…


Book cover of American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics
Book cover of Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives

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