About Book Marks
Recent Reviews
Mona Chollet, tr. Sophie R. Lewis
Positive Library Journal Chollet extensively discusses the torture of accused witches, then brings us up to current attempts to control and malign women ... The author also examines the objectification of women in modern medicine ... Feminists will appreciate this exploration of rebellion and independence.
Amartya Sen
Positive Library Journal A vivid memoir, recommended for those interested in the intersection of economics and social science.
Mondiant Dogon
Positive Library Journal ... searing ... Throughout this memoir, Dogon shares stories about his family and their efforts to find safety. His plea is that the world does not forget the many refugees still living in stateless purgatory ... Those interested in international relations, immigration, and social work will find Dogon’s firsthand account essential reading.
Eyal Press
Rave Library Journal Americans might ignore dirty work, Eyal concludes, but we are all complicit in it. Essential reading for those interested in social justice issues.
Edith Widder
Positive Library Journal This book illustrates the careful, curious, years-long quest of a scientist in love with her work. Widder peppers her text with witty asides as footnotes that invite readers into her passion ... Highly recommended for those interested in marine and environmental studies.
Michelle Orange
Positive Library Journal Part memoir, part social commentary, this book is a meditation on the evolving role of white women in Western society. Especially of interest for social science and gender studies collections.
Barrett Swanson
Positive Library Journal ... [Swanson] connects with vivid ideas and people and searches with sensitivity for meaning in life’s vicissitudes ... This wide-ranging work is part literary collection, part cultural examination; it should appeal to armchair travelers interested in learning about different worldviews and finding meaning in the everyday.
Tyler J Kelley
Positive Library Journal ... sobering ... The interviews with the book’s subjects bring to life the problems they face and the balancing acts they engage in ... Kelley’s engaging work will draw in those interested in personal stories of the effects of climate change, and use of natural resources.
Seb Falk
Positive Library Journal Falk fills his book with photos of medieval manuscripts and astronomical instruments, and explanations of how the instruments worked. While some of the explanations may be difficult to follow for a nonmathematician, Falk’s obvious respect for monks and their work shines through every page and is infectious ... Offering a window into the world of medieval monks, this will appeal to lovers of scientific history.
Harold McGee
Positive Library Journal ... exhaustive ... [McGee] often makes interesting connections between odors that exist in widely different and unexpected places. The reader may wish to dip in and out of this exceedingly thorough book, following their fancy ... Perfect for foodies, those interested in science, and the innately curious. Engagingly written, this would be a wonderful ready reference to have on hand.
Eula Biss
Positive Library Journal An engaging and accessible read for those interested in social justice and in better understanding our economy.
Rebecca Giggs
Positive Library Journal ... immersive ... In lyrical language, Giggs leads readers on a journey through underwater cultures and the place of whales in the chain of life. Recommended for readers interested in nature, ecology, and environmentalism.
Libby Copeland
Positive Library Journal Copeland uses fascinating stories of family discoveries to illustrate the science behind genetic connections and to discuss the ways bioethical considerations have not kept pace with the improvement of the kits, including privacy concerns with how genetic databases are used by law enforcement ... Highly recommended for popular science and memoir fans, as well as readers with an interest in genealogy.
Steven Levy
Positive Booklist ... the definitive story of Facebook. From Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm room in 2004 to Levy’s July 2019 interview with him, Levy takes the reader into a detailed history of the world’s biggest social networking company. Given unfettered access to Zuckerberg and the company during the last three years, Levy is able to illustrate how the company developed under the influence of Zuckerberg’s acknowledged hypercompetitiveness ... This absorbing book will inspire important conversations about big tech and privacy in the twenty-first century.
Eliese Colette Goldbach
Rave Library Journal Goldbach, a writer and steelworker at the ArCellorMittal Cleveland Temper Mill in Cleveland, presents a complex, searing indictment of the present challenges facing employed and unemployed workers in the United States ... This beautifully told, nuanced memoir will strike a chord with fans of J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, and pique the interest of sociology scholars.
Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Rave Library Journal With compassion and empathy, [the authors] pull readers into the lives of families who have been in a downward spiral for several generations ... Kristof and WuDunn note that their goal is not to propose policy, but rather to share illustrative stories in order to make clear the enormity of the problem. They bring a human face to issues such as drug addiction, incarceration, family dysfunction, and declining prospects for employment. By comparing America’s policies to those of other wealthy nations, they show that solutions are available for \'escalators\' out of poverty ... Enlightening for all concerned Americans, but especially for those interested in social justice issues.
Neil Shubin
Rave Library Journal In the end, the genetic constructions of all creatures are variations on a theme; we are all related. An engaging, must-read for anyone with an interest in evolution.
Tupa Tjipombo and Chris Lockhart
Positive Library Journal [Tjipombo\'s] tale of 21st-century slavery puts a shocking face to dry statistics ... Only courage and rare luck allowed Tjipombo to get away and share her story, which will haunt readers ... For readers who wish to understand more fully the grim reality of human trafficking.
Dana Thomas
Positive Library Journal ... a wide-ranging exposé of the fashion industry ... Thomas offers readers hope for change by introducing visionary entrepreneurs who embody the future of fashion ... From clothes made on 3–D printers to factories full of robots, Thomas shows us sustainable alternatives for the future ... Fascinating reading for anyone who wears clothing.
Bathsheba Demuth
Rave Library Journal Braiding human, animal, and environmental history, the author explores the ways in which the implications of economic ideologies have altered the balance of the natural world in this remote land ... The author’s deeply informed (she spent several years in Beringia) lyrical telling pulls disparate threads together for a powerful environmental message ... A cautionary, instructive tale highly recommended for readers with an interest in environmental conservation.
Ben S. Bernanke, Timothy F. Geithner, Henry M. Paulson Jr.
Positive Booklist The three authors of this book held high-level government positions at the time of the 2008 financial meltdown ... Firefighting is their explanation of how they did the best they could within the constraints of the laws at that time. It is a point-by-point account of events as they unfolded that is meant to be accessible to the ordinary, interested reader. It serves not only as a sort of apologia for their choices but as a warning that the inevitable crises lurking ahead will require sturdier financial tools and a consolidated approach.
Jennifer L. Eberhardt
Positive Library Journal Eberhardt...helps readers understand how human brains have evolved to fear \'the other\' and how to combat innate bias once we recognize it ... An important book for all readers in these divisive times.
Allison Schrager
Rave Booklist In what is probably the most entertaining book about risk management ever written, economist Schrager expands upon her specialty in retirement planning to examine how risk is handled in unusual professions and what this can teach us about managing risk ... She makes complicated principles accessible so the lay reader can easily put them to use for retirement planning or everyday decision making.
Safi Bahcall
Rave Booklist He illustrates [his] methods with interesting examples, such as how radar was developed during WWII, Pan Am’s rise and fall, American Airlines’ development of an online reservation system, Polaroid cameras, James Bond and other originally indie movies, and many more. This thorough, fascinating study will appeal to a broader audience than just business wonks.
Gary P. Pisano
Positive Booklist Using well-known examples, he illustrates why 70 percent of organizational change has failed, and how those that succeeded did so ... Business leaders will find inspiration here.
David Quammen
Positive Library Journal Author and journalist Quammen...leads readers on a winding journey in search of the genetic heritage of life on earth. He introduces scientists who have been at the forefront of the research and keeps the story engaging by discussing not only their theories but their personalities and professional disputes ... Written in an accessible style, this book will interest biologists, geneticists, and those curious about evolutionary history.