Gessen’s provocative conclusion that Putin’s Russia is just as much a totalitarian society as Stalin’s Soviet Union or Hitler’s Germany may not convince all readers. What makes the book so worthwhile are its keen observations about Russia from the point of view of those experiencing its heavy-handed state. It makes a convincing if depressing case that Homo Sovieticus, the unique species created a century ago with the Bolshevik Revolution, did not die out along with the Soviet Union. Few accounts are as ambitious, insightful and unsparing as Gessen’s “The Future Is History.” This is a sweeping intellectual history of Russia over the past four decades, told through a Tolstoyan gallery of characters. Vladimir Putin has inspired a number of books seeking to explain his remarkable rise - and his remarkable hold on power. Review: Why an adolescent might either mug an old lady or help the needy Buy: $35 For any layperson who wants to understand why we behave the way we do, Sapolsky has created an immensely readable, often hilarious, romp through the worlds of psychology, primatology, sociology and neurobiology. A professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant, Sapolsky brings together a variety of scientific disciplines to tackle a fundamental mystery: What drives humans to harm each other or help each other? He finds the answers in our biology and takes readers on a journey through the nervous system, hormones, evolution and the environment.
You’ll find yourself guffawing at Sapolsky’s quirky humor, and you’ll begin to question whether that decision you made so many years ago not to go into the sciences might have been too hasty. If you think we've missed something that should be included on our list, let us know in the comments - we always love discovering new books.If you ever thought that neuroscience was too boring or complicated for pleasurable reading, “Behave” will change your mind. Ordering books in advance not only gives you mail to look forward to that isn't a bill, but it helps support authors too. For 2021, many of our top book picks offer us critiques on our society today, a peek into complicated family dynamics, steamy romance novels that will remind you that love isn't dead after all, spooky thriller books that will send shivers up your spine, historical books that dip back into the past and creepy ghost stories that will keep you up past your bedtime.Īnd while some of these books may not be on shelves quite yet (or may be delayed due to supply chain issues), you should hit that preorder button anyway. So what should you read next? This year, there are lots of exciting new releases from some of our favorite authors, as well as stunning debut books from a diverse group of newcomers in just about every genre you can think of. Whether you promised yourself you'd read more this year, or you simply need a new book club recommendation to sink your teeth into, our list of the best books of 2021 has you covered.
No matter what else happened, 2021 was a banner year for amazing new books.