Excerpts from the book of Trevor Noah The genius of apartheid was convincing people who were the overwhelming majority to turn on each other. Like indigenous peoples around the world, black South Africans adopted the religion of our colonizers. By “adopt” I mean it was forced on us. The white man was quite stern with the …
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Sapiens
Excerpts from the book of Yuval Noah Harari That spectacular leap from the middle to the top had enormous consequences. Other animals at the top of the pyramid, such as lions and sharks, evolved into that position very gradually, over millions of years. This enabled the ecosystem to develop checks and balances that prevent lions and …
Crying in H Mart
Excerpts from the book of Michelle Zauner Left with her in the woods, I was overwhelmed by her time and attention, a devotion that I learned could both be an auspicious privilege and have smothering consequences. My mother was a homemaker. Making a home had been her livelihood since I was born, and while she was …
Escape into Meaning
Excerpts from the book of Evan Puschak Reading Emerson was like watching magic. Somehow he was able to retrieve the cloudy, half-formed thoughts in my mind and write them down with astonishing eloquence—a century and a half before I was born! This is the magic of articulation, of putting things exactly right, and it’s been the …
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Excerpts from the book of Gabrielle Zevin “Darling, it may come out later, and it could hurt your friend’s feelings, if he thinks he is a charity to you, and not a genuine friendship.” “Can’t something be both?” Sadie said. “Friendship is friendship, and charity is charity,” Freda said. “You know very well that I …
A Life In Parts
Excerpts from the book of Bryan Cranston If my dad was featured in a show or movie on TV, neighbors would drop by the next day to report how they felt about his work. “I liked the production value, but all the actors were turkeys.” “The beginning was great . . . but the end was a fiasco.” …
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
Excerpts from the book of Chris Hadfield See, a funny thing happened on the way to space: I learned how to live better and more happily here on Earth. Over time, I learned how to anticipate problems in order to prevent them, and how to respond effectively in critical situations. I learned how to neutralize …