What better way to welcome the rainy weather than with a few fall book recommendations? Here are three diverse and insightful books that The Clog recommends trying out for the month of September.
“Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond
Desmond is an ethnographer who provides outstanding perspective on the American housing crisis. The author focuses on impoverished communities specifically in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — but closes the book with thought-provoking arguments that are applicable to almost all metropolitan cities. The novel tells the stories of eight families living in impoverished districts of Milwaukee, and highlights the systemic disadvantages that perpetuate the dire housing crisis in urban areas. This book earned a Pulitzer Prize, became a New York Times bestseller and was even named one of the best books of the year by former president Barack Obama.
“When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi
When Dr. Kalanithi was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer, he set out on a mission to do the things he loved most in what little time he had left. One of those things was writing this book. “When Breath Becomes Air” is an inspiring and heart-wrenching novel that describes Kalanithi’s journey through his formative years, medical residency and eventually his terminal diagnosis. The book weaves together family, friendship, adversity and empowerment to tell a story that may influence the way you see the world going forward.
“The Overstory” By Richard Powers
This Pulitzer Prize-winning work of fiction has a very unique narrative structure. At just over 500 pages, this novel addresses the issues of deforestation through the eyes of different Americans. Many readers claim that you will not encounter another book quite like this one. It has garnered significant praise within the literary community for its high-quality writing and emotionally driven environmental fiction. If you want to try something new, this is the book for you!
We hope that you found these books interesting. They each present a different perspective on the world and offer pearls of wisdom. Have fun reading!
