With the fall season upon us, many of us are getting ready to retire the shorts and sandals and welcome sweater weather in Berkeley. Well, what pairs better with the crisp November air than a warm cup of coffee and an insightful new book? Here are our recommendations for November reads to traverse genres and unpack important social dialogues. We hope you enjoy!
“Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators” by Ronan Farrow
Author and The New Yorker journalist Ronan Farrow won a Pulitzer Prize alongside Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey for their groundbreaking coverage on accusations against Harvey Weinstein for sexual misconduct. Named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people in 2018, Farrow sheds light on the interconnected circle of people in positions of power who helped silence victims for decades. This thrilling narration evokes undertones of the movie “All the President’s Men” and provides the insider perspective on the investigative process of covering this massive social controversy.
“The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood
This fictional sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” released in 1985, follows the story of Aunt Lydia, who is placed within the higher ranks of Gilead society and the two daughters of Offred, the protagonist of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” If you loved “The Handmaid’s Tale,” this book is the perfect way for you to pursue Atwood’s masterful narrative style.
“The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power” by Daniel Yergin
Given the social urgency surrounding climate change in today’s day and age, this book provides insight into the nature of the oil industry, how it started, the major players in the industry and the impact it has had on our lives as consumers. The book weighs power dynamics within corporate and political worlds, as well as sheds light on the economic drive that incentivizes drilling the world into oblivion.
“Permanent Record” by Edward Snowden
This autobiography follows Snowden’s early years and paves the narrative path toward how he became one of the most recognized figures in the country. Snowden leaked information from the National Security Agency when he discovered that the government was carrying out mass surveillance, unbeknownst to the American people. To make things even more interesting, when this book was released in September, Snowden was hit with lawsuits by the U.S. government for allegedly violating the “non-disclosure agreements signed with the Central Intelligence Agency and NSA.”
We hope that these reading recommendations spark your intrigue and get you thinking about heading to your local bookstore soon.
