The Bird is a Metaphor

Okay, I haven't actually finished any of these books yet because I'm currently gnawing my way through two economics tomes, but I felt like making a post anyway. \0/

* Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham

I'm two chapters away from finishing this, and every part of this book is Terrifying. Like, from all standpoints: nuclear accident / human impact / Russian bureaucracy / mitigation decisions. Bad! Very bad. Like, I know that the worst case scenario didn't happen because Europe is still inhabitable, but that's not exactly comforting tbh.

- Springboard: The Radium Girls / The Gulag Archipelago (my copy) / Before the Fallout (my copy) / Voices from Chernobyl / the HBO Chernobyl series if my library has a copy

* Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy (Fourth Edition) by Thomas Sowell

I LOVE arguing with this book! Thomas Sowell doesn't know it, but he's my NEMESIS. I always thought I didn't care about economics until I started listening to Planet Money years ago, but it turns out I very much do. I really like this book from the standpoint that it covers a lot of material and (I'm assuming) argues the same points as your basic textbook. Also, I get to whip out my critical thinking skills and destroy various arguments and statistics at high volume to anyone who doesn't run away from me fast enough. :D I think Sowell is just about to try and convince me that unions are bad and I'm going to go Apeshit, it's going to be great.

- Springboard: uhhhh the entire econ section at the library / I really want to read some academic econ papers, but I haven't looked into where to find them or what's good / anything on rent control (because I feel like Sowell is wrong, but I don't actually know enough about rent control to fight with him) (don't even get me started on his latest book on charter schools, just thinking about it makes my blood boil)

* The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living Since the Civil War by Robert J. Gordon

YES, I'm a huge nerd and I love this book! \0/ It's SO INTERESTING, both from an econ standpoint and a history one. Gordon argues that revolutionary advances in technology during the 'golden century' from 1870 to 1970 made rapid economic growth and increases in standard of living possible, and these advances (combustion engines, electricity, telephones, networked houses) can't be replicated, only minimally advanced upon, leading to stagnating growth. I really enjoyed the chapter where he talks about standard of living that GDP can't capture, especially in relationship to housework. The text is tiny (and a truly mind-boggling amount of research must have gone into this book, it's 700 pages long), so I'm not very far in, but I adore it. Also, unlike Sowell, Gordon actually cites his sources. :angel emoji:

- Springboard: The Poison Squad / anything on housework over the years / Empire Express (my copy)

If anyone would like to add a book suggestion to my ever-growing pile, feel free to leave a comment! \0/

* The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan

EXCELLENT, highly recommend. Well-written, well-researched, and captivating. I watched Ken Burns' documentary on the Dust Bowl after this and really enjoyed the additional images / footage.

* I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

One downside to listening to the audiobook version was the lack of maps / timelines to refer back to, but it didn't hinder me too much. I listened to this while putting together a puzzle so I wasn't giving it my full attention, but that also kept me from getting Too Paranoid, which is always a possibility when I read stuff on serial killers.

* The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

I read this more for the writing than for the content, because it's very lyrical. I read the first page at work and was like GOTTA BORROW THIS BABY FROM SOMEWHERE. It's kind of a combination of the process of writing + writing advice + stories about Annie Dillard. Some of it I was like, "Yes, this is what writing is like!" and some of it I was like *doubtful squinting*, but the writing was really good. It's also a pretty short book (about 100 pages as a trade paperback), so it's a quick read.

* Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki

Manga! This is the first of four books that span the Showa era, and is part history, part autobiography. I don't know a lot about Japan, but I liked the scope of this + reading about Japan from a Japanese author.

* The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

This felt like the kind of book your aunt gives you when you graduate. I liked the art style, but the philosophy / advice sounded kind of like something you'd find on a decorative canvas at Hobby Lobby. It's... also possible I'm just a cynic.