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Book Club On the Same Page presents its summer 2023 Book List
Summer.. lots of time to read and broaden your horizon! Here are 21 book suggestions from members of Wageningen Young Academy. The list offers a great mix of non-fiction and fiction books across different research fields and debates.
Mohammed Sarr - The most secret memory of men
A novel about two writers, mixing detective aspects with literature and overcoming the divide between Africa and the ‘West’. Would fit in a theme of Colonialism.
Anton de Kom - We slaves from Suriname (in Dutch)
Must-read, especially for those interested in decolonization.
Amitav Gosh The Nutmeg’s Curse
The story of the nutmeg spice of conquest and exploitation is brilliantly told to illuminate the longstanding influence of colonialism in climate change, environmental exploitation and global politics.
Andreas Malm – How to blow up a pipeline
It is time for some serious climate action, and each protest movement benefits from targeted violent actions.
Menno Schilthuizen - Darwin comes to Town
Evolution in the city, a very fun book how species adapt in the quickly changing urban environment.
Tim Birkehead - The most perfect thing
About eggs and unsurprisingly fun. All his books are good.
Virginie Despentes - King Kong Theory
Feminist pamphlet on power, control, gender and toxic masculinity.
Caroline Glasbergen - New Female Leader (in Dutch)
Based on interviews with Dutch female leaders, clear advice how to remain yourself in leadership positions.
Lynn Berger – I already work (in Dutch)
Not in English, but a very good and short book about paid and unpaid labour.
Joris Luijendijk - Checking seven boxes (in Dutch)
A timely contribution from white privileged Dutch male on barriers to diversity and
inclusion.
Temple Grandin - Thinking in Pictures, My Life with Autism
About a scientist who developed US livestock facilities with much attention (to reduce) animal stress. Due to her autism the author empathises deeply with the animals.
Richard Feynman - Surely You're joking Mr Feynman
Very funny biography of physicist Richard Feynman, providing a refreshing perspective on academia as well.
Douglas Hofstadter – Gödel, Escher, Bach: an eternal golden braid
The books combines various fields from computer science to music and maths as well as philosophy - and is discussing how artificial intelligence (as we now call it) can emerge.
Nate Silver - The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't
A non-fiction book about Bayesian thinking, very well explained and entertaining.
David Graeber and David Wengrow - The Dawn of Everything
Stimulating book that challenges the way we understand human history.
Jared Diamond – Guns, Germs and Steel
A classic on rise and fall of human societies.
Rutger Bregman - Humankind: a hopeful history
A positive book about humankind, most of us intend to be good people. I read it with great pleasure.
Mark Monmonier – How to lie with maps
Each map contains a lot of lies, we tend to forget this when looking at maps or our own maps/figures we produce.
Charles Mann – Wizard and Prophet
Few years old but still very relevant about different research approaches in all research fields of Wageningen University. Are you more of a wizard (technology is a solution) or a prophet (behavioural change is needed) in your work to save the planet from a humanitarian crisis?
Henrietta Lacks - The Immortal Life
This book highlights ethical aspects of biological science and gives a personality to the human material that defined (and still defines) human research.
Liu Cixin – The tree-body problem
Fiction that explores the idea that the galaxy is a dark forest where you do not want to draw attention to your planet.
Under construction – Getting lost on the way to the ivory tower (working title).
Book in preparation by WYA members. On struggles, failures and coping strategies in academia.