Mapmaker’s Wife by Robert Whittaker
“About a French scientific expedition to Peru in the 18th century and the life of cartographer Jean Godin, who marries a Peruvian woman and is separated from her for 20 years. A gripping read that has it all: science, adventure, fascinating glimpses of daily life in Peru as well as the wilderness.”
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
“Everyone seems to be reading at least one book about the 1918 flu. I like this one because it has a lot of science in it and talks about how the medical discoveries were made and the lives of the great researchers. With the exception of Johns Hopkins medical school, US medical schools were well behind those in Germany for much of US history. Depressing to note that denial, politicking, and belief in quackery stymied the public and government response in 1918 just as it has today.”
Heavy by Kiese Laymon
“David Cole, the national legal director of the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union], recommended this and now I can’t put it down. Laymon was raised by his grandmother and his professor mother, who had very high standards and tried to keep his body safe in Mississippi, as well as pushed him to write. His description of the violence and sexual abuse that surrounded him during his childhood is unforgettable. So is his description of racism in academia.”
Too Much and Never Enough: How my Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump
“Well written and delves deep into the psychology of Trump as well as his childhood. If you want to understand his inner workings, then this book adds to the literature. Trump views her uncle as a sociopath and goes back into family history to explain the dynamics that created [what some believe] is the worst president the US has ever had.”
