The art of uncertainty : living with chance, ignorance, risk and luck by
An invaluable guide to thinking about uncertainty, from a master of the craft. Using simple algebra to illuminate broad ideas, this book has the sort of elegance that makes mathematicians enjoy maths.
The shortest history of economics by
In fewer than 200 pages, the author canters through the history of human progress, pausing to explain the economic forces that drove it.
Slow productivity by
In this diatribe against “pseudo-productivity”, a sage of the post-pandemic workplace offers practical advice on how to “protect” your time.
Medieval Horizons by
Whoever thinks the Middle Ages were all darkness has a middling understanding of history. This enlightening account shows there was more to the period than plague, superstition and violence.
Co-intelligence : living and working with AI by
How do you get the most from AI? The technology is an “alien intelligence” that can augment the human sort—but people need to raise their game.
The Afterlife of Data by
People generate unfathomable quantities of data. What happens to that data when they die? The philosophical concerns of this compelling book linger in the mind.
Raiders, rulers and traders : the horse and the rise of empires by
“What we now call the Silk Road should more accurately be called the Horse Road,” the author, a scholar of Asian history, writes in his chronicle of horses and people.
The Power and the Money by
What better time to produce a cautionary tale about the relationship between bosses and American presidents? The lesson is: it’s OK to be the president’s golf buddy—just don’t beat him.
Money : a story of humanity by
A whistle-stop historical tour, with money as the central character. The author is a former central banker, but do not be put off—this is no dry tome.
The anxious generation by
Gen Z is suffering from unprecedented levels of poor mental health. An eminent social psychologist considers the “great rewiring of childhood”. This book is compassionate in tone and rich in data.
Revolusi : Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World by
The history of Indonesia is convoluted. A Belgian historian gets his boots dirty, chronicling brutal plunder in the 17th century, forced labour in the 19th and a racial caste system in the early 20th.
Dark Wire by
A vivid account of the largest law-enforcement sting operation ever. The author spent years getting to know the players, many of them unsavoury international gangsters.
The Whole Story by
The co-founder of Whole Foods Market tells a story of self-discovery and entrepreneurial chutzpah that changed the way well-heeled Americans approach healthy eating.
Playing with reality : how games shape our world by
A wide-ranging survey of how games shape reality. By turns philosophical and polemical, this is a provocative and fascinating book.
Every living thing by
The story of a forgotten rivalry that shaped the modern world. Carl Linnaeus and Georges-Louis de Buffon raced to categorise all life.
Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration by
The tools and tricks used by spies in the 16th and 17th centuries included disguises, poisons and secret codes. There are “she-intelligencers”, letters hidden in a wooden leg and even recipes for invisible inks. Do pay attention, 007.