The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories — by Mike Rothschild It is hard to understand modern society if you ignore the ubiquitous conspiracy theories — and this book is dedicated to the mother of them all, showing how this twisted way of thinking is deeply rooted in anti-Semitism. I have to admit that, based on the title…

The True Story of the AR-15 — by Cameron McWhirter; Zusha Elinson If you want to know how the United States became a land of mass shootings, read this book. It is an excellent, gripping non-fiction account of the history of the world’s most (in)famous rifle, the AR-15. I am sure it will cause some controversy, but…

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars — by Avi Loeb Avi Loeb, a longtime and respected professor of astrophysics, gained public attention after declaring that Oumuamua, a space object discovered in 2017, was most likely of extraterrestrial origin. While the discussion of UFOs has become more scientific in recent years, Loeb is still the most prominent academic…

How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat — by Nick Mott; Justin Angle If you are new to the subject of wildfires, not looking for a captivating narrative non-fiction (like Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World) or a scientific, technical study (like Running Out of Time: Wildfires and Our Imperiled Forests), but just want to…

Lighting Fires in a Burning World — by M.R. O’Connor “Get close enough to a fire — maybe even close enough to smell it burning and feel its heat — and what you will discover is a far more complex and fascinating story. And one that is infinitely more hopeful” — M.R. O’Connor writes in the preface…

Putin, Zelensky, and the Path to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine — by Mikhail Zygar A fascinating journey through Ukrainian and Russian history, ancient and modern. “If Ukraine joins NATO, it will do so without Crimea and the East — it will simply disintegrate”. These are the words of Vladimir Putin’s speech at the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest. It’s chilling to…

Life and Death on a Scorched Planet — by Jeff Goodell Reading about the heat in June seemed very appropriate — temperatures in the northern hemisphere were already soaring and many people were bracing themselves for another scorching summer. …

Wildfires and Our Imperiled Forests — by David L. Auchterlonie and Jeffrey A. Lehman Wi th forests burning across much of Canada and acrid smoke enveloping New York City, wildfires are a hot topic, both literally and figuratively. And unfortunately, they are here to stay. Not surprisingly, many new books are exploring the matter in different…

An Intimate History of a Divided Land — by Jacob Mikanowski An original and beautiful book. Jacob Mikanowski carefully weaves delicate and shimmering threads of surprising facts, mythology, and personal reminiscences into a stunning tapestry. As the author notes in a first sentence, Eastern Europe is a place that doesn’t exist — but this strange frontier has long…