Food of the Gods says psilocybin mushrooms were responsible for the unusually fast evolutionary growth of the human brain. Also it talks about how our relationships to psychoactive plants (including caffeine, sugar and alcohol) shaped human cultures. Finally, how we may restore personal, social and ecological balance in the world.
"Most people are addicted to some substance and, more important, all people are addicted to patterns of behavior." —Terence McKenna
Sapiens is about how we went from being simple primates 2.5 million years ago... to walking on the moon. Yuval Noah Harari explores the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions, which made us who we are today. He says common myths like money, laws and nations hold human societies together.
"Just 6 million years ago, a single female ape had two daughters. One became the ancestor of all chimpanzees, the other is our own grandmother." —Yuval Noah Harari
The True Believer shows how the same human frustrations drive all mass movements—whether social, political or religious. People join mass movements to escape their ineffectual and helpless individual self. Eric Hoffer wrote this book 70 years ago, but it's still frighteningly relevant today.
"Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for the lost faith in ourselves." —Eric Hoffer
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the life story of one of the Founding Fathers of America. Franklin is often described as a "self-made man" and "The First American" because of his lifelong dedication to values like enthusiastic work, self-education and personal improvement.
"Human [happiness] is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day." —Benjamin Franklin
The Emperor of All Maladies is about the incredible history of "The War Against Cancer" and helps us to understand this terrible disease. Siddhartha Mukherjee explains the most common cancer treatments, including the science and story behind them.
"" —Siddhartha Mukherjee
Homo Deus offers a thought-provoking look into humanity's future; It talks about how advances in technologies like artificial intelligence and genetic engineering could radically transform us. Yuval Noah Harari proposes the uncomfortable notion that we may try to become like gods to avoid death and unhappiness.
"This is the best reason to learn history: not in order to predict the future, but to free yourself of the past and imagine alternative destinies." —Yuval Noah Harari
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a self-help book that explains how powerful people have gained and maintained their control over the centuries. While controversial for its manipulative tactics, this book also shares eye-opening insights into history, strategy, and human nature.
"Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish." —Robert Greene