It’s been several months since my last book recommendations, but I’m back with a new list. Here are some noteworthy titles that have caught my attention:

Non-Fiction

• A Field Guide to the Apocalypse by Athena Aktipis. A darkly humorous yet insightful guide on preparing for challenging times, blending science with wit.
• How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil. A fact-based and data-driven analysis of modern civilization’s dependence on fossil fuels, steel, concrete, plastics, and ammonia, highlighting the challenges in transforming our existing societal model to deal with climate change.
• Number Go Up by Zeke Faux. An insightful look into the hype, scams, and personalities within the crypto world, focusing on the history of FTX and its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, now serving time in jail for fraud.
• The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. A useful philosophy on how to think about money, expenses, and investments, offering timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness.

Fiction

• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. An interesting science fiction novel in a world that constantly suffers natural catastrophes, some of them causing long, dark winters. Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2016.
• The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. A cult classic science fiction novel that contrasts an ultra-capitalist world similar to ours with a planet governed by extreme anarchist ideals. Le Guin masterfully explores themes of political ideology, freedom, and the limitations of both systems.
• The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier. A fascinating science fiction novel that raises profound philosophical questions about reality, identity, and the nature of existence.
• My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. An engaging and casual narrative set in a low-income neighborhood of post-World War II Naples, this novel follows the lives of two childhood friends, capturing the struggles and aspirations of their community.
• All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. A harrowing depiction of the horrors of trench warfare during World War I, told from a soldier’s perspective. Remarque, having experienced the war firsthand as a German soldier, brings authenticity to the narrative. The 2022 German film adaptation won four Oscars, including Best International Feature Film.
• Woodworm (Carcoma) by Layla Martínez. Originally published in Spanish and now available in English, this horror novel intertwines themes of gender-based and class-based violence, set in a haunted house in rural Spain. The story follows an elderly woman and her granddaughter as they confront the dark history and supernatural elements within their family home.

If you’re looking for more book recommendations, you can check out my previous post.

Happy reading!