Thursday, November 12, 2020

Nonfiction November: Be the Expert


 


Week 3: (November 16-20) – Rennie is asking you to Be The Expert/Ask the Expert/Become the Expert: Three ways to join in this week! You can either share 3 or more books on a single topic that you have read and can recommend (be the expert), you can put the call out for good nonfiction on a specific topic that you have been dying to read (ask the expert), or you can create your own list of books on a topic that you’d like to read (become the expert). 


I'm certainly no expert here, but I am eager to share anything that might move us a little farther down this path. Here's my list.


Books that Might Help Us Get Along with Each Other a Little Better


Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy by Stephen L. Carter

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel

The Common Good by Robert B. Reich

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam

I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening) by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers

And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman

Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse by Timothy P. Carney

Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt by Arthur C. Brooks

Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Michael J. Sandel


35 comments:

  1. Hi there Debbie, great selection and I like your point of view. Books that will help us get along with each other a bit better. I especially like the title "I think you're wrong, but I'm listening"!

    I believe we might all also get along more if we all know each other's stories. A bit like walking in someone else's shoes. I've written a post about where Elza comes from and the new blog. You are welcome to have a read!

    Elza Reads

    Hope you are still enjoying your holidays!

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    1. You are right. We all do better when we know each other's stories.

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  2. I really need to get Robert Reich's book. That's been on my list for awhile!

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  3. Thanks for this list! In the past few years, I’ve been trying really hard to listen to people who are different from me. A lot of the people in my real life aren’t interested in listening to me, though.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. You are right. We have to do the good thing even when it is not reciprocated.

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  4. An interesting and no doubt useful list to promote understanding, but honestly, I am sick of being told I need to "understand" certain people. Actually, I think I understand them pretty well and how about they spend a little time trying to understand me? (Is my frustration showing yet?)

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    1. I always think about the words of Michelle Obama: "When they go low, we go high. And that's ain't always easy."

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  5. Great topic/theme for your books. I have Justice sitting on my TBR shelf thanks to you and Bonnie, but still haven't read it. Of course, I have about 60 books on that shelf. Ugh.

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  6. I don't read books anymore ! I have read so many during my whole life starting at 10 that now I enjoy reading blog posts ! That's very interesting too, of course not all but from some I have learned a lot.

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  7. A worthy course that we should all consider a little bit more. Interesting choices.

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  8. This is a good list - a great list. I was going to do a BLM one but I feel there are so many I might miss out, so I'm going with Rewilding!

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  9. What a great theme to promote! Thanks for your recommendations

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  10. I've seen How to Be an Antiracist on several blogs and it caught my attention. This is a great list. Thanks for sharing!

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  11. Such a very important topic right now. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Such a very important topic right now. Thanks for sharing!

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  13. Great idea for a topic! I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year for the first time so once again I'm not taking part in Nonfiction November. Every time it comes around I regret my lack of blogging mojo. This year I have a legitimate excuse!

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  14. Definitely important list these days. Thanks for sharing

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  15. I've had Bowling Alone on my list for awhile and I just finished up How to Be an Antiracist. I've heard of a couple of those. We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter by Celeste Hedlee is one I've heard about as well in regards to learning to speak with one another! I'm adding these to my list. Great set of books!

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  16. I'm not sure I can add much to this list or conversation right now, but Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman might fit this topic...although I see by the comments on my post (that I just double checked) you are already across this book anyway :-)

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    1. I'm very interested in reading his other book, Utopia for Realists.

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  17. Love your selection! I especially like how varied it is by topic and yet share the same theme/goal of helping us connect.

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  18. Very interested in The Common Good by R. Reich.
    I remember him in Clinton's administration, Sec of Labor.
    I love his style, his thinking...and will put this on my TBR !I'll have to read it in december before "my project" begins. I read I.X. Kendi's book so only
    Stephen Carter - Civility ...goed on my TBR 2021

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  19. What a good idea for a topic. We all certainly need to learn to be more tolerant.

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  20. I really liked this theme! Like Athira, I liked that they all had something in common but came it from different angles

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