History & Politics

The author of numerous well-researched and well-received biographies including Steve Jobs and The Innovators, Walter Isaacson now has written on another of the most interesting people in history, Leonardo da Vinci. Isaacson explores both the person and the genius he displayed in so many fields. - Ian

When the author’s 80-year-old father decided to sit in on his college course on The Odyssey, he wasn’t prepared for how impactful the experience would be for the both of them. Poignant family memories, interwoven with a scholarly analysis of The Odyssey, make for a book that is part college lecture and part autobiography. The result is a truly lovely and unique father–son story. - Jade

Not for the squeamish, this historical look at female serial killers removes the rose-colored glasses often applied when studying the “fairer” sex. Showing how these murderesses used polite society’s biases to their homicidal favor, Tori Tefler creates colorful yet compassionate retellings of fourteen of history’s most cunning killers. Perfect for My Favorite Murder podcast fans. - Kelly

I’m a huge history and Hamilton fan. I adored every second of reading Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton, so when I heard he had a new book, I snatched it right up. Ulysses S. Grant is quite the divisive historical figure, seen as a great general and a degenerate drunk at the same time. Chernow seeks to set the record straight once and for all. This book is quite hefty, but I am savoring every moment of it. - Ivy

Alice Waters opened the legendary Chez Panisse in 1971, and neither the cuisine of California nor that of the Western world has been the same since. Here in her first memoir, Waters puts together the pieces—female friendships and male lovers, childhood memories and adult journeys, music and art and France and the ’60s—that brought her to her legacy on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. Lovely and nostalgic with the hope of the last century, it will whet an appetite for beauty and change. - Jocelyn

Badass and gripping, this memoir feels like the most honest conversation you’ve ever had with a best friend about the important topics of your lives. Remember how that conversation changed you? This will, too. Captivating whether you know Union yet or not, I want to hand this to every feminist with a reading list. Union’s transparency, intensity, and grace merit both awe and a prodigious red wine toast. - a.c.

In this long-awaited memoir, the beloved author of the bestselling Tales of the City series chronicles his odyssey from the old South to freewheeling San Francisco, and his evolution from curious youth to ground-breaking writer and gay rights pioneer. “A book for any of us, gay or straight, who have had to find our family. Maupin is one of America’s finest storytellers and the story of his life is as fascinating ad delightful and as compulsive as any of the tales he has made up for us.” - Neil Gaiman

In a brisk hundred pages, Gladstone elucidates the inherent problem at the heart of the current American sociopolitical sphere. In an age of “fake news”, social media noise, and a complete disregard for moral decency, the author investigates how we construct “reality” in contemporary society. Gladstone offers a serious yet optimistic perspective on reality in crisis. - Gabe

I am drawn to works written in ancient days whether they are mythological, religious, fiction, or factual. The Sagas of the Icelanders is a little bit of all these, and contains tales of trial and tragedy that many people have never heard of. Although a tome, those with patience and an adventurous spirit will enjoy these Sagas from the first page to the last. - Aric

Much like Hannibal himself, this book punches far above its weight class. Although stripped for brevity, it hits with the impact of a tome two or three times its size. Hunt deftly tells the story, both personal and public, of one of the world’s greatest generals. - Ian