New Reads
you know the drill- all the good things I’ve been reading lately.
Cooked by Michael Pollan: How unique we are. A distinct feature between us as humans and other animals is our ability to cook food. And yet, we watch cooking shows more than we cook in our own kitchen. Can reclaiming control of cooking be an important step in improving our health and food systems? You’ll have to read to find out!
The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris: one of the few surgeon generals in the country who makes the link between ACES, toxic stress, and lifelong illnesses— particularly in children.
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Marie Brown: When Aryelle recommends a book, you read it. I learned all about emergence and systems science through my fellowship at Princeton this summer, yet reading this book reminded me of the ways in which these same ideas exist on a personal and spiritual level. This book will leave you with the incredible tools of wonder and curiosity to shape the world you want to live in. Savor and enjoy!
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara: this novel follows 4 men in New York and their journeys through adulthood and soul searching. Each character is threaded together by Jude. This book was absolutely heartbreaking in the best and worst ways. Maybe because I know many Judes in my life. Maybe because I was once a Jude. Nevertheless, it is worth the read for its strong analysis of mental health support and the power of friendships as life-saving tools. *CW: detailed descriptions of cutting, drug abuse, and sexual assault, among others (please research this book before picking it up—PLEASE)*
Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington: this book is the first full history of America’s mistreatment and exploitation of Black bodies and Black health. Brutal to read, but understanding the underbelly of our pain, can be a powerful step in re-imagining policy.
Killing the Black Body by Dorothy Roberts: it’s no secret that America has abused Black women since our first steps on this soil. A reminder and a rallying cry that reproductive justice (beyond maternal health) and feminism must include Black women.
Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin: I had the honor of (virtually) meeting Dr. Benjamin during my time at Princeton. Through the creation of the concept ‘The New Jim Code,’ she highlights how discriminatory practices in design, data science, and technology amplify racial bias— in everything from health to AI to policing.
happy reading!