Nonfiction books can explore a variety of niche topics—from the language behind cults to one woman’s experience with female friendships to tips to reduce digital dependence. With such an abundance of books available, it can be difficult for nonfiction readers to find their next read. The Bombay Circle Press has put together a great list of nonfiction on a variety of topics that you need to pick up the next time you’re in the mood to learn.
On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist by Clarissa Ward
The recipient of multiple Peabody and Murrow awards, Clarissa Ward is a world-renowned conflict reporter. In this strange age of crisis where there really is no front line, she has moved from one hot zone to the next. With multiple assignments in Syria, Egypt and Afghanistan, Ward, who speaks seven languages, has been based in Baghdad, Beirut, Beijing, and Moscow. She has seen and documented the violent remaking of the world at close range. With her deep empathy, Ward finds a way to tell the hardest stories. On All Fronts is the riveting account of Ward’s singular career and of journalism in this age of extremism. Following a privileged but lonely childhood, Ward found her calling as an international war correspondent in the aftermath of 9/11. From her early days in the field, she was embedding with marines at the height of the Iraq War and was soon on assignment all over the globe. But nowhere does Ward make her mark more than in war-torn Syria, which she has covered extensively with courage and compassion. From her multiple stints entrenched with Syrian rebels to her deep investigations into the Western extremists who are drawn to ISIS, Ward has covered Bashar al-Assad’s reign of terror without fear. In 2018, Ward rose to new heights at CNN and had a son. Suddenly, she was doing this hardest of jobs with a whole new perspective.
Why Politicians Lie About Trade by Dmitry Grozoubinski
‘Why Politicians Lie About Trade…’ explains how international trade in goods and services actually works and the compromises and concessions nations must make to take part in this $32 trillion-a-year jamboree: the greatest commercial show on earth. Daily we can see the fruits of international trade on display on the shelves of shops, from American oranges to Chinese mobile phones to Kenyan coffee. But hidden from view is the geopolitical wiring that allows global cross-border trade to make it all happen: a network of treaties, tariffs, taxes and disputes that is remote and unintelligible to most people. Until now. With clear, often humorous writing and case studies, former trade negotiator Dmitry Grozoubinski takes readers through the intricacies and surprises of global commerce. He reveals the underlying political and geographical forces that shape trade policy and our everyday lives. He spells out the impact of trade treaties on topics such as food, jobs, gender conflict and climate. And he reveals what politicians cover-up about the system—and why it matters.
The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience by Plestia Alaqad
In early October 2023, Palestinian Plestia Alaqad was a recent graduate with dreams of becoming a successful journalist. By the end of November, her social media posts depicting daily life in Gaza, amid Israel’s deadly invasion and bombardment, would profoundly move millions of people. She would be internationally known as the “Eyes of Gaza.” Written as a series of diary extracts, The Eyes of Gaza relates the horrors of her experiences while showcasing the indomitable spirit of the men, women and children who share her communities. From the epicentre of turmoil, while bombs rain around her and devastation grips her people, she is witness to their emotions, their gentle acts of quiet, necessary heroism, and the moments of unexpected tenderness and vulnerability amid the chaos. Through the raw honesty and vulnerability of a normal 21-year-old woman trying to make her way through a human tragedy, The Eyes of Gaza is a potent reminder of the horrors of violence and a powerful testament to the human spirit. It recounts a harrowing experience, but it is not a heart-breaking lamentation. Rather, it is a deeply intimate love letter to a girl demolished before her eyes, yes, but forever present in her heart.
How AI Ate the World by Chris Stokel-Walker
This accessible, up-to-date book charts Al’s rise from its origins in the Cold War to its increasing impact on us today and in the coming years. Journalist Chris Stokel-Walker (TikTok Boom and YouTubers) meets the Silicon Valley innovators making rapid advances in ‘large language models’ of machine learning like Google’s Bard and ChatGPT and reveals the extraordinary plans they have for them. And he explores the dark side of Al by talking to workers who have lost their jobs to chatbots and to futurologists worried that we are unwittingly creating a force that could destroy humankind. How Al Ate the World answers all the key questions, such as how Al will transform the way we live and work; the professions that will ultimately win and lose; and whether the likes of Elon Musk are right to warn about a looming threat to humanity. This is a pithy ‘start here’ guide for anyone who wants to know more about the next big technology that will govern our lives, whether we like it or not.
Gods, Guns and Missionaries by Manu S. Pillai
When European missionaries arrived in India in the sixteenth century, they entered a world both fascinating and bewildering. Hinduism, as they saw it, was a pagan a worship of devils and monsters by a people who burned women alive, performed outlandish rites and fed children to crocodiles. But it quickly became clear that Hindu ‘idolatry’ was far more layered and complex than European stereotypes allowed, surprisingly even sharing certain impulses with Christianity. Nonetheless, missionaries became a threatening force as European power grew in India. Western ways of thinking gained further ascendancy during the British while interest in Hindu thought influenced Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire in Europe, Orientalism and colonial rule pressed Hindus to reimagine their religion. In fact, in resisting foreign authority, they often adopted the missionaries’ own tools and strategies. It is this encounter, Manu S. Pillai argues, that has given Hinduism its present shape, also contributing to the birth of an aggressive Hindu nationalism. Gods, Guns and Missionaries surveys these remarkable dynamics with an arresting cast of characters—maharajahs, poets, gun-wielding revolutionaries, politicians, polemicists, philosophers and clergymen.
You Have Not Yet Heard Your Favourite Song by Glenn McDonald
For the first time in history, almost every song ever recorded is available instantly. Everywhere. This book charts what music’s dazzling digital revolution really means for fans and artists. As a former data guru at the world’s biggest streaming service, Spotify, Glenn McDonald reveals: What the tech giants know about you, how they serve up your next song, whether fans can cheat the algorithm, whether jazz is dead and ASMR is the new punk and your chances of becoming a rock star. Having analysed the streams of 500 million people, McDonald explores what the data tells us about music and about ourselves, from the secrets of russelåter in Norway to Christmas in the Philippines. Statistically, you have not yet heard your lifetime’s favourite song. This book will take you on a voyage of discovery through music’s fast-flowing new waters.
These nonfiction books cover a variety of topics—the ones that impact us every day like music streaming, AI and religion and the ones that sometimes feel far away for many of us but are extremely important like international conflict and trade deals. These underrated nonfiction books deserve a spot on your bookshelf. The Bombay Circle Press bulletin curates other brilliant recommendations for you to check out!