Nonfiction Books with Buzz

MSNBC's Chris Hayes delivers a powerful examination of the attention economy's grip on our minds, relationships, and society. As technology commodifies human focus, we face a crisis akin to the industrial transformation of labor. Hayes unpacks how tech giants exploit our instincts, eroding the boundaries between public and private life. With striking clarity, he reveals how relentless distractions reshape politics, relationships, and identity—and what we can do to reclaim control. The Sirens' Call offers a roadmap to resist, refocus, and rebuild in a world demanding our constant attention.

House of Huawei unveils the untold story of the enigmatic Chinese telecom giant that has reshaped the global technology sector—and ignited international controversy. Washington Post reporter Eva Dou takes readers inside Huawei’s rise under its reclusive founder, Ren Zhengfei, tracing its transformation into a global powerhouse and exploring the company’s complex web of power, surveillance, and influence. This gripping account illuminates Huawei’s pivotal role in modern geopolitics and the fierce battles over technology, sovereignty, and the future of global connectivity.

Mood Machine is an unflinching dive into Spotify's rise and its transformative impact on music. Through over 100 interviews and incisive reporting, music journalist Liz Pelly reveals the hidden workings of the most dominant force in music streaming. Pelly examines how listeners pay with data and dollars while musicians power the system. Yet, amidst the inequities, she highlights the artist-led fight for change, offering hope for a fairer future. A must-read for anyone passionate about music, Mood Machine will forever change how you listen and think.

Award-winning author Omar El Akkad delivers a searing critique of the West’s failure to uphold its foundational values of freedom and justice. Drawing from decades of reporting on war, climate change, and systemic oppression, El Akkad confronts the painful reality of privilege and exclusion. Through deeply personal reflections, he grapples with what it means to raise hope amidst disillusionment. Raw and urgent, this nonfiction debut challenges readers to demand a better future and reckon with the moral fractures of our time.

Acclaimed columnist Peter Beinart issues a bold and urgent call for a new Jewish narrative. Challenging the dominant story of persecution and victimhood, Beinart reexamines Jewish tradition and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urging a vision rooted in equality and mutual safety rather than supremacy. Drawing on history, personal insight, and moral reconstruction, he envisions a future where Jewish and Palestinian lives are intertwined in justice and dignity. Provocative and deeply thoughtful, this essential work redefines what it means to be Jewish in the wake of Gaza's devastation.

In The Equality Debate, renowned thinkers Thomas Piketty and Michael Sandel engage in a compelling dialogue on the pressing issue of inequality. Weaving together economics, philosophy, and current affairs, they offer actionable approaches to confront the issue, while also confronting the immense challenges which stand in the way. This thought-provoking conversation reveals the complex journey toward greater equality, highlighting both the hope for change and the realities of resistance and conflict. A must-read for anyone seeking insight into the future of justice and fairness.

In Stuck, historian and journalist Yoni Appelbaum reveals how America's fabled social mobility has been eroded. Appelbaum uncovers how legal and systemic barriers have trapped generations in poverty, deepened inequality, and fueled division. Tracing this decline through vivid historical accounts, he exposes the forces behind today’s housing crisis and offers actionable solutions to restore mobility and opportunity. A powerful debut, Stuck reimagines America’s future by tackling its most pressing challenges head-on.

Pankaj Mishra delivers a profound reevaluation of the Gaza conflict and its global implications. Exploring the historical roots of the war and contrasting narratives of the 20th century, Mishra unpacks the Global North’s focus on triumph over totalitarianism versus the Global South’s fight for decolonization and equality. As power dynamics shift and old frameworks crumble, this essential treatise offers a vital perspective on the fractured global response and pathways to a more unified future.

"Why is the American school system neglecting so many of its students? In this damning investigation, the award-winning author and activist posits that it may be because schools were designed to do just that... Though the argument of this book is bleak, it illuminates a path for a more just future that is nothing short of dazzling." – Charley Burlock, Oprah Daily

Former State Department sanctions official Edward Fishman uncovers how America turned global finance and technology into powerful economic weapons. As authoritarian regimes in Russia, China, and Iran disrupted world order, U.S. policymakers crafted a bold strategy of economic warfare, leveraging Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Big Oil to counter these threats. Combining thrilling backroom insights with sharp geopolitical analysis, Fishman reveals the successes and failures of this strategy and its profound impact on the global economy.