History and biography Archives

National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home

by Anya Von Bremzen

Not a conventional food history by any means but there’s enough food and history for my taste here (pun intended!). Where do our ideas come from about what constitutes certain cuisines? Von Bremzen sets out to answer that question about the history and future of food from France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Mexico, and Turkey by visiting myriad, restaurants, bars, and family kitchens. Whether talking to Michelin-starred chefs or street vendors, National Dish tells the story of how food traditions are made. The beautiful illustrations really elevate this tasty read.

The Sisterhood: How a Network of Black Women Writers Changed American Culture

by Courtney Thorsson

For the literary insider. Did you know Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, June Jordan, Audre Lorde, Margo Jefferson, and other Black women writers were a part of a group known as The Sisterhood? It all began after a gathering in February 1977; the group then went on to meet monthly for the next two years, discussing literature and liberation. They championed each other’s work and ultimately changed the face of writing and institutions in the US. The group was short-lived—disbanding just over two years later in 1979—but its influence is still felt in literary circles and beyond today.

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World

by Andrea Wulf

Though you may not recognize his name, Alexander von Humboldt was the father of modern environmentalism and the most famous scientist of his age. Born in the late 18th century, he had a deep love for outdoor exploration and traversed the globe in search of unusual environments. Von Humboldt was friends with Thomas Jefferson, inspired Darwin and Thoreau, and was passionate about helping humans understand our relationship to the natural world. In this biography, Wulf captures the man as endlessly passionate, progressive, and impactful.

The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA

by Liza Mundy

For the lover of little-known histories (or the Madam Secretary fan!). This sweeping, suspenseful history reveals the untold story of the crucial roles women have played in American spycraft. The CIA began in 1947 as a male-dominated institution. Women were hired to type memos, manage expense accounts, and, above all else, keep secrets. These employees used sexism to their advantage, able to move unnoticed wherever intelligence was needed. And they proved that they could do even more, making critical contributions during the Cold War through 9/11.

Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art

by Mary Gabriel

I've been slowly working my way through this 900 page tome for the last few years. It's fascinating—I've just been picking up other nonfiction reads in between chapters. You don't have to be an art expert to appreciate the way Gabriel weaves the stories of five groundbreaking women artists into a powerful narrative. At a time when women were mainly muses or collectors in the art scene, these artists entered the male-dominated world of abstract art and opened the art world to a new generation of women. Gabriel connects their stories to the larger cultural shifts of post-war America and shares inspiring accounts of what happens when you're brave enough to break all the rules.

Eyeliner: A Cultural History

by Zahra Hankir

I didn’t know I wanted to read a history account of eyeliner but this proved to be a fascinating read. Hankir traces the role of this cosmetic in our ideas about beauty and power from Nefertiti to Amy Winehouse. Its uses even go beyond make-up, like shielding eyes from the sun or warding off the evil eye. She profiles geishas, drag queens, and nomads, illustrating what eyeliner means to different cultures and the commonality between us all. Don’t be surprised if you feel inspired to up your eyeliner game after reading!

Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball

by Keith O'Brien

What uncanny timing, to read this lauded biography just before Pete Rose died on September 30, which reignited conversations about whether his longtime ban from baseball should be lifted so as to clear the way for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky in a baseball-loving family, not even 90 minutes away from the Cincinnati Reds’ stadium. I’m not much of a fan these days, but I was interested in learning more about the man, the city, and the baseball culture that loomed so large in my childhood. And while it was interesting, to have so many blanks filled in that completely escaped me as a child, it was also very, very sad. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Ellen O’Dair.

The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America

This entertaining biography doubles as a profile of a fascinating woman and a niche history of the publishing industry from WWII through the early 21st century. While best known for her work with food writers, particularly Julia Child, Jones’s author roster ran deep and wide: she plucked Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl from the slush pile and developed close working relationships with Madhur Jaffrey, Edna Lewis, M.F.K. Fisher, and many more. Meticulously researched and engagingly written, this will hold special appeal for lovers of true tales of formidable women and anyone wishing to understand the editor credited with shaping the contemporary cookbook landscape and an entire generation of food writers.

Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian American Pop Culture

by Eric Nakamura

This enormous in-depth coffee table book about Giant Robot, a website and former magazine that celebrates and redefines Asian-American pop culture is beautiful, browsable, and unique. Chronicling their history from zine to store, this features the best articles from the magazine, alongside behind-the-scenes photos and tributes from contributors. Of course this would make a perfect gift for a specific kind of nerd (a term we employ with great affection around here), but it's also a treasure trove of interesting nuggets for nerdy readers of all stripes. Rae Alexandra put it well in her review: this compendium “might look like a coffee table book on the outside, but on the inside, it’s a reflection of how we used to read."

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

by Adam Higginbotham

For the history buff. In his 2024 Kirkus Prize-winning narrative, Higginbotham provides a detailed account of the events leading up to and after the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster, which killed all seven people on board. Witnessed by millions on TV, it was a history-defining tragedy and yet much of what happened that day was obscured or forgotten. Higginbotham introduces us to the seven members of the crew, along with others who played an important role, be they whistleblowers, engineers, or those who ignored the warning signs. This is important and engaging reading for those who wish to better understand one of the defining events of a generation.

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

by Hampton Sides

For those seeking vicarious adventure on the high seas. On July 12th, 1776, infamous British explorer Captain James Cook set sail on the HMS Resolution. He would not return: he was killed while trying to take the Hawaiian chief hostage less than three years later. Unlike many of his peers, Cook was known for respecting Indigenous people so how did this happen? Hampton Sides details the thrills and perils of 1700s exploration, Cook’s changing personality on this final voyage, and why his actions led to his demise, leaving a controversial legacy behind.

Smoke and Ashes: Opium’s Hidden Histories

by Amitav Ghosh

Opium may be a small plant but it has ties to colonialism, corporations, powerful families and institutions in the US, and contemporary globalism. In this “object biography” of opium, Ghosh explores its economic and cultural impact on Britain, India, and China, and how those effects still linger today. With sweeping scope and intricate detail, Ghosh lays out how the British Empire exported opium from India to China as a way of sustaining the Empire, regardless of the cost of addiction to those they exploited. Literature lovers will notice many cameos of authors through the ages in these pages (Orwell, Kipling, Dickens, and more); R. F. Kuang’s historical fantasy Babel would make an excellent fictional companion to Ghosh’s nonfiction work.

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