We’ve been shut in our offices (or homes) for nine long months of gray skies and gloomy weather. We’ve taken all the Zoom calls, turned in all the expense reports, and hit our deadlines — mostly. Finally, it’s time. All those accrued and previously dormant PTO days are calling. We’re about to embark on a much-needed and highly anticipated autumn vacation. What do we choose for our airplane book? And, more importantly, are we actually going to read said airplane book? That remains to be seen. However, here are a few suggestions for those of us who won’t fall asleep before the captain has turned off the “fasten seatbelt” sign.
'How Data Happened: A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms' by Chris Wiggins, Matthew L. Jones
What do you get when you put two Columbia University professors — one specializing in mathematics and one who focuses on contemporary civilization — together? Apparently, the result is “How Data Happened,” a statistic- informed collaboration between Chris Wiggins (the mathematician) and Matthew L. Jones (the historian) that details the history of science, politics, statistics, and machine learning from the census data of yesterday through the artificial intelligence and algorithms of today. W.W. Norton & Co. | $30
'White Burgers, Black Cash: Fast Food from Black Exclusion to Exploitation' by Naa Oyo A. Kwate
We’ve pretty much all eaten at fast-food places such as White Castle, KFC, Burger King, McDonald’s, and others, yet we don’t often think about where those restaurants are located, whom they serve, and whom they put at a disadvantage. In her freshman work, Rutgers associate professor and psychologist Naa Oyo A. Kwate — who specializes in Africana studies and human ecology — takes a holistic look at racial inequalities and the impacts they have on the health of Black Americans. Restaurateurs and lovers of fast food alike will find “White Burgers, Black Cash” an engaging and thoughtful history of Black exploitation, corporate greed, and socioeconomic divides. University of Minnesota Press | $29.95
'Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: Practical Christ-Centered Advice for Entering or Re-entering the Workforce' by Fred Sievert
Are you a recent college graduate joining the workforce for the first time? Or perhaps a military veteran or a stay-at-home parent looking to dive back into the workplace? While it’s never easy to be in either of those situations, there are plenty of resources out there to help make things a little bit easier. With his new book, “Fast- Starting a Career of Consequence,” Fred Sievert hopes to join that list of important advice assets. Sievert, the retired president of Fortune 100’s New York Life Insurance Co., taps into his experience in the business world, and the book’s 217 pages draw heavily from Sievert’s experience at New York Life, diving into such topics as how best to demonstrate commitment to your company, how to deeply understand all aspects of the company, and how to prepare for meetings. Morgan James Faith | $16.99
