How to go zero waste, a food memoir, and more
Being up to date on all things health and wellness is social and cultural currency these days. And while quick-hit news bites are great, in-depth reads are still a worthy pursuit. Many non-fiction books come out every month, though, and it can feel overwhelming to cut through the clutter. That’s why we started the Furthermore book club. Here, our picks for this month.
The book: Sprawlball
By: Kirk Goldsberry
The Gist: In 2011, Kirk Goldsberry, then a cartographer at Harvard, built a database of more than one million NBA field goal attempts, charting the location and frequency of each shot. The end result was a map of who shoots where and how. In Sprawlball, Goldsberry presents his findings through a combination of analytics, illustrations, and humorous behind-the-scenes anecdotes for a new understanding of basketball and the modern NBA.
The book: Walking
By: Eriling Kagge
The Gist: As the first person to have completed the Three Poles Challenge—trekking the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest all on foot—Erling Kagge is highly qualified to write about walking. His new book serves as both an homage to and philosophical treatise on the subject. It’s peppered with historical details including descriptions of the very first walks made by homo sapiens over 70,000 years ago and quotations from poet Pablo Neruda and essayist Michel de Montaigne.
The book: 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste
By: Kathryn Kellogg
The Gist: While author Kathryn Kellogg can fit all her trash from the past two years into a 16-ounce Mason jar, her tips focus on realistic changes anyone can incorporate. The guide puts particular emphasis on how to minimize food detritus, with produce-specific suggestions for keeping items fresh for as long as possible.
The book: Save Me the Plums
By: Ruth Reichl
The Gist: In her newest memoir, Ruth Reichl gives an intimate look at her decade-long run as editor-in-chief of Gourmet, from her decision to take the post to the magazine’s abrupt final days. The end result is a unique portal into the golden age of print media during a watershed moment in American food.
The book: Why You Like It
By: Nolan Gasser
The Gist: Nolan Gasser, a composer, pianist, musicologist, and the chief architect of Pandora’s Music Genome Project, provides a sweeping exploration of musical taste. Discussing a wide array of musical talents including Rachmaninoff, Snoop Dogg, and Taylor Swift, he delves into the science behind what influences the music we like and what it says about each of us. He also offers tips on how to be more engaged listeners.