A Navajo basketball team, conversations with RBG, and David Bowie's book collection
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 November.
The book: Canyon Dreams
By: Michael Powell
The gist: For his newest project, Michael Powell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and sports columnist for the New York Times, embedded himself in a Navajo reservation in Arizona. There, he trailed a high school basketball team on its quest for a state championship. What results is a spotlight on the outsized role sports can play in struggling communities. It’s also an illuminating portrait of the beauty and hardships of life on the reservation.
The book: Conversations with RBG
By: Jeffrey Rosen
The gist: In the early ‘90s, Jeffrey Rosen had a chance elevator ride with Ruth Bader Ginsburg after one of her exercise classes. A nearly three-decades-long friendship ensued, with Ginsburg becoming a Supreme Court Justice and Rosen president of the National Constitution Center. In this unique book, Rosen uses transcripts of their conversations throughout the years, edited by Ginsburg herself. He shares the human stories behind RBG's landmark cases and her thoughts on topics like marriage and equality.
The book: Japanese Home Cooking
By: Sonoko Sakai
The gist: According to culinary visionary Alice Waters, Japanese cooking instructor Sonoko Sakai “presents the elements of a home-cooked Japanese meal with thoughtfulness and clarity.” Sakai’s new collection includes everyday healthy recipes (including Nishime or dashi-infused root vegetables), make-ahead preparations (such as turmeric- and clove-scented “curry bricks” for fast weeknight curry and rice), and traditional techniques like noodle-making.
The book: The Likeability Trap
By: Alicia Menendez
The gist: Alicia Menendez explores the pressure put on women to be likable at work, home, and in the public sphere and what it may cost them in terms of power and leadership. To gain insight, she interviewed newly-minted college graduates and members of Forbes's Most Powerful Women in the World list. The MSNBC anchor and host of the “Latina to Latina” podcast also proposes new ways of thinking that can help anyone shift from prioritizing likability to more attainable goals such as self-awareness and relatability.
The book: Bowie’s Bookshelf
By: John O’Connell
The gist: David Bowie wasn’t just a music legend, journalist John O’Connell points out, he was also a voracious reader who once traveled around with a “mobile bibliothèque” of 1,500 titles. O'Connell crafts a revealing look at the artist based on a list issued by the Victoria & Albert Museum of Bowie’s 100 most important and influential books. “This isn’t the story of David Bowie’s life,” O’Connell writes. “But it is a look at the tools he used to navigate his life.”
The book: Change Maker
By: John Berardi
The gist: John Berardi, PhD, is the co-founder of Precision Nutrition, founder of Change Maker Academy, and a member of Equinox's Health Advisory Board. In this guide, he shares a six-step plan for navigating a career in the health and wellness industry. It aims to bring passion and meaning to the role you choose, whether it's a trainer, nutritionist, rehab specialist, or functional medicine doctor. The practical primer offers logistical, financial, and psychological advice.