Staff Picks: Kaitlin Ketchum’s Favorites

This sweeping, masterfully-crafted book absolutely blew me away. Caste examines American racial inequity specifically through the lens of caste—an arbitrary, oppressive, officially-sanctioned social hierarchy—not just race, and brilliantly connects it to the caste systems of India and Nazi Germany (and, to lesser extent,apartheid South Africa). Through deep research, personal narratives, and searing analysis,Isabel Wilkerson brings a new depth of understanding to the history, legacy, and current-day implications of America’s deepest shame—and how we can work towards dismantling our caste system to create an equitable future.

I loved Max Brooks’s World War Z so was particularly excited for his latest offering—the (fictional) story of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre—and it did not disappoint. An epistolary novel of sorts, with a narrative comprised of journal entries, interviews, scientific studies, and radio transcripts, Devolution is compelling, creepy, and really fun. And it’s not just about marauding sasquatches! Brooks brilliantly calls into question humans’ reliance on technology, our complicated relationship with nature (and each other), and what we will do to survive in a frightening and changing world.(This is also makes for a great audiobook, with a top-notch cast—Judy Greer! Nathan Fillion! Jeff Daniels!—and a format that’s particularly well-suited to the audio medium.)

If you’re even the slightest bit interested in getting better control of your relationship with technology, this is a must-read. Full of fascinating (yet mildly horrifying) research and concrete strategies for change, Digital Minimalism’s goal isn’t to rip your phone from your endlessly-scrolling fingers forever, but to teach you to use technology in ways that support—rather than subvert—your values. It made me reflect on why, how, and how much I use technology, and inspired me to approach it with more thought and intentionality. I’m already planning on dipping back into it whenever I need a reminder to tear myself away from Instagram or lay off the doomscrolling.

Perfect for anyone who loves literature, art, and design, this gem of a book has beauty and brains—the abundant visuals are as stunning as the text is brilliant. (And, full disclosure: I had the pleasure of editing it.) As the visual face of a text, a book cover is both advertisement and art—some covers become iconic (think: The Great Gatsby) while others miss the mark (Google the 2013 “chick lit” cover of The Bell Jar—yikes). Combining literary criticism and design thinking, The Look of the Book is a comprehensive overview of the history, evolving purpose, and many permutations of book covers. In addition to its sharp scholarly insights, the book features hundreds of book covers, many arranged into expertly curated galleries that show the myriad covers of classic books, cover trends of different eras, and the design themes of various genres. Trust me,you’ll want two copies of this stunner: one to keep and one to gift to a fellow bibliophile.