29 Best books for College Freshmen
These 29 top books for college freshmen were recommended and carefully selected for their potential to enrich and broaden the college freshmen’s knowledge, worldview, and critical thinking skills.
-
Sapiens
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrator: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hours 18 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: August 15, 2017
- Language: English
-
3.17(24 ratings)
- NYT Best Sellers
3.17(24 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0029.99 USDNew York Times Bestseller A Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution–a #1 internationalNew York Times Bestseller
A Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution–a #1 international bestseller–that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”
One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one–homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?
Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
Dr. Harari also compels us to look ahead, because over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?
Featuring 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations/diagrams, this provocative and insightful work is sure to spark debate and is essential reading for aficionados of Jared Diamond, James Gleick, Matt Ridley, Robert Wright, and Sharon Moalem.
... Read more -
The Alchemist
- By: Paulo Coelho
- Narrator: Jeremy Irons
- Length: 4 hours 0 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: October 04, 2005
- Language: English
-
3.9(819687 ratings)
3.9(819687 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0020.99 USDThe Alchemist by Paulo Coelho continues to change the lives of its readers forever. With more than two million copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has established itself as a modern classic, universally admired. Paulo Coelho’sThe Alchemist by Paulo Coelho continues to change the lives of its readers forever. With more than two million copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has established itself as a modern classic, universally admired.
Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found.
The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories can, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life’s path, and, above all, following our dreams.
... Read more -
The Souls of Black Folk
- By: W. E. B. Du Bois
- Narrator: Mirron Willis
- Length: 8 hours 33 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2010
- Language: English
-
4.3(139 ratings)
4.3(139 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0016.95 USD“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line,” writes Du Bois, in one of the most prophetic works in all of American literature. First published in 1903, this collection of fifteen essays dared to describe the“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line,” writes Du Bois, in one of the most prophetic works in all of American literature. First published in 1903, this collection of fifteen essays dared to describe the racism that prevailed at that time in America–and to demand an end to it. Du Bois’ writing draws on his early experiences, from teaching in the hills of Tennessee, to the death of his infant son, to his historic break with the conciliatory position of Booker T. Washington.
Du Bois received a doctorate from Harvard in 1895 and became a professor of economics and history at Atlanta University. His dynamic leadership in the cause of social reform on behalf of his fellow blacks anticipated and inspired much of the black activism of the 1960s. The Souls of Black Folk is a classic in the literature of civil rights.
-
The New Jim Crow
- By: Michelle Alexander
- Narrator: Michelle Alexander
- Length: 16 hours 57 minutes
- Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
- Publish date: April 13, 2012
- Language: English
-
4.52(84868 ratings)
4.52(84868 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0029.99 USDSeldom does a book have the impact of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow. Since it was first published in 2010, it has been cited in judicial decisions and has been adopted in campus-wide and community-wide reads; it helped inspire theSeldom does a book have the impact of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow.
Since it was first published in 2010, it has been cited in judicial decisions and has been
adopted in campus-wide and community-wide reads; it helped inspire the creation of
the Marshall Project and the new $100 million Art for Justice Fund; it has been the
winner of numerous prizes, including the prestigious NAACP Image Award; and it has
spent nearly 250 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.Most important of all, it has spawned a whole generation of criminal justice
reform activists and organizations motivated by Michelle Alexander’s unforgettable
argument that “we have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned
it.” As the Birmingham News proclaimed, it is “undoubtedly the most important book
published in this century about the U.S.”Now, ten years after it was first published, The New Press is proud to issue a
... Read more
tenth-anniversary edition with a new preface by Michelle Alexander that discusses the
impact the book has had and the state of the criminal justice reform movement today. -
Innovation By Design
- By: Thomas Lockwood
- Narrator: Thomas Lockwood
- Length: 7 hours 25 minutes
- Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
- Publish date: November 20, 2017
- Language: English
-
3.86(275 ratings)
3.86(275 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.99 USDWhy are some organizations more innovative than others? How can we tap into, empower, and leverage the natural innovation within our organizations that is so vital to our future success? Now more than ever, companies and institutions of all typesWhy are some organizations more innovative than others? How can we tap into, empower, and leverage the natural innovation within our organizations that is so vital to our future success? Now more than ever, companies and institutions of all types and sizes are determined to create more innovative organizations. In study after study, leaders say that fostering innovation and the need for transformational change are among their top priorities. But they also report struggling with how to engage their cultures to implement the changes necessary to maximize their ?innovative targets. In Innovation by Design, authors Thomas Lockwood and Edgar Papke share the results of their study of some of the world’s most innovative organizations, including: – The 10 ways leaders can create and develop effective cultures of innovation. – How to use design thinking as a powerful method to drive employee creativity and innovation. – How to leverage the natural influence of the collective imagination to produce the “pull effect” of creativity and risk taking. – How leaders can take the “Fifth Step of Design” and create their ideal culture. Innovation by Design offers a powerful set of insights and practical solutions to the most important challenge for today’s businesses-the need for relevant innovation. Author bios: Thomas Lockwood is the author/editor of the books Design Thinking, Corporate Creativity, and Building Design Strategy. He has a PhD in design management and is recognized as a thought leader at integrating design and innovation practice into business. He has produced 22 conferences about design leadership, lectured and led workshops in over 20 countries, and is a design adviser to numerous companies. Edgar Papke is a leadership psychologist, author, and globally recognized expert in business alignment, leadership, and organizational culture. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies, multinational organizations, and governments to small businesses and individuals. He is an award-winning speaker and the author of True Alignment and The Elephant in the Boardroom.
... Read more -
How Big-Tech Barons Smash Innovation–and How to Strike Back
- By: Ariel Ezrachi
- Narrator: Scott R. Pollak
- Length: 7 hours 52 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: June 28, 2022
- Language: English
-
3.83(6 ratings)
3.83(6 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0024.99 USDTwo market experts deconstruct the drivers and inhibitors to innovation in the digital economy, explain how large tech companies can stifle disruption, assess the toll of their technologies on our well-being and democracy, and outline policy changesTwo market experts deconstruct the drivers and inhibitors to innovation in the digital economy, explain how large tech companies can stifle disruption, assess the toll of their technologies on our well-being and democracy, and outline policy changes to take power away from big tech and return it to entrepreneurs.
Silicon Valley’s genius combined with limited corporate regulation promised a new age of technological innovation in which entrepreneurs would create companies that would in turn fuel unprecedented job growth. Yet disruptive innovation has stagnated even as the five leading tech giants, which account for approximately 25 percent of the S&P 500’s market capitalization, are expanding to unimaginable scale and power. In How Big-Tech Barons Smash Innovation–and How to Strike Back, Ariel Ezrachi and Maurice E. Stucke explain why this is happening and what we can do to reverse it.
While many distrust the Big-Tech Barons, the prevailing belief is that innovation is thriving online. It isn’t. Rather than disruptive innovations that create significant value, we are getting technologies that primarily extract value and reduce well-being. Using vivid examples and relying on their work in the field, the authors explain how the leading tech companies design their sprawling ecosystems to extract more profits (while crushing any entrepreneur that poses a threat). As a result, we get less innovation that benefits us and more innovations that surpass the dreams of yesteryears’ autocracies. The Tech Barons’ technologies, which seek to decode our emotions and thoughts to better manipulate our behavior, are undermining political stability and democracy while fueling tribalism and hate.
But it’s not hopeless. The authors reveal that sustained innovation scales with cities not companies, and that we, as a society, should profoundly alter our investment strategy and priorities to certain entrepreneurs (“Tech Pirates”) and cities’ infrastructure.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
... Read more -
The Spanx Story
- By: Charlie Wetzel
- Narrator: Charlie Wetzel
- Length: 3 hours 58 minutes
- Publisher: HarperCollins Leadership
- Publish date: October 27, 2020
- Language: English
-
3.94(80 ratings)
3.94(80 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0018.99 USDWhat can you learn from one of the most successful companies in the world? The Spanx Story will help you understand and adopt the competitive strategies, workplace culture, and daily business practices that enabled entrepreneur Sara Blakely toWhat can you learn from one of the most successful companies in the world? The Spanx Story will help you understand and adopt the competitive strategies, workplace culture, and daily business practices that enabled entrepreneur Sara Blakely to dominate the shapewear industry and become a billionaire.
Sara Blakely had a problem. She had a beautiful pair of white designer pants hanging in her closet just calling out to her to wear them, even though they accented her least favorite feature: cellulite. After searching high and low for a solution and coming up empty, an idea was born: Spanx.
The Spanx Story chronicles Sara’s journey from long nights researching patent and trademark law, to years of cold shoulders she received from the titans of the pantyhose industry, to the cold call that led to the shelves of Nieman Marcus. It was a long road of incredible hard work and determination that led Spanx to become the iconic brand it is today.
Through Sara’s story, you will learn:
- How to develop an idea and turn it into a business.
- How to start a company with very little capital by thinking outside of the box and dedicating every spare moment to your goal.
- How to recognize when it’s better to hire a CEO than to be the CEO.
- How to stay the course and continue to believe in your idea, despite naysayers and going against an industry resistant to innovation.
The Spanx Story educates and inspires entrepreneurs and innovators to find the problem for their solutions and persevere through the hard work that goes into building a billion-dollar company.
... Read more -
After Steve
- By: Tripp Mickle
- Narrator: Will Damron
- Length: 14 hours 42 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: May 03, 2022
- Language: English
-
4.11(1249 ratings)
4.11(1249 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0031.99 USDFrom the Wall Street Journal’s Tripp Mickle, the dramatic, untold story inside Apple after the passing of Steve Jobs by following his top lieutenants–Jony Ive, the Chief Design Officer, and Tim Cook, the COO-turned-CEO–and how theFrom the Wall Street Journal’s Tripp Mickle, the dramatic, untold story inside Apple after the passing of Steve Jobs by following his top lieutenants–Jony Ive, the Chief Design Officer, and Tim Cook, the COO-turned-CEO–and how the fading of the former and the rise of the latter led to Apple losing its soul.
Steve Jobs called Jony Ive his “spiritual partner at Apple.” The London-born genius was the second-most powerful person at Apple and the creative force who most embodies Jobs’s spirit, the man who designed the products adopted by hundreds of millions the world over: the iPod, iPad, MacBook Air, the iMac G3, and the iPhone. In the wake of his close collaborator’s death, the chief designer wrestled with grief and initially threw himself into his work designing the new Apple headquarters and the Watch before losing his motivation in a company increasingly devoted more to margins than to inspiration.
In many ways, Cook was Ive’s opposite. The product of a small Alabama town, he had risen through the ranks from the supply side of the company. His gift was not the creation of new products. Instead, he had invented countless ways to maximize a margin, squeezing some suppliers, persuading others to build factories the size of cities to churn out more units. He considered inventory evil. He knew how to make subordinates sweat with withering questions.
Jobs selected Cook as his successor, and Cook oversaw a period of tremendous revenue growth that has lifted Apple’s valuation to $2 trillion. He built a commanding business in China and rapidly distinguished himself as a master politician who could forge global alliances and send the world’s stock market into freefall with a single sentence.
Author Tripp Mickle spoke with more than 200 current and former Apple executives, as well as figures key to this period of Apple’s history, including Trump administration officials and fashion luminaries such as Anna Wintour while writing After Steve. His research shows the company’s success came at a cost. Apple lost its innovative spirit and has not designed a new category of device in years. Ive’s departure in 2019 marked a culmination in Apple’s shift from a company of innovation to one of operational excellence, and the price is a company that has lost its soul.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
... Read more -
The Picture of Dorian Gray
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrator: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hours 44 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2008
- Language: English
-
4.12(1101739 ratings)
4.12(1101739 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0016.95 USDDorian Gray, a handsome and narcissistic young man, lives thoughtlessly for his own pleasure–an attitude encouraged by the company he keeps. One day, after having his portrait painted, Dorian makes a frivolous Faustian wish: that he shouldDorian Gray, a handsome and narcissistic young man, lives thoughtlessly for his own pleasure–an attitude encouraged by the company he keeps. One day, after having his portrait painted, Dorian makes a frivolous Faustian wish: that he should always remain as young and beautiful as he is in that painting, while the portrait grows old in his stead.
The wish comes true, and Dorian soon finds that none of his wicked actions have visible consequences. Realizing that he will appear fresh and unspoiled no matter what kind of life he lives, Dorian becomes increasingly corrupt, unchecked by public opinion. Only the portrait grows degenerate and ugly, a powerful symbol of Dorian’s internal ruin.
Wilde’s dreamlike exploration of life without limits scandalized its late-Victorian audience and has haunted readers’ imaginations for more than a hundred years.
... Read more -
In Search of the Color Purple
- By: Salamishah Tillet
- Narrator: Adenrele Ojo
- Length: 6 hours 25 minutes
- Publisher: Dreamscape Media
- Publish date: January 12, 2021
- Language: English
-
4.29(145 ratings)
4.29(145 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0017.99 USDAlice Walker made history in 1982 when she became the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, both for The Color Purple. Published in the Reagan Era amid a severe backlash to civil rights, the jazz-age novel tellsAlice Walker made history in 1982 when she became the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, both for The Color Purple. Published in the Reagan Era amid a severe backlash to civil rights, the jazz-age novel tells the story of an African-American woman haunted by domestic and sexual violence.
Prominent academic and activist Salamishah Tillet combines cultural criticism, history, and memoir to explore Walker’s epistolary novel, showing how it has influenced and been informed by the zeitgeist of the time. The Color Purple received both praise and criticism upon publication, and the conversation it sparked around race and gender still continues today. It has been adapted for an Oscar-nominated film and a hit Broadway musical.
Through interviews with Walker, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, and others, as well as archival research, Tillet studies Walker’s life and the origins of her subjects, including violence, sexuality, gender, and politics. Reading The Color Purple at age fifteen was a groundbreaking experience for Tillet. It continues to resonate with her–as a sexual-violence survivor, as a teacher of the novel, and as an accomplished academic. Provocative and personal, In Search of the Color Purple is a bold work from an important public intellectual.
... Read more -
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (10th Anniversary Edition)
- By: Sherman Alexie
- Narrator: Sherman Alexie
- Length: 7 hours 50 minutes
- Publisher: Hachette Audio
- Publish date: June 18, 2019
- Language: English
-
4.08(51 ratings)
4.08(51 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.98 USDBestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-whiteBestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author’s own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character’s art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.
With a forward by Markus Zusak, interviews with Sherman Alexie and Ellen Forney, and four-color interior art throughout, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike.
... Read more -
A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence
- By: Michael Wooldridge
- Narrator: Glen McCready
- Length: 8 hours 8 minutes
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Publish date: January 19, 2021
- Language: English
-
3.88(149 ratings)
3.88(149 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.99 USDFrom Oxford’s leading AI researcher comes a fun and accessible tour through the history and future of one of the most cutting edge and misunderstood field in science: Artificial IntelligenceThe somewhat ill-defined long-term aim of AI is toFrom Oxford’s leading AI researcher comes a fun and accessible tour through the history and future of one of the most cutting edge and misunderstood field in science: Artificial Intelligence
The somewhat ill-defined long-term aim of AI is to build machines that are conscious, self-aware, and sentient; machines capable of the kind of intelligent autonomous action that currently only people are capable of. As an AI researcher with 25 years of experience, professor Mike Wooldridge has learned to be obsessively cautious about such claims, while still promoting an intense optimism about the future of the field. There have been genuine scientific breakthroughs that have made AI systems possible in the past decade that the founders of the field would have hailed as miraculous. Driverless cars and automated translation tools are just two examples of AI technologies that have become a practical, everyday reality in the past few years, and which will have a huge impact on our world.While the dream of conscious machines remains, Professor Wooldridge believes, a distant prospect, the floodgates for AI have opened. Wooldridge’s A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence is an exciting romp through the history of this groundbreaking field–a one-stop-shop for AI’s past, present, and world-changing future.
... Read more
A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books -
The Bell Jar
- By: Sylvia Plath
- Narrator: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Length: 7 hours 24 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: February 02, 2016
- Language: English
-
4.04(684537 ratings)
4.04(684537 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0023.99 USDA realistic and emotional look at a woman who falls into the grips of insanity written by the iconic American writer Sylvia Plath “It is this perfectly wrought prose and the freshness of Plath’s voice in The Bell Jar that make this bookA realistic and emotional look at a woman who falls into the grips of insanity written by the iconic American writer Sylvia Plath
“It is this perfectly wrought prose and the freshness of Plath’s voice in The Bell Jar that make this book enduring in its appeal.” — USA Today
The Bell Jar chronicles the crack-up of Esther Greenwood: brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under–maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the reader into Esther’s breakdown with such intensity that Esther’s neuroses become completely real and even rational, as probable and accessible an experience as going to the movies. Such deep penetration into the dark and harrowing corners of the psyche is an extraordinary accomplishment and has made The Bell Jar a haunting American classic.
... Read more -
How I Paid for College
- By: Marc Acito
- Narrator: Marc Acito
- Length: 10 hours 55 minutes
- Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
- Publish date: September 14, 2004
- Language: English
-
3.85(3542 ratings)
3.85(3542 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0024.99 USDFrom syndicated humor columnist Marc Acito comes a wildly inventive and hysterically funny novel that is equal parts Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Fame, Risky Business, Dead Poets Society and The Catcher in the Rye. It’s 1983, andFrom syndicated humor columnist Marc Acito comes a wildly inventive and hysterically funny novel that is equal parts Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Fame, Risky Business, Dead Poets Society and The Catcher in the Rye. It’s 1983, and 17-year-old Edward Zanni wants to study acting at Juilliard, but his newly remarried father – who earns too much for Edward to claim scholarship money – refuses to pay. So, Edward enlists the aid of his creative theater pals to swindle the money from his father.
... Read more -
Communist Manifesto and Social Contract
- By: Ralph Raico
- Narrator: Craig Deitschmann
- Length: 2 hours 54 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2007
- Language: English
-
3.32(18 ratings)
3.32(18 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0011.95 USDThis presentation discusses two political documents that have changed history: Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Social Contract. In the Communist Manifesto, Marx argues that history flows inevitably toward aThis presentation discusses two political documents that have changed history: Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Social Contract.
In the Communist Manifesto, Marx argues that history flows inevitably toward a social revolution, which will result in a society without economic classes, private property, or a state. This presentation examines Marx’s theory and goals and the influence of other philosophers on his work.
Rousseau believed that people secure their liberty by entering into an implied contract with government. His controversial explanation of social authority in Social Contract fanned the flames of the French Revolution. This presentation explores the implications of his concept of social order for individual freedom and social good.
The Giants of Political Thought Series offers an easy and entertaining way to broaden your mind and your awareness of great ideas.
... Read more -
The Great Gatsby
- By: F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Narrator: Tim Robbins
- Length: 5 hours 3 minutes
- Publisher: Caedmon
- Publish date: January 05, 2021
- Language: English
-
3.93(4535825 ratings)
3.93(4535825 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0020.99 USDAn undisputed masterpiece of twentieth-century literature, perfect for Fitzgerald lovers and classics collectors alike. Set against a backdrop of jazz music, bootlegging, and lavish parties, The Great Gatsby is the story of Midwesterner NickAn undisputed masterpiece of twentieth-century literature, perfect for Fitzgerald lovers and classics collectors alike.
Set against a backdrop of jazz music, bootlegging, and lavish parties, The Great Gatsby is the story of Midwesterner Nick Carraway’s curious introduction to the decadent world of his mysterious, wealthy neighbor Jay Gatsby, whose thirst for riches is matched only by his tragic obsession with the beautiful Daisy Buchanan.
Penned in the “roaring twenties,” the novel continues to be the subject of numerous film and stage adaptations and has become a fixture in the American classroom. This dangerously propulsive tale of glitz and glamour continues to be relevant as readers long for escapist novels–a chance to flee into Gatsby’s famed mansion and lose oneself in the rush of opulence.
The Great Gatsby audiobook is brought to life by Tim Robbins, famed American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, and musician.
... Read more -
The War on Normal People
- By: Andrew Yang
- Narrator: Andrew Yang
- Length: 6 hours 55 minutes
- Publisher: Hachette Audio
- Publish date: April 03, 2018
- Language: English
-
4.29(7245 ratings)
4.29(7245 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0025.98 USD***New York Times Bestseller***From 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, a captivating account of how “a skinny Asian kid from upstate” became a successful entrepreneur, only to find a new mission: calling attention to the... Read more***New York Times Bestseller***From 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, a captivating account of how “a skinny Asian kid from upstate” became a successful entrepreneur, only to find a new mission: calling attention to the urgent steps America must take, including Universal Basic Income, to stabilize our economy amid rapid technological change and automation.
The shift toward automation is about to create a tsunami of unemployment. Not in the distant future–now. One recent estimate predicts 45 million American workers will lose their jobs within the next twelve years–jobs that won’t be replaced. In a future marked by restlessness and chronic unemployment, what will happen to American society?In The War on Normal People, Andrew Yang paints a dire portrait of the American economy. Rapidly advancing technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics and automation software are making millions of Americans’ livelihoods irrelevant. The consequences of these trends are already being felt across our communities in the form of political unrest, drug use, and other social ills. The future looks dire-but is it unavoidable?
In The War on Normal People, Yang imagines a different future–one in which having a job is distinct from the capacity to prosper and seek fulfillment. At this vision’s core is Universal Basic Income, the concept of providing all citizens with a guaranteed income-and one that is rapidly gaining popularity among forward-thinking politicians and economists. Yang proposes that UBI is an essential step toward a new, more durable kind of economy, one he calls “human capitalism.”
-
Startup Money Made Easy
- By: Maria Aspan
- Narrator: Maria Aspan
- Length: 4 hours 59 minutes
- Publisher: AMACOM
- Publish date: February 12, 2019
- Language: English
-
3.61(20 ratings)
3.61(20 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0018.99 USDLet the experts at Inc.guide you through every critical step and potential pitfall as their on-the-ground reporting shows how to locate funding, manage your money, and smart hack your way to a comfortable retirement. Startup Money Made Easy gathersLet the experts at Inc.guide you through every critical step and potential pitfall as their on-the-ground reporting shows how to locate funding, manage your money, and smart hack your way to a comfortable retirement.
Startup Money Made Easy gathers the best advice from the magazine’s pages, spotlighting celebrated entrepreneurs and inspiring stories. You’ll hear from:
- FUBU founder Daymond John, who mortgaged his family home for start-up capital–and built a $6 billion empire
- Makeup artist Bobbi Brown, who turned a modest lipstick line into a profitable 30-store enterprise
- Alexa von Tobel, who dropped out of Harvard Business School to launch the equity-magnate LearnVest.com
- Mark Cuban, Sallie Krawcheck, Max Levchin, and other founders who overcame financial obstacles on their way to the top
Additionally, these stories include on-target tips that explain how to:
- Raise your first $10,000 in capital
- Power through the lean years
- Get friends and family to back you up
- Round up outside investors
- Go public or sell, while still staying in charge
- Reward people with great salaries and benefits
- Eliminate tax season surprises
- Grow without growing pains
Cash flow problems are the number-one business killer. Whether you’re dreaming up a startup idea or knee deep in the craziness, learn to shore up your finances and safeguard the business.
... Read more -
Frictionless
- By: Christiane Lemieux
- Narrator: Jean Ann Douglass
- Length: 8 hours 21 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: June 23, 2020
- Language: English
-
3.44(19 ratings)
3.44(19 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0023.99 USDSerial entrepreneur Christiane Lemieux describes the new rules of entrepreneurship and business, arguing that visionary startups leverage the concept of “frictionless” to beat their competitors. Based on interviews with dozens ofSerial entrepreneur Christiane Lemieux describes the new rules of entrepreneurship and business, arguing that visionary startups leverage the concept of “frictionless” to beat their competitors.
Based on interviews with dozens of startup founders, experts and scholars on entrepreneurship, Frictionless provides readers with a wide-ranging education in starting companies that thrive in the world of frictionless commerce–made possible by new technologies, a new mindset, and new demands from Millennial consumers. Working with bestselling author and journalist Duff McDonald, Lemieux also shares her own story–lessons learned, failures absorbed–at the helm of DwellStudio (which was acquired by Wayfair) and her latest venture, The Inside.
Some founders profiled in the book are reducing friction in their own business models, others reduce friction through improved customer experiences, and still others are revolutionizing their operations to create frictionless organizations. Readers will glean lessons from the founders of well-known companies such as Instant Pot, Bonobos, Hims, and Halo Top–as well as upstarts Billie, Dame Products, and Convene.
Frictionless outlines the groundwork necessary for getting a company up-and-running and explains how companies make and market products and services while meeting the demands of their customers and employees today. Frictionless is the essential handbook for creating tomorrow’s mind set and competitive advantage.
... Read more -
American Princess
- By: Leslie Carroll
- Narrator: Andi Arndt
- Length: 7 hours 25 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: April 24, 2018
- Language: English
-
3.47(206 ratings)
3.47(206 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.004.99 USDA behind-the-scenes look into the life of Meghan Markle and her romance with Prince Harry–a dishy, delightful must-listen filled with exclusive insights for anyone obsessed with the Royal Family. Leslie Carroll’s books on royalty areA behind-the-scenes look into the life of Meghan Markle and her romance with Prince Harry–a dishy, delightful must-listen filled with exclusive insights for anyone obsessed with the Royal Family.
Leslie Carroll’s books on royalty are “an irresistible combination of People Magazine and the History Channel.”–Chicago Tribune
When Prince Harry of Wales took his American girlfriend, Meghan Markle, to have tea with his grandmother the queen, avid royal watchers had a hunch that a royal wedding was not far off. That prediction came true on November 27, 2017, when the gorgeous, glamorous twosome announced their engagement to the world. As they prepare to tie the knot in a stunning ceremony on May 19, 2018, that will be unprecedented in royal history, people are clamoring to know more about the beautiful American who captured Prince Harry’s heart.
Born and raised in Los Angeles to a white father of German, English, and Irish descent and an African American mother whose ancestors had been enslaved on a Georgia plantation, Meghan has proudly embraced her biracial heritage. In addition to being a star of the popular television series Suits, she is devoted to her humanitarian work–a passion she shares with Harry. Though Meghan was married once before, Prince Harry is a modern royal, and the Windsors have welcomed her into the tight-knit clan they call “The Firm.” Even a generation ago, it would have been unthinkable, as well as impermissible, for any member of Great Britain’s royal family to consider marrying someone like Meghan. Professional actresses were considered scandalous and barely respectable. And the last time an American divorcee married into the Royal Family, it provoked a constitutional crisis!
In American Princess, Leslie Carroll provides context to Harry and Meghan’s romance by leading listeners through centuries of Britain’s rule-breaking royal marriages, as well as the love matches that were never permitted to make it to the altar; followed by a never-before-seen glimpse into the little-known life of the woman bringing the Royal Family into the 21st century; and her dazzling, thoroughly modern romance with Prince Harry.
... Read more -
10% Happier
- By: Dan Harris
- Narrator: Dan Harris
- Length: 7 hours 50 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: March 11, 2014
- Language: English
-
3.92(84695 ratings)
3.92(84695 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0024.99 USDNightline anchor Dan Harris embarks on an unexpected, hilarious, and deeply skeptical odyssey through the strange worlds of spirituality and self-help, and discovers a way to get happier that is truly achievable. After having a nationally televisedNightline anchor Dan Harris embarks on an unexpected, hilarious, and deeply skeptical odyssey through the strange worlds of spirituality and self-help, and discovers a way to get happier that is truly achievable.
After having a nationally televised panic attack on Good Morning America, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes. A lifelong nonbeliever, he found himself on a bizarre adventure, involving a disgraced pastor, a mysterious self-help guru, and a gaggle of brain scientists. Eventually, Harris realized that the source of his problems was the very thing he always thought was his greatest asset: the incessant, insatiable voice in his head, which had both propelled him through the ranks of a hyper-competitive business and also led him to make the profoundly stupid decisions that provoked his on-air freak-out.
We all have a voice in our head. It’s what has us losing our temper unnecessarily, checking our email compulsively, eating when we’re not hungry, and fixating on the past and the future at the expense of the present. Most of us would assume we’re stuck with this voice – that there’s nothing we can do to rein it in – but Harris stumbled upon an effective way to do just that. It’s a far cry from the miracle cures peddled by the self-help swamis he met; instead, it’s something he always assumed to be either impossible or useless: meditation. After learning about research that suggests meditation can do everything from lower your blood pressure to essentially rewire your brain, Harris took a deep dive into the underreported world of CEOs, scientists, and even marines who are now using it for increased calm, focus, and happiness.
10% Happier takes readers on a ride from the outer reaches of neuroscience to the inner sanctum of network news to the bizarre fringes of America’s spiritual scene, and leaves them with a takeaway that could actually change their lives.
... Read more -
Money Girl’s 10 Steps to a Debt-Free Life
- By: Laura D. Adams
- Narrator: Laura D. Adams
- Length: 1 hours 6 minutes
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Publish date: July 21, 2009
- Language: English
-
2.91(11 ratings)
2.91(11 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.004.99 USDDoes the stress of your mounting debt keep you up at night? If you dread opening your monthly credit card statements, Money Girl’s 10 Steps to a Debt Free Life is for you. Laura Adams, host of the top-rated Money Girl’s Quick and DirtyDoes the stress of your mounting debt keep you up at night? If you dread opening your monthly credit card statements, Money Girl’s 10 Steps to a Debt Free Life is for you. Laura Adams, host of the top-rated Money Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life podcast, takes you step-by-step through exactly what you need to do get out of debt and stay there.
Laura’s 10 steps will give you the guidance you need to deal with all kinds of debt, from credit card and medical bills, to mortgages and car loans. She’ll help you assess your current financial situation and create a personalized plan you can live with. You’ll learn which debts to pay off first and will get tips on negotiating with creditors and paying off bills faster. Laura’s advice on boosting your credit score, cutting costs, and saving money will help you lay the groundwork for a debt-free, happier life. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make simple changes that will have a big impact on your financial health.
Laura Adams explains everything in the informative, practical voice that her legions of followers have come to appreciate in the Money Girl podcast. Her Money Girl’s 10 Steps to a Debt Free Life will give you the knowledge you need to take control of your finances and create a more secure financial future. You will owe less, own more, and rest easier.
... Read more -
Live Fearless
- By: Sadie Robertson Huff
- Narrator: Sadie Robertson Huff
- Length: 4 hours 14 minutes
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Publish date: February 06, 2018
- Language: English
-
4.34(3108 ratings)
4.34(3108 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0018.99 USDAre you tired of the comparison game and trying to keep up? Are you worried that people will discover the real you and be disappointed? Sadie Robertson, New York Times bestselling author, has an important message for her generation: you don’tAre you tired of the comparison game and trying to keep up? Are you worried that people will discover the real you and be disappointed? Sadie Robertson, New York Times bestselling author, has an important message for her generation: you don’t have to be held back by fear, anxiety, or loneliness anymore. In Live Fearless, Sadie takes you on a liberating journey out of fear and into freedom and a life of passion and purpose!
No matter who you are, where you come from, or what your fears are, freedom is available to you in Jesus. The Bible is full of encouraging verses and stories to equip and inspire you in your daily battle against your fears.
Sadie invites teens and young adults to
-
set aside fear, anxiety, and comparison so they can become the joy-filled person God created them to be
-
believe they are seen and known
- recognize and resolve FEAR–False Evidence Appearing Real
-
be an agent of change by choosing compassion, connection, and acceptance
Inside Live Fearless you’ll find
-
interactive opportunities as Sadie asks you questions, presents challenges, delivers encouragement, and invites you to pray
-
fun lists and practical ways to make changes, such as “7 Steps to Exhale Your Ugly”
-
inspirational thoughts on how living fearlessly can change everything
Live Fearless is the perfect gift for young Christian women on birthdays, for graduation, or as a “just because” gift to encourage self-care and confidence. It’s time to fight your fears and live fearless.
Sadie is a wholesome and trusted role model and enthusiastic voice for her generation, reaching millions of teens, young adults, and parents through her books, social platforms, and hit podcast, WHOA That’s Good.
Look for additional inspirational, bestselling books from Sadie:
- Live Fearless
- Live on Purpose
- Who Are You Following?
- Who Are You Following? Guided Journal
-
Outsider
- By: Linda Castillo
- Narrator: Kathleen McInerney
- Length: 9 hours 37 minutes
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Publish date: July 07, 2020
- Language: English
-
4.06(7263 ratings)
4.06(7263 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0026.99 USDLinda Castillo follows her instant New York Times bestseller, Shamed, with Outsider, an electrifying thriller about a woman on the run hiding among the Amish.While enjoying a sleigh ride with his children, Amish widower Adam Lengacher discovers aLinda Castillo follows her instant New York Times bestseller, Shamed, with Outsider, an electrifying thriller about a woman on the run hiding among the Amish.
While enjoying a sleigh ride with his children, Amish widower Adam Lengacher discovers a car stuck in a snowdrift and an unconscious woman inside. He calls upon Chief of Police Kate Burkholder for help, and she is surprised to recognize the driver: fellow cop and her former friend, Gina Colorosa.Years before, Kate and Gina were best friends at the police academy and patrol officers in Columbus, but time and distance have taken them down two very different paths. Now, Gina reveals a shocking story of betrayal and revenge that has forced her to run for her life. She’s desperate for protection, and the only person she can trust is Kate–but can Kate trust her? Or will Gina’s dark past put them all in danger?
As a blizzard bears down on Painters Mill, Kate helps Gina go into hiding on Adam’s farm. While the tough-skinned Gina struggles to adjust to the Amish lifestyle, Kate and state agent John Tomasetti delve into the incident that caused Gina to flee. But as Kate gets closer to the truth, a killer lies in wait. When violence strikes, she must confront a devastating truth that changes everything she thought she knew not only about friendship, but the institution to which she’s devoted her life.
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur BooksPraise for Kathleen McInerney as Kate Burkholder:
“McInerney’s masterly technique makes aural sense of the plain and kind Amish people bewildered by the violence, thuggery, and corruption that have come among them. McInerney’s characters are alive, all human and believable.” — AudioFile Magazine on Among the Wicked
“Kathleen McInerney does an excellent job of portraying this diverse cast, especially the Amish, who she instills with a shy, quiet dignity, and she handles the Pennsylvania Dutch language with the ease of a native.” — Publishers Weekly on Pray for Silence
... Read more -
Something Borrowed
- By: Emily Giffin
- Narrator: Jennifer Wiltsie
- Length: 4 hours 54 minutes
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Publish date: April 28, 2009
- Language: English
-
3.87(517957 ratings)
3.87(517957 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0010.99 USDSomething Borrowed is the smash-hit debut novel from Emily Giffin for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship. The basis for the blockbuster movie starring Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin, and John Krasinski! Rachel White isSomething Borrowed is the smash-hit debut novel from Emily Giffin for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship. The basis for the blockbuster movie starring Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin, and John Krasinski!
Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy’s fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way.
As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren’t always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.
... Read more -
175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College
- By: Charlotte Lake
- Narrator: Caitlin Davies
- Length: 3 hours 26 minutes
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Publish date: January 01, 2021
- Language: English
-
4.33(5 ratings)
4.33(5 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0014.99 USDMake the most of your college years with these 175+ unique activities for the ultimate college experience.From finding the perfect friend group to succeeding academically to exploring your newfound freedom, there’s a lot that goes into makingMake the most of your college years with these 175+ unique activities for the ultimate college experience.
... Read more
From finding the perfect friend group to succeeding academically to exploring your newfound freedom, there’s a lot that goes into making your college experience a success. Instead of getting trapped in the myth that you can “do it all,” 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College will help you figure out what’s most important to you…and how to make it happen.
With this college-themed bucket list, you’ll find everything you need to do before you graduate. Whether you’re trying to make sure your four years in college are the best they can be or preparing for next steps post-graduation, you’ll learn exactly how to set yourself up for success (and fun!) with activities like:
-Becoming a TA as an undergrad for a subject you’re truly passionate about
-Heading off-campus with your friends to snag the first fresh donuts of the day
-Paying it forward by buying lunch for the person behind you in the dining hall line, even if you don’t know them
-Getting creative and starting up a campus-wide game of hide-and-seek
-And much more!
It’s easy: first, check out the 175+ unique and interesting activities you can do to add some fun, excitement, and maybe even a few impressive accomplishments to your life. Then, use the journaling space to create and update your own personal college bucket list. From there, just gather some friends and get started on making sure your college experience is as happy, healthy, and successful as possible! -
2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything
- By: Mauro F. Guillen
- Narrator: Leon Nixon
- Length: 10 hours 33 minutes
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Publish date: August 25, 2020
- Language: English
-
3.73(1410 ratings)
3.73(1410 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0026.99 USD“Bold, provocative…illuminates why we’re having fewer babies, the middle class is stagnating, unemployment is shifting, and new powers are rising.” —ADAM GRANT The world is changing drastically before our“Bold, provocative…illuminates why we’re having fewer babies, the middle class is stagnating, unemployment is shifting, and new powers are rising.”
—ADAM GRANTThe world is changing drastically before our eyes–will you be prepared for what comes next? A groundbreaking analysis from one of the world’s foremost experts on global trends, including analysis on how COVID-19 will amplify and accelerate each of these changes.
Once upon a time, the world was neatly divided into prosperous and backward economies. Babies were plentiful, workers outnumbered retirees, and people aspiring towards the middle class yearned to own homes and cars. Companies didn’t need to see any further than Europe and the United States to do well. Printed money was legal tender for all debts, public and private. We grew up learning how to “play the game,” and we expected the rules to remain the same as we took our first job, started a family, saw our children grow up, and went into retirement with our finances secure.
That world–and those rules–are over.
By 2030, a new reality will take hold, and before you know it:
– There will be more grandparents than grandchildren
– The middle-class in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa will outnumber the US and Europe combined
– The global economy will be driven by the non-Western consumer for the first time in modern history
– There will be more global wealth owned by women than men
– There will be more robots than workers
– There will be more computers than human brains
– There will be more currencies than countriesAll these trends, currently underway, will converge in the year 2030 and change everything you know about culture, the economy, and the world.
According to Mauro F. Guillen, the only way to truly understand the global transformations underway–and their impacts–is to think laterally. That is, using “peripheral vision,” or approaching problems creatively and from unorthodox points of view. Rather than focusing on a single trend–climate-change or the rise of illiberal regimes, for example–Guillen encourages us to consider the dynamic inter-play between a range of forces that will converge on a single tipping point–2030–that will be, for better or worse, the point of no return.
2030 is both a remarkable guide to the coming changes and an exercise in the power of “lateral thinking,” thereby revolutionizing the way you think about cataclysmic change and its consequences.A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
... Read more -
Congratulations, Who Are You Again?
- By: Harrison Scott Key
- Narrator: Josh Bloomberg
- Length: 8 hours 26 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: November 06, 2018
- Language: English
-
4.13(479 ratings)
4.13(479 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.005.99 USDThis funny and wise new memoir from Harrison Scott Key, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, will inspire laughter and hope for anyone who’s ever been possessed by a dream of what they want to be when they grow up. Little-knownThis funny and wise new memoir from Harrison Scott Key, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, will inspire laughter and hope for anyone who’s ever been possessed by a dream of what they want to be when they grow up.
Little-known author Mark Twain once said that the two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why. He’s talking about dreams here, the destiny that calls every living soul to some kind of greatness. What Mr. Twain doesn’t say is: A dream is also a monster that wants to eat you. Nobody tells you this part of the American Dream — until now. In this new memoir, Congratulations Who Are You Again, readers join Harrison Scott Key on his outrageous journey to becoming a great American writer.
As a young boy in Mississippi, Harrison possessed many special gifts, such as the ability to read and complete college applications. And yet, throughout young adulthood, he failed at many vocations, until one day, after drinking perhaps too many beers and dusting off his King James Bible, he stumbled across a passage about a lonely pelican, which burst into flame inside him. In a mad blaze of holy illumination, Harrison realized his dream: to set the world afire with the light inside him. He would write a funny book. This was his dream.
With unforgettable wit and tenderness, Congratulations Who Are You Again is Harrison’s instructive tale of pursuing his destiny with relentless and often misguided devotion, transforming his life beyond all comprehension: He becomes a signer of autographs, a doer of interviews, a casher of checks that are “worth more money than my father had ever imagined any of us might see, this side of a drug-related felony.”
On this journey, Harrison finds that as he gains the world, he stands on the precipice of losing everything that means the most: his family, his mind, his soul. Hilarious, honest, and absolutely practical, Congratulations Who Are You Again is a no-holds-barred look at the life of every ambitious human creature, whether you want to write books or make music, start a business or start a revolution. This is an audiobook for the dreamers.
... Read more -
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do
- By: Amy Morin
- Narrator: Amy Morin
- Length: 6 hours 36 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Publish date: December 23, 2014
- Language: English
-
3.91(21833 ratings)
3.91(21833 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0021.99 USDExpanding on her viral post that has become an international phenomenon, a psychotherapist offers simple yet effective solutions for increasing mental strength and finding happiness and success in life. As a licensed clinical social worker, collegeExpanding on her viral post that has become an international phenomenon, a psychotherapist offers simple yet effective solutions for increasing mental strength and finding happiness and success in life.
As a licensed clinical social worker, college psychology instructor, and psychotherapist, Amy Morin has seen countless people choose to succeed despite facing enormous challenges. That resilience inspired her to write 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, a web post that instantly went viral, and was picked up by the Forbes website.
Morin’s post focused on the concept of mental strength, how mentally strong people avoid negative behaviors–feeling sorry for themselves, resenting other people’s success, and dwelling on the past. Instead, they focus on the positive to help them overcome challenges and become their best.
In this inspirational, affirmative book, Morin expands upon her original message, providing practical strategies to help readers avoid the thirteen common habits that can hold them back from success. Combining compelling anecdotal stories with the latest psychological research, she offers strategies for avoiding destructive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors common to everyone.
Like physical strength, mental strength requires healthy habits, exercise, and hard work. Morin teaches you how to embrace a happier outlook and arms you to emotionally deal with life’s inevitable hardships, setbacks, and heartbreaks–sharing for the first time her own poignant story of tragedy, and how she summoned the mental strength to move on. As she makes clear, mental strength isn’t about acting tough; it’s about feeling empowered to overcome life’s challenges.
... Read more
The 29 top books for college freshmen were recommended and carefully selected for their potential to enrich and broaden the college freshmen’s knowledge, worldview, and critical thinking skills.
Books to help young adults transition to college
One reason these books are being recommended is because of their ability to bring awareness to the experiences and challenges faced by young adults transitioning to college. For example, Azar Nafisi’s 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College, Tara Westover’s Live Fearless, and Marc Acito’s How I Paid for College all explore the complex relationship between education, identity, and cultural values. By reflecting on the author’s own experiences and struggles, these books can help students develop empathy and understanding for the challenges they may face during this time of transition.
Books that help college freshmen understand different perspectives and foster curiosity
Many of the recommended books also provide an opportunity to explore diverse perspectives and experiences. For instance, Sherman Alexie‘s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, W. E. B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folks, and Leslie Carroll’s American Princess all offer powerful portrayals of characters from different cultures and backgrounds, who grapple with issues of race, identity, and social justice. By exposing students to a variety of perspectives, these books can help foster cultural awareness and respect for diversity.
Another reason why these books are recommended is their potential to foster intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills. Books such as Michael Wooldridge’s A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence, Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens, and Andrew Yang’s The War on Normal People offer insights into the workings of the human mind and the evolution of human societies. These books encourage students to question assumptions, develop their analytical skills, and engage with complex ideas.
Listen to the top recommended books with Speechify audiobooks
Finally, since many of these books are available in audiobook format through Speechify, they can be accessed easily and enjoyed by college students on-the-go, during their daily commute, or while engaging in other activities. This can be especially helpful for busy college students who may not have the time or desire to sit down and read a physical book.
The 29 top books for college freshmen recommended above are important works of literature and non-fiction that offer opportunities for personal and intellectual growth. They go over, in depth, a diverse range of themes and topics and can help students develop empathy, understanding, and critical thinking skills. Whether read in print or listened to through Speechify audiobooks, these books are an important part of any college student’s reading list.
Cliff Weitzman
Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.
Recent Blogs
-
July 06, 2023
Which books are available on Spotify?
-
July 06, 2023
Are audiobooks free on Spotify with membership?
-
June 25, 2023
Top Destinations for Free eBooks and Audiobooks Online
-
June 25, 2023
Best Alternative to Barnes & Noble Online
-
June 25, 2023
The Best Places to Buy eBooks: Beyond the Kindle Ecosystem
-
June 25, 2023
What are the best places to find free ebooks?
-
June 25, 2023
Best Independent Companies to Buy eBooks from
-
April 19, 2023
How many Game of Thrones books are there?
-
April 19, 2023
Where to buy cheap books: A comprehensive guide
-
April 19, 2023
How many Jack Reacher books are there?
-
April 19, 2023
How many FNAF books are there?
-
April 19, 2023
How many Warrior Cats books are there?
-
April 19, 2023
How many Wheel of Time books are there?
-
April 19, 2023
The best Vampire Survivors powerups in order
-
April 19, 2023
How to read the Robert Galbraith books in order
-
April 19, 2023
How to read the Artemis Fowl books in order
-
April 19, 2023
How to read Craig Johnson’s books in order
-
April 19, 2023
How to read Cassandra Clare’s books in order
-
April 19, 2023
How to read Lee Child’s books in order
-
April 18, 2023
How to read the In Death book series in order
-
April 18, 2023
Best book quotes
-
April 18, 2023
A tale of two cities reviewed
-
April 18, 2023
All the President’s Men reviewed
-
April 18, 2023
Tintin reviewed
-
April 18, 2023
What are adult coloring books?
-
April 18, 2023
How to read the Percy Jackson books in order
-
April 11, 2023
How to find charities for the blind
-
April 11, 2023
What is the best Bible app
-
April 11, 2023
Where to find free audio Bible downloads
-
April 11, 2023
What is the best free Bible app
More in this series
- 29 Best books to read in your 70s
- 29 Best Roman History Books
- 29 Best Autobiographies on Audiobooks
- 29 Best Books on World History
- 29 Best books to read in spanish
- 29 Best Biographies on Audiobooks
- 29 Best books to read online
- 29 Best Book Club Books
- 29 Best International Relations Audiobooks
- 29 Best Game Theory Books
- 29 Best Classics on Audiobooks
- 29 Best books for 2 year olds
- 100 Books to Read Before You Die
- Top 29 Books Singles should Read
- 29 Best Erotica Audiobooks
- 29 Best books to read during the holidays
- 29 Best Economics Audiobooks
- Top 29 Books on Islam
- 29 best books for 6th graders
- 29 Best Religion Books
- Best Books for Sex & Dating
- 29 Best books for actors
- 29 Best books for history majors
- 29 Best Books on Persuasion
- Top 29 Books to Fix Toxic Relationships
- 29 Best Books on Retirement Planning
- 29 Best Body Building Books
- 29 Best long books to read
- 29 Best Lesbian Stories
- 29 Best books to read for 11th graders