- Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World - Author: Michael E. Mann, Peter J. Hotez
- Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America - Author: Robert B. Reich
- William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country: A Life - Author: James Lee McDonough
- One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This - Author: Omar El Akkad
- Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis - Author: Michael E. Mann
- Mark Twain - Author: Ron Chernow
- Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering - Author: Malcolm Gladwell
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference - Author: Malcolm Gladwell
- Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion - Author: Sam Harris
- Source Code - My Beginnings -
Author: Bill Gates - Galapagos - Author: Kurt Vonnegut
- The Birds That Audubon Missed Discovery and Desire in the American Wilderness - Author: Kenn Kaufmann
- Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism - Author: Sarah Wynn-Williams
- Lakota America A New History of Indigenous Power Author: Pekka Hamalainen
- Becoming Earth How Our Planet Came to Life - Author: Ferris Jabr
- Impossible Monsters: Dinosaurs, Darwin, and the Battle Between Science and Religion - Author: Michael Taylor
- The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War - Author: Michael Shaara
- By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land - Author: Rebecca Nagle
- Chief Joseph & the Flight of the Nez Perce: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy - Author: Kent Nerburn
- The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster - Author: John O'Connor
- What This Comedian Said Will Shock You - Author: Bill Maher
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Book Reading List 2025
Book Review - Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: Pending...
Description (Audible): Two of the world’s most respected scientists reveal the forces behind the dangerous anti-science movement—and show us how to fight back.
Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez are two of the most respected and well-known scientists in the world and have spent the last twenty years on the front lines of the battle to convey accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information about science in the face of determined and nihilistic opposition.
In this powerful manifesto, they reveal the five main forces threatening science: plutocrats, pros, petrostates, phonies, and the press. It is a call to arms and a road map for dismantling the forces of anti-science. Armed with the information in this book, we can be empowered to promote scientific truths, shine light on channels of dark money, dismantle the corporations poisoning the planet, and ultimately avert disaster.
If you're looking for something inspirational and deeply informed, this will meet (or exceed) expectations. If you're hoping for a blueprint with all obstacles already overcome, you might find some parts frustrating. But perhaps that’s the point: the work is not done, and this book insists we become part of it.
Monday, September 22, 2025
TILOTD - Autumn Equinox
TILOTD -- Things I Learned On This Day
Autumn Equnox - Sept 22, 2025
- The autumn equinox marks the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
- It occurs when Earth's axis is not tilted toward or away from the sun, resulting in nearly equal day and night lengths.
- The exact date of the equinox can vary between Sept. 21 and Sept. 24 due to the Gregorian calendar's approximation of the Earth's orbit around the sun.
- Cultural celebrations take place worldwide on the equinox. That day is also a key period for observing natural phenomena like the Northern Lights due to increased geomagnetic activity
- The autumn equinox is really just a moment in time -- to be exact it's when the sun crosses the celestial equator, an imaginary line in the sky above Earth's equator.
- Normally, Earth orbits tilted on its axis by 23.5 degrees. But at the precise instant of the Autumnal equinox, its rotational axis is neither tilting toward nor away from the sun.
- The word "equinox" comes from the Latin aequus (meaning "equal") and nox (meaning "night") but day and night are not exactly 12 hours each on the day of the equinox.
- Earth takes 365.25 days to go around the sun. So, this means that the September equinox will be six hours later than it was the year before. Every four years there is a "leap year" that resets the discrepancy.
- The equinoxes can result in auroras being more visible through to the March spring equinox.
- Auroras are caused by the interaction of solar winds with Earth's magnetic field. The solar winds are particles of plasma escaping from the sun into space. Due to Earth's axial tilt, the solar wind from the sun is better able to reach Earth's atmosphere through our geomagnetic field. These disturbances in Earth's magnetic field (called geomagnetic storms) are therefore at their strongest in the spring and fall, compared to summer and winter.
- The particles that slam into Earth's magnetic field collide with atoms of oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements in the air. These particles eventually release photons of different wavelengths and therefore the different colors of aurora you can see in the sky.
- There are several celebrations associated with the fall equinox. For instance, there's the neopagan festival of Mabon a harvest festival to celebrate the gathering of crops and the bounty of the earth.
- China and other Asian countries celebrate the moon festival which is always held in mid-September, around the time of the harvest moon. The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox.
Friday, September 12, 2025
Book Review - Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America
Author: Robert B. Reich
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: Pending...
Description (Audible): A thought-provoking, principled, clear-eyed chronicle of the culture, politics, and economic choices that have landed us where we are today—with irresponsible economic bullies and corporations with immense wealth and lobbying power on top, demagogues on the rise, and increasing inequality fueling anger and hatred across the country.
Nine months after World War II, Robert Reich was born into a united America with a bright future—that went unrealized for so many as big money took over our democracy. His encounter with school bullies on account of his height—4’11” as an adult—set him on a determined path to spend his life fighting American bullies of every sort. He recounts the death of a friend in the civil rights movement; his political coming of age witnessing the Berkeley free speech movement; working for Bobby Kennedy and Senator Eugene McCarthy; experiencing a country torn apart by the Vietnam War; meeting Hillary Rodham in college, Bill Clinton at Oxford, and Clarence Thomas at Yale Law. He details his friendship with John Kenneth Galbraith during his time teaching at Harvard, and subsequent friendships with Bernie Sanders and Ted Kennedy; his efforts as labor secretary for Clinton and economic advisor to Barack Obama. Ultimately, Reich asks: What did his generation accomplish? Did they make America better, more inclusive, more tolerant? Did they strengthen democracy? Or, did they come up short? In the end, though, Reich hardly abandons us to despair over a doomed democracy. With his characteristic spirit, humor, and inherent decency, he lays out how we can reclaim a sense of community and a democratic capitalism based on the American ideals we still have the power to salvage.
Drawing on real-life stories and economic data, Reich highlights the frustration and disillusionment of a generation "coming up short" despite working hard and playing by the rules. The book doesn't just diagnose the problem — it calls for a reinvigoration of social trust and public investment, advocating policies that promote equity and restore dignity to American labor.
While brief, the book is sharp, accessible, and deeply human. It’s a timely reminder that economic justice is not just a policy issue but a moral imperative.
Friday, August 22, 2025
Book Review - William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country: A Life
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: Pending...
Description (Audible):General Sherman's 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Yet Sherman proved far more complex than his legendary military tactics reveal. James Lee McDonough offers fresh insight into a man tormented by the fear that history would pass him by, who was plagued by personal debts, and who lived much of his life separated from his family. As a soldier, Sherman evolved from a spirited student at West Point into a general who steered the Civil War's most decisive campaigns, rendered here in graphic detail. Lamenting casualties, Sherman sought the war's swift end by devastating Southern resources in the Carolinas and on his famous March to the Sea. This meticulously researched biography explores Sherman's warm friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, his strained relationship with his wife, Ellen, and his unassuageable grief over the death of his young son, Willy. The result is a remarkable, comprehensive life of an American icon whose legacy resonates to this day.
Balanced Portrait: The biography balances military insight with an intimate look at Sherman’s anxieties, debts, troubled marriage, and grief over his son’s death.Book ReporterPublishersWeekly.comwarhistoryonline
Military Acumen Highlighted: McDonough brings Sherman's strategies to life—from his logistics mastery and calm leadership under fire to his use of flanking maneuvers.Army University PressKirkus Reviewswarhistoryonline
Compelling Character Study: Sherman emerges as a multifaceted figure: a man deeply conflicted yet decisive, racist yet capable of humane actions toward freed slaves.Book MarkswarhistoryonlineDallas News
Critical Acclaim: Reviews highlight its readability, narrative vigor, and meticulous research. Book Marks labels it “exhaustive, but not exhausting,” while Barnes & Noble praises its thoughtful scholarship.Book MarksBarnes & Noble
Criticisms
Psychological Depth: Some reviewers wish for stronger exploration of Sherman’s inner life and psychology.Book MarksCivil War MonitorDallas News
March to the Sea Coverage: Though expertly handled, the famed campaign is seen as sketched too lightly for such a monumental event.Book MarksRedditKirkus Reviews
Dense at Times: The narrative’s length and thoroughness may be daunting to some; a few critiques note moments where exhaustive detail dampens pacing.Book MarksCivil War MonitorDallas News
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Book Review - One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
Author: Omar El Akkad
My Review: I liked this book. I've often wonder what people would do today if they were faced with atrocities similar to the WWII holocaust. Sadly the answer appears to be nothing. By providing weapons and money to Israel, the U.S. is complicit in the ongoing slaughter of inocent people in Gaza. Someday the reality of the pain and suffering that is being inflicted on the people of Gaza will be known and everyone will be saying, they were always against it.
As an immigrant who came to the West, El Akkad believed that it promised freedom. A place of justice for all. But in the past twenty years, reporting on the War on Terror, Ferguson, climate change, Black Lives Matter protests, and more, and watching the unmitigated slaughter in Gaza, El Akkad has come to the conclusion that much of what the West promises is a lie. That there will always be entire groups of human beings it has never intended to treat as fully human—not just Arabs or Muslims or immigrants, but whoever falls outside the boundaries of privilege. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This is a chronicle of that painful realization, a moral grappling with what it means, as a citizen of the U.S., as a father, to carve out some sense of possibility in a time of carnage.
This is El Akkad’s nonfiction debut, his most raw and vulnerable work to date, a heartsick breakup letter with the West. It is a brilliant articulation of the same breakup we are watching all over the United States, in family rooms, on college campuses, on city streets; the consequences of this rupture are just beginning. This book is for all the people who want something better than what the West has served up. This is the book for our time.
What stands out most is his ability to interweave personal experience with broader socio-political commentary. The writing is urgent but never preachy—each piece feels intimate yet universally resonant. El Akkad’s journalistic background strengthens his arguments, while his novelist’s sensitivity lends the collection emotional depth.
This is not a book for passive reading. It challenges, provokes, and demands reflection—making it a compelling, timely read for anyone interested in the complex narratives that shape our world.
Friday, August 1, 2025
Book Review - Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: I loved this book but I think I need to read it a few more times to absorb what it's saying. Our Earth and its climate are complicated and this book does an excellent job of describing how Earth has evolved to allow humans to survive and perhaps thrive. Humans are just a blip on Earth's timeline and if we don't do a better job of taking care of the Earth, that blip may be shorter than we realize.
Description (Audible): In this sweeping work of science and history, the renowned climate scientist and author of The New Climate War shows us the conditions on Earth that allowed humans not only to exist but thrive, and how they are imperiled if we veer off course. For the vast majority of its 4.54 billion years, Earth has proven it can manage just fine without human beings. Then came the first proto-humans, who emerged just a little more than 2 million years ago—a fleeting moment in geological time. What is it that made this benevolent moment of ours possible? Ironically, it’s the very same thing that now threatens us—climate change. The drying of the tropics during the Pleistocene period created a niche for early hominids, who could hunt prey as forests gave way to savannahs in the African tropics. The sudden cooling episode known as the “Younger Dryas” 13,000 years ago, which occurred just as Earth was thawing out of the last Ice Age, spurred the development of agriculture in the fertile crescent. The “Little Ice Age” cooling of the 16th-19th centuries led to famines and pestilence for much of Europe, yet it was a boon for the Dutch, who were able to take advantage of stronger winds to shorten their ocean voyages.The conditions that allowed humans to live on this earth are fragile, incredibly so. Climate variability has at times created new niches that humans or their ancestors could potentially exploit, and challenges that at times have spurred innovation. But there’s a relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable. And our survival depends on conditions remaining within that range.In this book, renowned climate scientist Michael Mann will arm listeners with the knowledge necessary to appreciate the gravity of the unfolding climate crisis, while emboldening them—and others--to act before it truly does become too late.
Friday, July 18, 2025
TILOTD - Stay Woke
Things I Learned On This Day – In the last decade, “Stay Woke” has become a common phrase that, I would wager, most people (including myself) would have a hard time defining. For that reason, I felt the need to get a better understanding of the phrase.
According to Wikipedia, the term "Woke is an adjective derived from African-American English used since the 1930s or earlier to refer to awareness of racial prejudice and discrimination, often in the construction stay woke. The term acquired political connotations by the 1970s and gained further popularity in the 2010s with the hashtag #staywoke. Over time, woke came to be used to refer to a broader awareness of social inequalities such as sexism and denial of LGBTQ rights. Woke has also been used as shorthand for some ideas of the American Left involving identity politics and social justice, such as white privilege and reparations for slavery in the United States
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
This is what ChatGPT said when asked:
“What is the history and meaning of the phrase stay woke?”
The phrase “stay woke” has a rich cultural and political
history, rooted in African American experiences and language. Here's a detailed
look at its origin, meaning, evolution, and modern usage:
Meaning of "Stay Woke"
At its core, “stay woke” is a call to remain aware, vigilant,
and conscious—especially regarding social injustice, racism, and systemic
oppression. Over time, its meaning has broadened and also become contested.
History of “Stay Woke”
1. Origins in Black American Vernacular
- Early
20th century: "Woke" appeared in African American Vernacular
English (AAVE) as a slang term meaning "awake" or
"alert."
- The
term evolved metaphorically to mean being "awake" to social and
political realities—especially injustices faced by Black Americans.
2. 1938: First Documented Use in Music
- Blues
musician Lead Belly used the phrase “stay woke” in reference to the Scottsboro
Boys case—a group of Black teenagers falsely accused of rape in Alabama.
- In a
spoken introduction to his song, Lead Belly warned listeners to “stay
woke” to racial injustice in the U.S.
“I advise everybody, be a little careful when they go along
through there—best stay woke.”
This early use linked the phrase explicitly to racial
awareness and self-protection.
3. Civil Rights Movement Era (1950s–1970s)
- The
phrase wasn't mainstream, but the idea behind it—being politically and
socially conscious—was central to the activism of the time.
- While
"stay woke" itself wasn’t a dominant slogan, it was part of a
broader culture of Black consciousness and resistance.
4. Modern Resurgence (2010s)
- Black
Lives Matter movement (post-2013) brought “stay woke” back into common
usage, especially on social media (e.g., Twitter).
- It
became a hashtag and rallying cry encouraging awareness of:
- Police
brutality
- Systemic
racism
- Injustice
in the legal system
- Broader
social inequities (gender, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, etc.)
- Celebrities
and activists used the term to signal solidarity and social consciousness.
5. Cultural Mainstreaming and Corporate Adoption
- As
"woke" became popularized, it was adopted by media, brands, and politicians.
- “Stay
woke” appeared on T-shirts, in TV shows, movies, and advertisements—often
stripped of its original racial and political significance.
6. Backlash and Politicization (Late 2010s–2020s)
- Critics—especially
in right-wing media—began to mock “wokeness” and use “stay woke”
sarcastically or dismissively.
- It
became a politicized buzzword and culture war term, used to criticize:
- Social
justice movements
- Cancel
culture
- Progressive
education or corporate diversity programs
- For
some, “stay woke” became synonymous with overreach or virtue signaling,
rather than sincere activism.
Conclusion
“Stay woke” began as a Black cultural expression of
awareness and survival in a racist society. It gained renewed urgency in the
age of social media and protest movements like Black Lives Matter. Today, while
still used sincerely by many, the phrase has also been co-opted, commercialized,
and politicized, reflecting broader tensions around race, activism, and
identity in modern society.
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Book Review - Mark Twain
Author: Ron Chernow
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: I loved this book. I was afraid it would be too long but that wasn't the case. Mark Twain has always been a hero of mine. I love his wit and ability to find humor in life, politics or you name it. I was surprised and a little dismayed at how susceptible he was to get-rich schemes and how it caused so much heart ache for him and his family. The amount of detail in this book is amazing and I can hardly imagine how much work it took to bring it all together. I totally recommend this book.
Drawing on Twain’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow masterfully captures the man whose career reflected the country’s westward expansion, industrialization, and foreign wars, and who was the most important white author of his generation to grapple so fully with the legacy of slavery. Today, more than one hundred years after his death, Twain’s writing continues to be read, debated, and quoted. In this brilliant work of scholarship, a moving tribute to the writer’s talent and humanity, Chernow reveals the magnificent and often maddening life of one of the most original characters in American history.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Happy Summer Solstice
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Book Review - Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
My Rating: ππππ
My Review: I liked this book but it seemed to be a bit of a rehash of his first book and an attempt to cash in on its success. I was also a little disappointed that many of the stories didn't concern more current events.
Description (Audible):A lot has changed in 25 years. A quarter-century after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand-new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light — this time in an immersive audio format that transports you, the listener, directly inside of each riveting story. Revenge of the Tipping Point is Gladwell’s most personal book yet. With his characteristic mix of storytelling and social science, he offers a guide to making sense of the contagions of the modern world. It’s time we took tipping points seriously.
Friday, June 6, 2025
Book Review - The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: Great book. Reading it 25 years after it was first published made it a little dated but the basic concept of how things reach a tipping point are still very relevant to today. I loved this book.
Description (Audible): The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
Sunday, June 1, 2025
Book Review - Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion
Author: Sam Harris
Description (Audible): For the millions of Americans who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris’ new book is a guide to meditation as a rational spiritual practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. From multiple New York Times best-selling author, neuroscientist, and "new atheist" Sam Harris, Waking Up is for the 30 percent of Americans who follow no religion, but who suspect that Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history could not have all been epileptics, schizophrenics, or frauds. Throughout the book, Harris argues that there are important truths to be found in the experiences of such contemplatives - and, therefore, that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow. Waking Up is part seeker’s memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris - a scientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic - could write it.
Description (ChatGPT): Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris is a blend of neuroscience, philosophy, and personal insight that explores how people can achieve spiritual well-being without relying on religious beliefs. Harris presents meditation and mindfulness as tools for self-discovery and inner peace, offering a rational and secular path to experiencing deeper states of consciousness.
Sunday, May 18, 2025
TILOTD - Blinded by the Light
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Book Review - Source Code - My Beginnings
Author: Bill Gates
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: I'm a bit of a computer nerd. I totally remember when desktop PC's became affordable and how amazing it was to be able to write documents and print them on my dot matrix printer. My first computer was a Leading Edge Model D which I bought in 1986 at a store in Eureka, CA that, for some strange reason also sold vacuum cleaners. Looking back now, I realize how primitive that computer was, especially considering what can be done with smart phones now. This book awakened alot of memories of the early days of computers and how amazing the evolution has been with personal computer technology. I really like this book. Bill Gates is a genius and computers would not be where they are today without him. I totally recommend this book.
Description (Audible): Everyone is programmed a little differently, and Bill Gates' unique insight led to business triumphs that are now widely known: the twenty-year-old who dropped out of Harvard to start a software company that became an industry giant and changed the way the world works and lives; the billionaire many times over who turned his attention to philanthropic pursuits to address climate change, global health, and U.S. education. Source Code is not about Microsoft or the Gates Foundation or the future of technology. It’s the human, personal story of how Bill Gates became who he is today: his childhood, his early passions and pursuits. It’s the story of his principled grandmother and ambitious parents, his first deep friendships and the sudden death of his best friend; of his struggles to fit in and his discovery of a world of coding and computers in the dawn of a new era; of embarking in his early teens on a path that took him from midnight escapades at a nearby computer center to his college dorm room, where he sparked a revolution that would change the world. Bill Gates tells this, his own story, for the first time: wise, warm, revealing, it’s a fascinating portrait of an American life.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Book Review - Galapagos
My Rating: πππ
My Review: Pending...
Friday, April 25, 2025
Book Review -- The Birds That Audubon Missed
Author: Kenn Kaufmann
My Rating: πππππ
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Hike - Wahclella Falls
Wahclella Falls |
Munra Falls |
Logjam |
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Happy Earth Day! - Limerick
The Earth is an amazing planet
A home for all life that's on it
But if we abuse it
We will certainly loose it
So protect the planet damn it!
Friday, April 18, 2025
TILOTD - Kumbaya
Things I Learned On This Day - The old folk song, Kumbaya was actually a black spiritual song that originated in the coastal regions of southeast United States sometime before 1926. According to Wikipedia, the song was originally sung by enslaved blacks in an appeal to God to come to the aid of those in need. The title, Kumbaya is thought to be a translation of "Come by here" in the creole Gullah language. While the song began as a spiritual, it later took on new meanings. During the folk revival of the 1950's and 1960's, Kumbaya became a popular campfire song and eventually became a protest song in support of civil rights and other causes. Ironically, during the 1980's, the song began to take on the meaning of being too unrealistic and touchy-feely. According to an article by Mental Floss, "the backlash against “Kumbaya” may have started because it had become a staple at children’s summer camps, which sometimes led to it being thought of as saccharine and silly." So now "Kumbaya" is synonymous with naΓ―vety as in the cynical phrase kumbaya moment. From a a spiritual, to a campfire song, to a protest anthem, to a derisive phrase, “Kumbaya” is a song with a complicated history.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Book Review - Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism
Author: Sarah Wynn-Williams
My Rating: πππππ
My Review: Careless People is a tell-all book by Sarah Wynn-Williams who worked for seven years as Facebook's global public policy director. I'm not a big fan of Facebook and have a healthy distrust of most social media. Unfortunately, this book confirmed my distrust and helped me see how powerful Facebook and social media is in controlling people and spreading false information. What's interesting and not surprising is Meta (formerly known as Facebook) is pursuing a legal case against Sarah Wynn-Williams and trying to block the distribution of the book. I highly recommend this book.
Description (Audible): From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite. Sarah Wynn-Williams tells the wrenching but fun story of Facebook, mapping its rise from stumbling encounters with juntas to Mark Zuckerberg’s reaction when he learned of Facebook’s role in Trump’s election. She experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, all while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to “lean in.” Careless People is a deeply personal account of why and how things have gone so horribly wrong in the past decade—told in a sharp, candid, and utterly disarming voice. A deep, unflinching look at the role that social media has assumed in our lives, Careless People reveals the truth about the leaders of Facebook: how the more power they grasp, the less responsible they become and the consequences this has for all of us.