Curtis Sittenfeld is a judge for this year’s Sunday Times Audible Short Story Prize, which will be announced on 8 July. Her novel Rodham is now out in paperback.
1. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Yuval Noah Harari (2011)
Although I’m a novelist, I’ve been consuming non-fiction to try to understand how we – Americans specifically, human beings in general – arrived at this point. Sapiens, which starts with the Big Bang and runs to the recent past, helped me to contextualise just how fleeting – and precarious – our moment in time is.
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Vintage £10.99; The Week Bookshop £8.99
2. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Isabel Wilkerson (2020)
That the US has a deeply racist history is not exactly news, but Wilkerson’s lucid analysis challenged me to think about racism in new ways. She’s exceptionally good at telling vivid anecdotes about both minor moments and enormous historical tragedies.
Allen Lane £20; The Week Bookshop £15.99
3. The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap
Stephanie Coontz (1992)
Published in 1992 and reissued in updated form in 2016, this book argues that much of the received wisdom about “traditional” families is based on 1950s American sitcoms – even though the 1950s were ahistorical and atypical in terms of gender roles and economic opportunity.
Basic Books £15.99; The Week Bookshop £12.99
4. Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire
Brad Stone (2021)
Amazon’s reach is so extensive that it can seem easier to list the few areas of commerce that it doesn’t touch than the many it does. Stone even-handedly describes the history, expansion and major personalities of the company.
Simon & Schuster £20; The Week Bookshop £15.99
5. So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed
Jon Ronson (2015)
I’ve been listening to the audio version of this book, perfectly read by the author. I had the idea that Ronson’s take on online shaming would be coolly analytical, but I was mistaken – though what it describes is deeply disturbing, the book is warmly anecdotal and often oddly funny.
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How medical imposters are ruining health studiesUnder the Radar Automated bots and ‘lying’ individuals ‘threaten’ patient safety and integrity of research
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‘How can I know these words originated in their heart and not some data center in northern Virginia?’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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Can Trump deliver a farmer bailout in time?Today's Big Question Planting decisions and food prices hang in the balance
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A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelagoThe Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
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Diane Keaton: the Oscar-winning star of Annie HallIn the Spotlight Something’s Gotta Give actor dies from pneumonia at the age of 79
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Heirs and Graces: an ‘enthralling’ deep dive into the decline of nobilityThe Week Recommends Eleanor Doughty explores the ‘bizarre fascination’ with the British aristocracy
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6 sporty homes with tennis courtsFeature Featuring a clay tennis court in New York and a viewing deck in California
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Critics’ choice: Seafood in the spotlightFeature An experimental chef, a newspaper-worthy newcomer, and a dining titan’s fresh spin-off
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Taylor Swift’s Showgirl: Much glitter, little goldFeature Swift’s new album has broken records, but critics say she may have gotten herself creatively stuck
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Theater review: Masquerade218 W. 57th St., New York City 218 W. 57th St., New York City
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Film reviews: Roofman and Kiss of the Spider WomanFeature An escaped felon’s heart threatens to give him away and a prisoner escapes into daydreams of J.Lo.
