If you’re looking for a new book that will educate, fascinate or motivate you this winter, at least one of these 16 picks should do just that.
They include advice from CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta on how to keep your brain sharp, famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s latest on the mysteries of the universe, explorations of African American history and the lively life of Mozart, plus an appealing homage to the pleasures of doing absolutely nothing.
Jan Swafford
There may be no one better to tell the exuberant story of the life, loves and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart than composer and author (BeethovenandJohannes Brahms) Jan Swafford.
Musicians may most fully appreciate Swafford’s more detailed descriptions of Mozart’s canon in this dauntingly thick 832-page biography, but nonprofessional music fans and history lovers of all sorts are likely to be drawn in by the colorful portrait of an artist famous for both his talent and lust for pleasure.
Dec. 8
Abby Schneiderman, Adam Seifer and Gene Newman
Tech entrepreneurs Schneiderman and Seifer are the creators of Everplans, a simple program to help people organize their lives so their survivors won’t face chaos.
Their practical new book does the same, methodically dividing suggested tasks into levels of necessity, from urgent (compiling Social Security numbers and passwords, creating a will) to nostalgic (saving items that have personal meaning).
The authors have thought of everything including suggesting readers remove skeletons from your closet (embarrassing personal items, for instance) and gather your signature recipes so they can be easily passed on to people you love.
Dec. 22
Sanjay Gupta
Neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta reassures us in his new book,Keep Sharp,that we can keep the brain resilient as we age.
The CNN medical correspondent, who has spent the past year calmly and credibly reporting on how to keep healthy during the pandemic, knows the topic inside-out and reassures his readers: Misplace keys once in a while?
Totally normal.
Cognitive decline?
Not inevitable.
The book, based in part on the work of AARP’sGlobal Council on Brain Health, offers an easy-to-adopt 12-point program for developing a more resilient brain and keeping it sharp.
