Common Reading Catalog

A lively and engaging guide to vital habits of mind that can help you think more deeply, write more effectively, and learn more joyfully

An invitation to readers from every walk of life to rediscover the impractical splendors of a life of learning

Simple but powerful strategies for increasing your success by improving your thinking

How you can become better at solving real-world problems by learning creative puzzle-solving skills

A look at the extraordinary ways the brain turns thoughts into actions—and how this shapes our everyday lives

How you can enrich your life by becoming a more skillful and engaged reader of literature

The essential survival guide for college students

The unwritten rules of success that every student must follow to thrive in college

An essential handbook to the unwritten and often unspoken knowledge and skills you need to succeed in grad school

Provocative essays on real-world ethical questions from the world's most influential philosopher

Why the tools of philosophy offer a powerful antidote to today’s epidemic of irrationality

A moral philosopher’s meditations on some of life’s most important questions

From the author of American Philosophy: A Love Story, a compelling introduction to the life-affirming philosophy of William James

The dilemmas faced by disadvantaged college students seeking upward mobility and what educators can do to help these students flourish

A Dominican-born academic tells the story of how the Great Books transformed his life—and why they have the power to speak to people of all backgrounds

An inside look at how one of the country’s most elite private schools prepares its students for success

A timely defense of religious diversity and its centrality to American identity

A startling look at the unexpected places where violent hate groups recruit young people

A necessary reckoning with America’s troubled history of injustice to Indigenous people

A revealing look at how user behavior is powering deep social divisions online—and how we might yet defeat political tribalism on social media

How propaganda undermines democracy and why we need to pay attention

How the new conspiracists are undermining democracy—and what can be done about it

From New York Times bestselling author and economics columnist Robert Frank, bold new ideas for creating environments that promise a brighter future

"A stunning and ambitious origins story."—Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award–winning and #1 New York Times–bestselling author

The remarkable history of how college presidents shaped the struggle for racial equality

"A great read."—Whoopi Goldberg, The View

How the clash between the civil rights firebrand and the father of modern conservatism continues to illuminate America's racial divide

A vivid portrait of African American life in today’s urban South that uses food to explore the complex interactions of race and class

How the attorney-client relationship favors the privileged in criminal court—and denies justice to the poor and to working-class people of color

A bold reassessment of what caused the Late Bronze Age collapse

A powerful portrait of the greatest humanitarian emergency of our time, from the director of Human Flow

An entertaining, enlightening, and humorous graphic narrative of the dangerous thinkers who laid the foundation of modern thought

"Fascinating and exhilarating—Sean B. Carroll at his very best."—Bill Bryson, author of The Body: A Guide for Occupants

From acclaimed writer and biologist Sean B. Carroll, a rollicking, awe-inspiring story of the surprising power of chance in our lives and the world

An inspiring anthology of writings by trailblazing women astronomers from around the globe

Quantum physicist, New York Times bestselling author, and BBC host Jim Al-Khalili reveals how 8 lessons from the heart of science can help you get the most out of life

A pocket-style edition based on the New York Times bestseller

Why the social character of scientific knowledge makes it trustworthy

The classic case for why government must support science—with a new essay by physicist and former congressman Rush Holt on what democracy needs from science today

A short, provocative book about why "useless" science often leads to humanity's greatest technological breakthroughs

Finalist for the National Book Award
An intimate reckoning with aquifer depletion in America's heartland

Why an awareness of Earth’s temporal rhythms is critical to our planetary survival

The little-known history of how the Sahara was transformed from a green and fertile land into the largest hot desert in the world

A passionate eyewitness account of the mysteries and looming demise of glaciers—and what their fate means for our shared future

A provocative and inspiring look at the future of humanity and science from world-renowned scientist and bestselling author Martin Rees

A riveting portrait of a rural Pennsylvania town at the center of the fracking controversy

What a rare mushroom can teach us about sustaining life on a fragile planet

Timeless wisdom on controlling anger in personal life and politics from the Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman Seneca

How ancient skepticism can help you attain tranquility by learning to suspend judgment

An inviting and highly readable new translation of Aristotle’s complete Poetics—the first and best introduction to the art of writing and understanding stories

What we can learn about fostering innovation and creative thinking from some of the most inventive people of all times—the ancient Greeks

Timeless techniques of effective public speaking from ancient Rome's greatest orator

Timeless advice on how to be a successful leader in any field

An energetic new translation of an ancient Roman masterpiece about a failed coup led by a corrupt and charismatic politician

What would Caligula do? What the worst Roman emperors can teach us about how not to lead

A primer on campaigning in ancient Rome that reads like a strategy memo from a modern political consultant

What the Roman poet Horace can teach us about how to live a life of contentment

Timeless advice about how to use humor to win over any audience

Timeless wisdom on generosity and gratitude from the great Stoic philosopher Seneca

A splendid new translation of one of the greatest books on friendship ever written

A superb new edition of Epictetus’s famed handbook on Stoicism—translated by one of the world’s leading authorities on Stoic philosophy

Timeless political wisdom from ancient history's greatest statesman

From the bestselling author of What the Best College Teachers Do, the story of a new breed of amazingly innovative courses that inspire students and improve learning

The essential how-to guide to successful college teaching and learning

How redesigning your syllabus can transform your teaching, your classroom, and the way your students learn

A revealing look at the experiences of first generation students on elite campuses and the hidden curriculum they must master in order to succeed

The first book to tell the story of the Advanced Placement program—the gold standard for academic rigor in U.S. high schools and beyond

Why higher education is not a silver bullet for eradicating economic inequality and social injustice

An honest confrontation of systemic racism in faculty hiring—and what to do about it

A conservative college professor's compelling defense of liberal education

Why colleges and universities live or die by free speech

The strengths and failures of the American college, and why liberal education still matters

How our colleges and universities can respond to the changing hopes and needs of society

The landmark New York Times bestseller that demonstrates the benefits of race-conscious admissions in higher education