Collapse

In Guns, Germs & Steel, Jared Diamond showed how and why civilisations unfolded differently across the globe. In Collapse, he uses a five-point framework to analyse why different civilisations collapsed. He cites examples from the past and then examines modern societies, their challenges and what leads civilisations to make disastrous decisions. Not an easy read, and the depth of research sometimes overwhelms, but an insightful read.

Exhalation

Ted Chiang is master of speculative fiction and the nine stories are an example of his abilities – not just the imagination, but the ability to articulate it. There is profound insight in all the stories, irrespective of its length, and across multiple streams – from artificial intelligence to free will. An absolute must-read.