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Where books open worlds.
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Books are more than stories on a page — they are mirrors, maps, challenges, and companions in understanding ourselves and the world we inhabit.

Big Think Books is a space devoted to the writers and ideas that shape culture, knowledge, and the way we think. Through thoughtful recommendations, deep dives, and engaging commentary, this column guides readers toward books that expand curiosity, provoke insight, and deepen understanding across fields like science, history, psychology, literature, and more. Whether you’re exploring the latest releases or rediscovering timeless classics, here you’ll find ideas worth your time and thought.

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Kevin Dickinson is a staff writer and columnist at Big Think, focusing on the intersection of education, psychology, business, and science. He holds a master’s in English and writing, and his work has appeared in Agenda, RealClearScience, and The Washington Post.

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The profound life lesson at the heart of chaos theory
In this excerpt from Think Like a Mathematician, Junaid Mubeen explains how tiny actions can shape complex systems, revealing the limits of prediction and control in our lives.

by Junaid Mubeen

The word "chaos" is repeatedly written in orange over a beige background, with a large, rough black scribble overlaid in the center.
Everything Articles
Book cover titled "After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People" by Dean Spears and Michael Geruso, featuring a population spike graph set against a blue background, highlighting themes of population and environment.
Books
More people, more pollution? Dispelling an environmental myth
In "After the Spike," Dean Spears and Michael Geruso show why policy, rather than high population density, has the most significant impact on the environment.
Dean Spears
Painting of a man with red hair and a mustache wearing a white cap, resting his head on his hand, set against a swirling blue background with touches of van Gogh yellow paint highlighting the scene.
Books
Why did Van Gogh eat yellow paint? The troubled obsession behind the masterpieces.
In "Human History on Drugs," Sam Kelly explores what the research can tell us about one of history’s most brilliant — and troubled — artists.
Sam Kelly
Microscopic view of green cyanobacteria chains forming spiral and linear patterns against a dark background, highlighting their role within the microbiome.
Books
Why your microbiome may matter more than DNA for your lifelong health
In "The Microbiome Master Key," Brett and Jessica Finlay argue that we need to stop waging war on all germs and start working with the microbes that make us who we are.
Jasna Hodžić
A young armored man consults an elderly bearded man holding a key and a staff, both seated and looking at an open book, as if exploring how stories teach philosophy.
Big Think Books
5 stories that teach you philosophy (better than some philosophy books)
Want to study philosophy but skip some of its heavier tomes? These five novels are a great place to start. (Existential despair guaranteed.)
Scotty Hendricks
A green skull in the background appears to stare through a glass of champagne centered in the foreground, evoking Agatha Christie poisons, all set against a black backdrop.
Big Think Books
Murder, she measured: The impressive science behind Agatha Christie’s poisons
Kathryn Harkup, chemist and author of V Is for Venom, joins Big Think to discuss why Christie isn’t just a brilliant writer but a unique science communicator.
Kevin Dickinson
Two women in historical clothing sit outdoors, one holding a book while the other leans in, both appearing to read together near a tree.
Big Think Books
Deep listening: The 8 steps to revitalize any conversation
Most of us think we're good listeners, but we're wrong — and it's ruining our relationships.
Emily Kasriel
Krel and Hana Koecher celebrate with StB colleagues after returning to the Eastern Bloc.
Big Think Books
Operation TRIGON: How a rookie spy helped change the world of espionage
In this excerpt from "Agents of Change," Christina Hillsberg tells the story of Martha “Marti” Peterson, the first female case officer stationed in Soviet Moscow.
Christina Hillsberg
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