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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
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Books
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Big Think+
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Books
5 classic science fiction novels written by scientists
What happens when scientists "write what they know"? Some amazing science fiction stories.
Scotty Hendricks
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Books
Science fiction, Project Blue Book, and the beginnings of the UFO craze
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Book cover of "Target Earth" by Govert Schilling, featuring a meteor streaking toward Earth—a striking visual of cosmic catastrophe—set against space, clouds below, and an orange background.
The Past
How scientists unearthed the cosmic catastrophe that paved the way for humanity
If an asteroid hadn't killed off the dinosaurs, humans would almost certainly have never walked the Earth.
Govert Schilling
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Thinking
The 1903 letter that’s helped countless people embrace the unknown
"Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms, like books written in a truly foreign language."
Elizabeth Weingarten
The word "enough" stands boldly in black at the center, with incorrect spellings like "enugh," "enuph," "enuff," and "enuf" crossed out in red above and below, subtly highlighting the quirks of English spelling.
The Past
When enough is “enuf”: The strange and futile history of English spelling reform
In "Enough Is Enuf," Gabe Henry traces the history of simplified spelling movements and the lessons they teach us about language.
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People in early 20th-century attire gather outside a building, as an intriguing green geometric pattern overlays the scene. This blend of classic and modern elements evokes the innovative spirit of AI art.
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The cinematograph, the “noematograph,” and the future of AI art
Hugo-winning author Ken Liu explores what early cinema and Chinese poetry can teach us about AI's potential as a new artistic medium.
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