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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.

with

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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A man with short gray hair and wearing a plaid shirt is seated at a wooden table in a dimly lit restaurant, smiling at the camera.
The important role of ignorance in building a better society
George Szpiro explores the philosophical ideas that explain why justice — not freedom or efficiency — may better anchor a fair society.

by George G. Szpiro

Book cover of "Ignorance" by George G. Szpiro, featuring red tape bars over the phrases: what we do not know, cannot know, must not know, and refuse to know—reflecting the pervasive power of ignorance.
Everything Articles
A colorful butterfly with vivid patterns hangs near an empty cocoon on a twig against a soft, gradient background.
Neuropsych
The Big 5 personality traits you can change with practice
"Personality isn't based on what we say we'll do. It's rooted in what we actually do, which becomes what we think about."
Olga Khazan
Two faceless busts face each other. One, representing AI, has digital lines on its face, while the other exudes cognitive meaning with flowers and leaves emerging from its surface.
The Future
What AI’s sensory void tells us about thinking on “the road to meaning”
Cognitive neuroscientist and AI researcher Christopher Summerfield explores the differences, and similarities, of how AI and humans make meaning of the world.
Christopher Summerfield
A miniature tank made from rolled and stacked U.S. hundred-dollar bills is displayed on a red background.
The Present
How the United States turned the world economy into a battlefield
By weaponizing the global economy, the U.S. initiated a new era of economic warfare and transformed how major powers compete.
Kevin Dickinson
Large white text reading “maybe” in quotation marks, with a purple scribble behind it, is shown on a black background.
Neuropsych
Turn life’s disruptions into a path forward with this 2-step process
When plans fall apart, adaptability can build something better.
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
A woman smiles at a baby in a crib, holding a toy while the baby reaches out, attempting their first words. They appear to be in a domestic setting.
The Past
In praise of history’s famous first words
While death-bed utterances are more famous, baby’s first words have influenced us too.
Michael Erard
Collage featuring Donald Trump on 'The Apprentice', Kim Kardashian on a red carpet, a film script, and a camera operator, capturing the behind-the-scenes essence of reality TV.
High Culture
Breaking taboos and blurring truths: How reality TV has shaped society in its own image
From Allen Funt to Donald Trump, author Emily Nussbaum explains how reality TV has blurred the lines between, well, reality and TV.
Tim Brinkhof
A person with light hair is turned sideways, holding and reading a partially redacted book filled with pseudonyms, all set against a black grid background.
High Culture
5 famous authors who used pseudonyms (and why they did it)
From acclaimed novels to heretical treatises, sometimes a writer just doesn't want to put their name on the cover.
Scotty Hendricks
In the store aisle brimming with products, a person examines the label of a purple bottle, curious about the latest scienceploitation claims that promise groundbreaking benefits.
Thinking
Exploring the wild and disturbing world of “scienceploitation”
Timothy Caulfield, a leading science communicator, discusses the challenges of combatting misinformation in an age of information overload.
Ross Pomeroy
A group of people on a boat watch as a patrol vessel approaches on calm, open water under a clear sky, reflecting ongoing migration statistics in the region.
The Present
Numbers vs narratives: Unraveling the truth behind today’s global migration statistics
Migration statistics should be regarded with wariness as they are difficult to analyze properly and easily manipulated for political gain.
Ian Goldin
Abstract black and white image of two figures embracing, with swirling line patterns and contrasting shadows evoking a textured effect that subtly hints at negative emotions.
Neuropsych
Embrace your dark side: A new perspective on negative emotions
Ethan Kross, psychologist and author of "Shift," explains how negative emotions help us live safely and well.
Kevin Dickinson
A hand writes on a piece of paper over an open book, next to Nathan Thrall's evocative orange-toned illustration of a face with a tear.
High Culture
Nathan Thrall on how to immerse readers in nonfiction writing
“The only requisite for nonfiction is that it’s true," says Nathan Thrall, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "A Day in the Life of Abed Salama."
Tim Brinkhof
Book cover titled “Money on Your Mind: The Psychology Behind Your Financial Habits” by Vicky Reynal, featuring a modern black chaise lounge and a quote review at the top, exploring how emotions like greed shape your financial decisions.
Neuropsych
Unmasking greed: The evolution of a complex and innate desire
From King Midas to Gordon Gekko, humanity has struggled to grasp greed's true nature.
Vicky Reynal
Large hall with rows of hospital beds occupied by patients and attended by medical staff, likely during an early 20th-century medical crisis.
Health
The dangers of keeping epidemiology the “hidden science”
Caitlin Rivers wants to tell the story of epidemiology and the public health heroes who keep the world safe and healthy.
Kevin Dickinson
In a black and white illustration, four cartoon characters stand among poppies, set against a fantasy world backdrop. Overlaid text delves into the 19th-century currency debate, highlighting the clash between "Silverites" and "Goldbugs," merging historical intrigue with imaginative charm.
High Culture
5 beloved fantasy novels based on real history
Many beloved fantasy adventures take place in worlds that bear a striking resemblance to our own.
Scotty Hendricks
Close-up of a blue shoelace with silver aglets, transforming ordinary things into art against a plain background featuring black squiggle and circular sketch marks.
High Culture
9 ordinary things you (probably) didn’t know had fascinating names
Have you ever noticed how many things you interact with but can’t name? So did we.
Scotty Hendricks & Kevin Dickinson
Abstract illustration of a partial human head with geometric shapes and interconnected lines extending from the top.
Neuropsych
5 applied psychology books for everyday life
From flow to emotional intelligence, these insightful books feature actionable advice you can try out today.
Scotty Hendricks
A traditional Japanese painting depicts a woman in a colorful kimono seated on the floor, reading a book beside a small wooden table with scrolls and an ink set.
High Culture
5 brilliant novels told from a side character’s perspective
From Nick Carraway to Charles Marlow, these side characters offered truths their scene-stealing protagonists couldn't.
Scotty Hendricks
A person sits in an armchair at a table engaged in digital reading. The person's face is scribbled over with green lines.
The Present
The loss of deep reading: How digital texts impact kids’ reading comprehension
From Hogwarts to hashtags, kids' reading habits have changed drastically in recent decades — but data suggests cause for hope.
Ross Pomeroy
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