Books

Big Think Home
A close up of a woman reading a book.
The word "BOOKS" is shown in large white letters, with the two O's replaced by an open-book graphic on a light gray background.
Where books open worlds.
Follow on Substack

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.

Full Profile
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 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
Technical drawing of an oval-shaped mechanical object with measurements and annotations, overlaid with orange scribble lines, subtly hinting at themes of colonial propaganda.
Books
From the Congo to Hiroshima: The colonial propaganda that powered the Manhattan Project
In this excerpt from "Tales of Militant Chemistry," Alice Lovejoy exposes how the need for uranium during WWII led the Allied governments to turn a blind eye to colonial exploitation.
Alice Lovejoy
A small, irregular brown stone with holes—possibly linked to Denisovans—is shown next to a 1990 U.S. dime for size comparison.
Books
How a dime-sized bone rewrote the story of human evolution
In “The Secret History of Denisovans,” Silvana Condemi and François Savatier trace the story of our mysterious hominin ancestor.
Jasna Hodžić
Black and white illustration of a ship at shore, with people unloading goods and interacting on land; orange arc marks part of the scene.
Books
The last witnesses: Preserving the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
In the Embers series, historian M.G. Sheftall shares the stories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s last survivors and reveals why their testimony must endure.
Kevin Dickinson
Five books on consciousness and philosophy are displayed upright in a row against a pale background with abstract black lines.
Books
5 brilliant books on consciousness
These expert-recommended books try to answer the questions of consciousness, from its fundamental nature to its role in human experience and the natural world.
Kevin Dickinson
Three white smokestacks emit thick, swirling clouds of orange and white smoke against a black background, hinting at the dramatic effect of going nuclear.
Books
“Going Nuclear” makes the case for an atomic renaissance
Nuclear chemist Tim Gregory joins Big Think to make the case that nuclear energy can still transform the world for the better.
Ross Pomeroy
A hand pulls a green book from a library shelf, surrounded by tsundoku—the gentle art of collecting more books than you can read—with the silhouette of a person formed from the bookshelf and books.
Neuropsych
What our shelves of unread books teach us about ourselves
The Japanese practice of "tsundoku" bestows joy and lasting benefits to those who make books an important part of their lives.
Kevin Dickinson
A woman sits in a Victorian-style room, reading a large book of classic books. She is surrounded by bookshelves, decorative objects, and a curtained window letting in natural light.
Books
7 literary classics you can read in a weekend
These short books offer insights and meditations on timeless themes, without the time commitment.
Kevin Dickinson
Learn from the world’s biggest thinkers.
© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.