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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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High Culture
Einstein didn’t say that: How viral misquotes evolve and replicate
From Einstein to Twain, Garson O’Toole investigates the truth behind your favorite — and often misattributed — quotes.
Kevin Dickinson
Five World War I soldiers in uniform stand and sit near sandbags in a trench, with a sign reading "Surrey Lane" visible in the background—evoking camaraderie amid the Ring of Fire on the front lines.
Books
Not just the Western Front: “Ring of Fire” rediscovers WWI’s global story
Historians Alexandra Churchill and Nicolai Eberholst reexamine the pivotal conflict from a grassroots perspective.
Tim Brinkhof
A man with a bald head and gray goatee smiles at the camera. Above his head, a thought bubble filled with red scribbles hints at the inner thoughts of John Amaechi.
Books
John Amaechi shares the 6 books that changed his thinking
The psychologist, educator, and former NBA player discusses the professional volumes and childhood stories that shaped his life and his approach to it.
Big Think+
A woman with curly hair sits in a chair holding an open book, looking to the side, surrounded by strange books, drawn white pentagrams, and a lit candle nearby.
Books
5 of the strangest books ever written
Some books are remembered for their lyrical prose or engaging stories. Others are remembered for simply being weird.
Scotty Hendricks
A man slumps in a chair, eyes closed, as small monkey-like creatures torment him with various objects in a room near a fireplace and table.
Books
The migraine mystery: Why evolution never cured the pain in our heads
In "The Headache," Tom Zeller Jr. explores one of the human brain's most enduring, and painful, enigmas.
Tom Zeller Jr.
Union soldiers in blue uniforms escort prisoners past a burning building with a large hole in the wall while smoke and flames rise, during the American Civil War.
Books
The rise and fall of John Wilkes Booth: America’s first celebrity assassin
Before becoming America’s most infamous assassin, John Wilkes Booth was a magnetic actor who was beloved by audiences and courted by critics.
Scott Ellsworth
A pyramid stands in a desert with three people in front, evoking experimental archeology; a modern McDonald's restaurant is visible in the background on the right.
Books
Science meets sweat: How experimental archaeology brings history to life
In "Dinner with King Tut," Sam Kean examines how a burgeoning field is recreating ancient tasks to uncover historical truths.
Kevin Dickinson
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