Shepherd interview on the best books to change your view on the world

07/07/2022 4 min

Listen "Shepherd interview on the best books to change your view on the world "

Episode Synopsis

The Books I Picked & Why|
Humans of New York: Stories
By Brandon Stanton

Book cover of Humans of New York: Stories

Why this book?
I had someone in my language class in my master's program whose whole life changed by being one of the stories from the book Humans of New York. I was so inspired and realized the power of one single image. I also like this book because every time you open it you learn something new. Not many photo books can do that.

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Bookshop.org
Amazon
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The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
By Gay Hendricks

Book cover of The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level

Why this book?
Artists (but this book is for everyone) are often talented but need to overcome mental hurdles that are imposed on us by society, family, and our surroundings that are telling us only to dream so big or achieve so much. The Big Leap teaches you how to go beyond your limitations to make your dreams come true and see things differently.

Buy this book at:
Bookshop.org
Amazon
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Obama: An Intimate Portrait
By Pete Souza

Book cover of Obama: An Intimate Portrait

Why this book?
I am a huge fan of Pete Souza, Obama’s resident photographer. Not only does he show you the day in and day out of the most historically positive president of our time, he continues to this day to educate his audience and show us how a president can be. He also sheds light on some extremely difficult topics like school shootings, and Obama’s historic singing of “amazing grace” while consoling families. This book shows me that anyone can be president and that it's a human’s job because you see his humanity through these photos, not the “superhero” president that historically is how presidents are portrayed that makes us feel somehow separate from them, and unreachable.

Buy this book at:
Bookshop.org
Amazon
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
Orientalism
By Edward W. Said

Book cover of Orientalism

Why this book?
This 1978 published book drove immense controversy. Orientalism pushed heated debates surrounding the nature of Western attitudes towards the Middle East. It pushed millions of people to rethink their prejudices. Said argued that throughout Western history, writers on the Middle East, regardless of the somewhat varying attitudes of their day, reinforced an image of Arabs as uniform, incompetent, and unreflective. But to Said, “the Orient” was a creation of the Western imagination. This work spurred the removal of insensitive words at the beginning of Aladdin. I value this book because it allows us to see how the media is formed and how we can change it. It teaches you agency and power.

Buy this book at:
Bookshop.org
Amazon
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
Why We Can't Wait
By Martin Luther King Jr.

Book cover of Why We Can't Wait

Why this book?
Why We Can't Wait is an easy way to get into the psychology of MLK. It is a 1964 book by Martin Luther King Jr. about the nonviolent movement against racial segregation in the United States, and specifically the 1963 Birmingham campaign. The way it is written makes it understandable from a 1:1 perspective. I am connected to this because it helps a person be actionable in their own way about causes they care about. No frills, just action!