Simon Rogers – What We Ask Google: A Surprisingly Hopeful History Of Humankind

The first thing you need to know about Simon Rogers is his admirable ability to write a book filled with data, facts and figures that is so enjoyable to read. Instead of boring details Simon introduces his real-life perspective on a myriad of questions from “Why is grief so lonely?” to “Why do toddlers bite?”. In What We Ask Google, Simon Rogers explores insights from the world’s biggest dataset: an epic snapshot, two decades long and counting, of our collective brain. What it reveals about us might surprise you. Every June, for instance, the world sees a spike in searches for “How to help a bee.” Reassuringly, people consistently want to know, “Where to donate blood?” after natural disasters. And despite superficial differences (such as the deeply divided world map of cat people vs. dog people), humanity has a lot more in common than we often acknowledge. After all, everywhere around the world, it’s two a.m. when parents want to know how to get their baby to sleep. Brimming with insights that vary from the playful to the profound, What We Ask Google delves into the momentous and the mundane secrets of what we ask when we get the chance to ask anything, offering a surprisingly hopeful picture of humankind.  

Erin Moore – That’s Not English: Britishisms, Americanisms, and What Our English Says About Us

In That’s Not English, the seemingly superficial differences between British and American English open the door to a deeper exploration of a historic and fascinating cultural divide. In each of the thirty chapters, Erin Moore explains a different word we use that says more about us than we think. For example, “Quite” exposes the tension between English reserve and American enthusiasm; in “Moreish,” she addresses our snacking habits. In “Partner,” she examines marriage equality; in “Pull,” the theme is dating and sex; “Cheers” is about drinking; and “Knackered” covers how we raise our kids. The result is a cultural history in miniature and an expatriate’s survival guide. American by birth, Moore is a former book editor who specialized in spotting British books—including Eats, Shoots & Leaves—for the US market. She’s spent the last seven years living in England with her Anglo American husband and a small daughter with an English accent.  

LE # 636