Run the World

Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe
by Becky Wade
Published: August 2016

Rice grad Becky Wade takes the year after college to explore and learn from running cultures around the globe. Making pit stops in England, Ethiopia, Australia, Japan (among others) she becomes fully immersed in a variety of running communities and brings the reader along for the ride. I especially loved the tidbits of history that litter each new adventure: this book is as informative about the global histories of running as a sport as it is about different methods and strategies for training.

5 out of 5 stars: Really fun read. Even though I will never be an elite athlete, it still offers inspiration for setting goals and bettering oneself with exercise.

Elon Musk: Inventing the Future

Elon Musk: Inventing the Future 
by Ashlee Vance
Published: March 2015

This biography is an easily digestible page-turner covering everything from Musk's family history to present day* in excruciating detail: a wide ride of childhood torment, risky start ups, celestial highs and inches-away-from-bankruptcy lows. Elon Musk is truly larger than life and his optimism is infectious. Yet somehow the enormity of his accomplishments --manufacturing electric cars, building rockets from scratch, or funding accessible solar energy -- are still just steps along his true calling of paving the way for humans to colonize Mars.
*epilogue was updated Jan2017

5 out of 5 stars: I for one, welcome our new SpaceX/Tesla/SolarCity overlords.

The Hidden Life of Trees

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate
by Peter Wohlleben, Translated by Jane Billinghurst

Very informative read that shows but a sampling of what humans understand about tree biology. More than just a backdrop to animal activities, trees communicate, form social connections, have memories, exhibit violence and adaptability. The book is organized into pockets of knowledge, with each bite-sized chapter exploring one topic or species.

3.5 out of 5 stars: Wohlleben's friendly, easy-going voice makes it feel more like a child's book of short stories than a textbook: caveat emptor.

The Man Who Planted Trees

The Man Who Planted Trees: A Story of Lost Groves, the Science of Trees, and a Plan to Save the Planet
by Jim Robbins
Published: March 2015

Immensely powerful read, spanning the realms of science, spirituality and history. This book follows one man's journey to save the environment while seamlessly expanding into a textbook overview of various tree species, from their symbiotic micro environments to their contributions to the global community.

5 out of 5 stars:  An easy informative read, but not without a sense of urgency: a call to action.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
by Haruki Murakami, translated by Philip Gabriel
Published: August 2009

Interesting to hear Murakami's voice in a nonfiction, autobiography setting. While nonrunners can still appreciate this collection of anecdotes and musings, they will definitely strike a much more resonant chord with those people who are constantly pushing their bodies limits in a repetitive, mechanical way. Or people who have ever tried to write a novel.

4 out of 5 stars: Autobiographies do a great deal to humanize our idols.