Factfulness presents data about the health, economic condition, and safety of the world today and how all those and other features have improved significantly. Most people are misinformed about the world situation, and most people believe that the world is in much worse shape than actual data about the world reveals. If you do not have time to finish the whole book, no worries, just watch some of Rosling’s TED talks.

Disability Visibility is a compelling anthology of diverse personal stories written by persons with a disability. The stories cover a range of topics and perspectives on the disability experience and challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions often associated with disability. Having worked in the field of disability for many years with persons with disability at UT, in the community, and in the criminal justice system, I will relate my experiences with the personal narratives provided in Wong’s book.

How much are your memories worth on the open market and can they save someone you care about? What form will discrimination take in our dystopian future? How should the unscrupulous owner of a rundown amusement park handle a vandalism problem? These are just some of the topics that George Saunders explores in this stunning and original short fiction collection.

The professor will be bringing his dog to this session for a demonstration of the 100 words he knows! In terms of the book: Chaser has fascinated dog lovers and scientists alike. Her story reveals the potential for extending dialogue with dogs well beyond “fetch.”

Based on 30 years of experience in public relations and crafting crisis communication strategies, Jeff Hahn presents a survival guide for brands facing emergencies. Hahn brings his experience in navigating both the events and people involved in effectively, plus quickly, responding to unexpected disasters. Hahn provides entertaining and informative reading positing a proven set of tools for developing communication plans for providing a life boat when a brand’s reputation is at stake.

During the height of the Great Depression, nine working-class college students on the University of Washington varsity crew team set off to do the impossible: defeat the German rowing team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It’s one of those stories that I intentionally slowed my reading pace to savor every minute of it! (And, if you aren’t knowledgeable about rowing, that’s OK. But, I was surprised to find a new interest in the sport after reading this.) It is a compelling account of how these all-American underdogs beat the odds and found hope in the most desperate of times.

How would people react if everyone went blind almost simultaneously? What would these reactions tell us about the human spirit? About our strengths and weaknesses of character? A Nobel Prize-winning author, Portugal’s José Saramago explores these issues in Blindness.

This best-selling memoir depicts a family’s experience with addiction and covers a substantial portion of the author’s son Nic’s life and the struggles to live with, help, and understand the person with a substance use disorder. This book was #1 on New York Times best seller list, Entertainment Weekly named it the #1 Best Nonfiction Book the year it was published, Amazon named it “Best Book” in 2008, and it won the Barnes and Noble “Discover Great New Writers Award” for nonfiction as well. 

As a changing climate threatens the whole country with deeper droughts and more furious floods that put ever more people and property at risk, Texas has become a bellwether state for water debates. Will there be enough water for everyone? Is there the will to take the steps necessary to defend ourselves against the sea? Is it in the nature of Americans to adapt to nature in flux?

Join the legions of poets, scientists, politicians, and others who have learned to think at the invitation of James Webb Young’s A Technique for Producing Ideas. This brief but powerful book guides you through the process of innovation and learning in a way that makes creativity accessible to anyone willing to work for it. While the author’s background is in advertising, his ideas apply in every facet of life and are increasingly relevant in the world’s knowledge-based economy.