Nonfiction Round-Up (3/20/19)

Crazy ideas, literary criticism, political corruption, and a beautiful island…welcome to Nonfiction Wednesday!

LOONSHOTS: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries by Safi Bahcall
“Physicist and biotechnology entrepreneur Bahcall examines how companies, and even countries, can encourage ‘loonshots,’ which he defines as crazy ideas that are panned by critics but can become wild successes if nurtured…. This thorough, fascinating study will appeal to a broader audience than just business wonks.”–Booklist

FAR COUNTRY: Scenes from American Culture by Franco Moretti
“‘Short in pages, and compressed in style,’ according to the author, this smart collection from Moretti…takes five introductory lectures on literary history out of the classroom…. Learned without being difficult or jargony, Moretti proves that criticism can be both thought provoking and fun.”–Publishers Weekly

KUSHNER, INC: Greed. Ambition. Corruption. The Extraordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump by Vicky Ward
“The Trump administration’s premier power couple is a study in arrogance, incompetence, and corruption in this caustic exposé…. Ward offers a useful, though dispiriting, guide to the ascendance of private business over the public interest in the Trump administration.”–Publishers Weekly

PAGAN LIGHT: Dreams of Freedom and Beauty in Capri by Jamie James
“Part travelogue, part history, and part literary analysis, this book pleasantly meanders through the lives of foreigners who have, over the centuries, decamped to the little island of Capri to find sexual and artistic freedom…. A colorful, captivating literary companion for those visiting the island and a peek into the lives of some figures largely faded from history.”–Kirkus Reviews