Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary - Jim Rohn
Who doesn’t love a good book? Summer is the best time to take that stack of books you’ve been meaning to read and fully immerse yourself away from distractions at home and at the workplace. As the European Policy Centre winds down for the Summer holidays, we leave you with our recommended books, podcasts and TV series to while away your free time.
Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive and Chief Economist
Homelands: A Personal History of Europe by Timothy Ash
Timothy Garton Ash, often called Europe’s “historian of the present,” has spent the last fifty years deeply immersed in European affairs. In "Homelands," he takes readers on a journey through time and across the postwar continent, using his own notes from significant events to provide vivid firsthand accounts of its key figures. He revisits the locations where history unfolded, reflecting on the continent's triumphs and tragedies and their lasting impact on the present. Garton Ash presents a ground-level view of events, blending historical analysis with personal memoir.
Mihai Sebastian Chihaia, Policy Analyst for the Europe in the World programme
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Dark Matter was once a science fiction book, and now an Apple TV series adaptation has been released. For your reading and viewing pleasure, combine the two! Even though this book is science fiction, it reads like a thriller, with a fast-paced and relentless plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The action is nonstop, and the intensity continually escalates. Just when you think you have a handle on the story, unexpected twists keep you guessing.
This book is a rare gem that offers something for everyone. It blends science fiction, thriller, suspense, mystery, and romance. This book is worth picking up even if you're not typically a sci-fi reader. The concepts are accessible, making it a perfect introduction to the genre.
Kym Nelson, Editor-in-Chief
This Cultural Life on BBC Radio 4 presented by John Wilson
I’m always interested in discovering what makes people creative and what inspires them to be creative. Hence, this podcast has in-depth conversations with some of the world’s leading artists and creatives in theatre, visual arts, music, dance, and film. I have recently listened to Salman Rushdie, Michael Palin, Margaret Atwood, and Stephen Fry, who discuss their creative process.
Stolen Focus: Why We Can't Pay Attention by Johann Hari
This is a fascinating and thought-provoking book about how the digital world is stealing our focus. The author travels the world, talking to over 200 experts and scientists on how to recapture our focus and think more clearly and deeply. It's a must-read!
Tatiana Caftea, Events Executive
Stoner by John Williams
At first glance, this story seems simple with an unremarkable man. However, the author’s understanding of what it means to be human and his quiet and flawless writing make this novel unforgettable. It follows the life story of William Stoner, the son of a farmer who becomes an English literature teacher. The story follows him through his academic career, work-related rivalries, a failed marriage, an affair with a colleague and his relationship with his daughter.
On the Verge
I am a big fan of Julie Delpy and will watch anything with her. She stars in this TV series about four women in Los Angeles struggling with their relationships, family life, work, and midlife crises.
Riccardo Bosticco, Europe Political Economy’s programme
On Human Nature by Edward O. Wilson
The book has challenged conventional knowledge of the nature-nurture debate. An entomologist, Wilson shed light on the biological determination of most of our habits and social life. The book’s Darwinian revolution rested on the case of bringing biological thought to the centre of the social sciences and the humanities. Sociobiological theory, he shows, is compatible with and nourishes a just, egalitarian, and diverse society.
This book and any others by Edward O. Wilson are highly recommended for its thought-provoking content.
Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst and Deputy Head of the Europe in the World programme
I Will Show You How It Was: The Story of Wartime Kyiv by Illia Ponomarenko
This is a raw, candid account from a young Ukrainian reporter covering his country’s defiant stand against the Russian invasion. The world held its breath, expecting Ukraine to collapse under the pressure.
On the front lines in Kyiv, reporter Illia Ponomarenko observed a different story. After months—years—of anticipating this feared attack, Ukraine was ready to resist. Russian forces struggled in combat around Kyiv, facing exhaustion, logistical failures, and heavy losses. Their overconfident blitz was stumbling. "The Battle of Kyiv" is Illia Ponomarenko’s poignant memoir of the war, offering a scathing critique of the invading forces and a heartfelt look at the losses endured. It also celebrates the pride and determination of Ukrainian forces as they unite, reclaim their momentum, and drive out the invaders from Kyiv. This powerful and personal chronicle captures the resilience and courage of a nation striving for victory.
Garvan Walshe, Head of Communications
No One Dies Yet by Kobby Ben Ben
A clever and, at times, funny book.
The plot: How do you begin a murder story starring a curious foreigner and an opportunistic local without giving away the entire plot - who died and why? You start with the obvious villain.
Almut Möller, Director for European and Global Affairs and Head of programme
The Holy Alliance: Liberalism and the Politics of Federation by Isaac Nakhimovsky
The author reveals the enlightenment origins of this post-Napoleonic initiative, explaining why it was embraced at first by many contemporary liberals as the birth of a federal Europe and the dawning of a peaceful and prosperous age of global progress. It examines how the Holy Alliance could figure as both an idea of progress and an emblem of reaction; Nakhimovsky offers a novel vantage point on the history of federative alternatives to the nation-state. The result is a clearer understanding of the recurring appeal of such alternatives—and the reasons why the politics of federation has also come to be associated with entrenched resistance to liberalism’s emancipatory aims.
Svitlana Taran, EPC Research Fellow for the Europe in the World programme
The Art of Ukraine (World of Art) by Alisa Lozhkina
This book is an in-depth overview of Ukrainian art from the dawn of modernism in the late nineteenth century until the outbreak of the Russian invasion in February 2022. This volume looks at Ukrainian artists and their art and movements from modernism to the 1900s to the Soviet age and post-soviet Putinist times. It dives into historical and political contexts, their contributions, and the emphasis on Ukrainian culture and identities. Each chapter includes rich illustrations and insights.
In times of war and attack on Ukraine’s cultural identity, Lozhkina pinpoints the importance of Ukrainian art traditions and movements.