How to choose books to read

While chatting with my colleagues, I realize that I am so ignorant of how nature, the world, and this society work.  I am stressed to read good books to catch up with my intelligent colleagues as soon as possible.  So, I established my own shortcut to select approprite books.  First, read books awarded.  I am going to keep updating a list of book awards.  But, I am not going to read books awarded in Nobel Prize for Literature; the books have been unreadable.  Second, utilize experts' shelves or recommendations.


Pulitzer Prizes

I am not interested in fiction.  Skip the fiction section and take a look at the general non-fiction section.  We can see not only prize winners but also final lists. 

http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/General-Nonfiction

Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year

This award seems to be made in 2007.  As you guess, most books awarded are finance books that are boring and full of numbers.

http://www.ft.com/intl/indepth/business-book-award-2012


Newbery Medal and Honor Books

This award is given to authors who contributed to children's books.  Now, I can buy some good books for my kids other than Magic Tree House series and Lord of the Rings.

http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal


Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books

This award is given to authors wrote science books for a non-specialist audience like me.  We can see that books written by Jared Diamond have been awarded twice.

http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/


25 Popular Science Books that have changed the world: New Scientist

Recently magazine New Scientist sorted out 25 popular science books that has changed the world.  Some books are familiar to me.  But, I have never heard most of them.  I believe that this short list plays a important role in selecting readable science books for laypersons.

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2012/08/what-popular-science-books-changed-the-world.html


Arthur Ross Book Award

This book award is given to books regarding international relations.

http://www.cfr.org/about/arthur_ross-winners.html