Top 10 Books Young Cultural Innovators Are Reading Right Now

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Nov 17, 2015
by Heather Jaber and Ana Alania
Top 10 Books Young Cultural Innovators Are Reading Right Now

Deciding on what book to read next? Fellows from the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators share their recommendations 

Recommended books from YCI fellows

Soledad Brother by George Jackson — Rasheida Adrianus

 "Most of the books I am reading at the moment and have been reading are related to Black history and racism…I started reading this book because of the #Blacklivesmatter movement. I've been following this movement for a while, and talked about this with my mom, and she gave me the book. It's a very old edition, from the seventies. And it's really interesting to read George Jackson's perspective on racism towards Black men, because it is still very relevant today in the US. The things he touches on in his letters are still present in todays world, even though it has been so long ago."

The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond — Kiron Neale

 "Though the book has a very evolutionary and anthropological outlook on humanity and our ancestors, the interaction between and across our histories presents a very nice illustration of how cultures and innovations of different forms have been engaged with."

Momo by Michael Ende — Paz Begue

"This is definitely a recommended book to read at any age, especially [now]. Time has always been a topic I've been interested in, and I recommend this delicious book for kids and adults, which builds awareness with fun and enjoyable stories and imagines about values, time, and our societies nowadays."

Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, & Power by Psyche Williams-Forson — Rebecca Chan

"I love reading about food and its links to culture throughout history, and so far this book has covered every thing from interviews with Chris Rock to Kara Walker's art."

High Price: Drugs, Neuroscience and Discovering Myself by Dr. Carl Hart — David Fakunle

 "I like this book because it looks intensely at the idea that drugs are not the cause of society's problems, but rather a symptom of it. Additionally I like the autobiographical nature, as it is a story of a man who did not let his circumstances define him, but rather used those circumstances as a platform to promote change and reform."

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson — Rachel Woodlee

"It is a fictionalized account of life in North Korea, and I absolutely loved it (and think some people who attended would find it interesting as well)."

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray — Saule Meirmanova

"It's a good reflection on modern consumer society in Kazakhstan. I found it interesting in terms of values forgotten in our society and a satire on modern relationships within our societies. The best lessons are coming from the past."

SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed by Martin Nowak — Thomas Layer-Wagner

"So far it is a really interesting read. Cooperation is such an important issue and this book gives some interesting insights from evolution and game theory."

El Manantial by Ayn Rand — Josefina Goni

 "It is a guide, a way of thinking about life. An example of that can do things constructively. I like to think we can live well, walking always straight, individual integrity and build a more egalitarian society."

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami — Shinji Sudo

"In order to consider the plight of my own heart, the way of the human consciousness, I have re-read it many times."


The Salzburg Global program is part of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators. The list of our partners for Session 554 can be found here. For more information, please visit: www.salzburgglobal.org/go/554