What We Are Reading Today: African Democracy and Development

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Updated 02 August 2022
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What We Are Reading Today: African Democracy and Development

Authors: Cassandra R. Veney and Dick Simpson

Various African nations have undergone conflict situations since they gained their independence. This book focuses on particular countries that have faced conflict (civil wars and genocide) and are now in the process of rebuilding their political, economic, social, and educational institutions.

The countries that are addressed in the book include: Rwanda, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In addition, there is a chapter that addresses the role of the African Diaspora in conflict and post-conflict countries that include Eritrea, Liberia, and Somalia. The book includes an examination of the various actors who are involved in post-conflict rebuilding and reconstruction that involves internal and external participants. For example, it is clear that the internal actors involve Africans themselves as ordinary citizens, members of local and national governments, and members of non-governmental organizations. This allows the reader to understand the agency and empowerment of Africans in post-conflict reconstruction, according to a review on goodreads.com.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Knowledge Lost’

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Updated 19 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Knowledge Lost’

Author: MARTIN MULSOW

Until now the history of knowledge has largely been about formal and documented accumulation, concentrating on systems, collections, academies, and institutions.

The central narrative has been one of advancement, refinement, and expansion. Martin Mulsow tells a different story.

Knowledge can be lost; manuscripts are burned, oral learning dies with its bearers, new ideas are suppressed by censors. “Knowledge Lost” is a history of efforts, from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, to counter such loss.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Birds of Belize’

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Updated 18 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Birds of Belize’

  • “Birds of Belize” is the essential illustrated pocket guide to this birder’s paradise

Authors: STEVE N. G. HOWELL AND DALE DYER

Belize is one of the world’s premier birding destinations, home to a marvelous array of tropical birds and beautiful habitats ranging from verdant rain forests and extensive wetlands to rolling pine savannas and the country’s famed barrier reef. 

“Birds of Belize” is the essential illustrated pocket guide to this birder’s paradise. 

It covers all regularly occurring bird species found in the region and features facing-page plates and text that make field identification easy.

 


What We Are Reading Today: Wasps of the World

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Updated 17 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Wasps of the World

  • “Wasps of the World” provides a breathtaking look at the diverse characteristics, habitats, and lifestyles of these extraordinary insects

Authors: SIMON VAN NOORT AND GAVIN BROAD  

Wasps have been around since before the dinosaurs and are one of the world’s largest insect groups. 

More than 150,000 species have been identified, and while the black-and-yellow insect with a cinched waist may be the most familiar, most wasps are 
tiny parasitoids that use other insects for food. 

“Wasps of the World” provides a breathtaking look at the diverse characteristics, habitats, and lifestyles of these extraordinary insects.

 


What We Are Reading Today: LatinoLand by Marie Arana

Updated 17 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: LatinoLand by Marie Arana

“LatinoLand,” by Marie Arana, explores the diverse politics and historical roots of Hispanic Americans.

It is a compelling and insightful exploration into the diverse tapestry of Latino culture in the US. 

Arana, with her profound understanding and personal connection to the Latino experience, crafts a narrative that is both illuminative and deeply resonant, according to a review on goodreads.com

The book is not just a mere compilation of statistics and historical facts; it’s a vibrant journey through the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the Latino community.

Arana draws on her own experience as the daughter of an American mother and Peruvian father who came to the US at age nine, straddling two worlds, as many Latinos do. 

She delves into the socio-political challenges facing Latino Americans, from immigration policies to economic disparities, without losing sight of the individual stories that illuminate these issues. 

Arana’s work shines in its celebration of the cultural contributions of Latino Americans to the fabric of American society

The book “unabashedly celebrates Latino resilience and character and shows us why we must understand the fastest-growing minority in America.”


What We Are Reading Today: ‘How to Make a Home’

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Updated 15 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘How to Make a Home’

  • Roman authors saw infinite practical and symbolic value in houses, and they have much to say about them

Authors: Vitruvius and Guests

The idea that our homes can communicate professional as well as personal identities may seem as new as the work-from-home revolution. But it was second nature to the ancient Romans, for whom the home was in many ways the center of public and private life.

Roman authors saw infinite practical and symbolic value in houses, and they have much to say about them. “How to Make a Home” presents some of the best Roman writings on houses—from buying and selling to designing and decorating.

Edited and elegantly translated by Marden Fitzpatrick Nichols, “How to Make a Home” gathers selections by Cicero, Vitruvius, Seneca, and others, with the original Latin or Greek on facing pages.

These writings reveal the pleasures and pitfalls of the Roman practice of making one’s home a cornerstone of self-expression. While the ideal home enshrined Roman virtues and could make a career.