Reading is one of the best activities you can do to keep your mind active and engaged. Studies show that reading fiction may make people more empathetic. To be fair, it’s possible that empathetic people may be more inclined to read fiction.

What do you like to read? Several studies indicate men and women read and enjoy all genres, but men tend to favor non-fiction works such as biographies, histories, political works, and books about philosophy or business. Men also enjoy the classics, comics, graphic novels, science fiction, horror, and  fantasy.

There’s a gender gap when it comes to reading books, women are more likely to read them than men. This doesn’t mean men don’t read. They read magazines and newspapers often on their phones or laptops. Many read copious memos, emails, and tech manuals for work. My father didn’t read books, but he always read the evening paper.

In our non-stop society, it may seem wasteful to stop and read a book when we could be working, exercising, playing sports or video games, or hanging out with friends. All those activities are important, but it’s time to make reading important again. Give yourself permission to take 30-60 minutes out of your day to read a book on any subject. If it takes weeks to finish the book, that’s okay. When you go for a walk or a run, listen to an Audiobook. Your mind will thank you.

Here is our list of recommended books for November 2024. Take your time and enjoy  The first five books are by Indigenous authors and poets. Enjoy!

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Last Jr. – Many groups of Indigenous people believe whistling at night can summon evil spirits or bring bad luck. This collection of stories from Indigenous authors provides a unique look at superstitions and myths passed down in different cultures.

An American Sunrise: Poems by Joy Harjo – Harjo is the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States. She weaves tribal histories with experiences from her life to create moving poetry.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer – Kimmererer is a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. As an Indigenous scientist, she believes plants and animals are our oldest teachers. Before we can truly become ecologically conscious, we must understand and respect the contributions and importance of all lifeforms to our ecosystem.

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (ReVisioning History) by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz -  This is a history of the United States told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples. It reveals the centuries of struggles by Native Americans to keep their lands, cultures, and identities. It’s a shameful part of U.S. history seldom acknowledged in history books.

The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman with Beth Dooley – Sherman is an Oglala Lakota chef. He uses indigenous American fruits and vegetables, game, and fish that are wild and foraged in his recipes. He does not use wheat flour, dairy products, sugar or domestic pork and beef. It’s a fascinating and delicious look at how Indigenous people ate before the arrival of Europeans.

The Answer is… Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek – Television icon and long-time Jeopardy host Alex Trebek resisted writing his memoirs for over thirty years. His adoring fans kept asking and this book was published in 2020 Trebek shares his thoughts about love, marriage, parenthood, education, spirituality, philanthropy, and  success.

The Republic by Plato -  It’s always good to read and reread the classics. This philosophical masterwork explores the nature of justice, ethics, and governance. Sometimes it’s important to go back to the beginning to see where we should be headed.

The Umbrella Academy  by Gerard Way – Now available in a boxed set, so you can read the graphic novels that inspired the popular Netflix series of the same name. If you watch the show, read the graphic novels, and compare the changes made to the series. Which do you like better?

Legends and Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes by Travis Baldree – Baldree is a game designer, narrator, and author. Viv, is ready to hang up her sword after a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, but can an Orc open a successful coffee shop in the city of Thune where no one has ever heard of coffee? It’s an intriguing premise, and I want to know more. What about you?

Civilizations of the Ancient World: A Global Study by Tony Valerino – If you are ready to enjoy history again, this is the book for you. Starting with the first hunter gatherers and ending with the influences of Islam on the established civilizations of the ancient world, Valerino combines, facts, myths, interesting, and often amusing historical anecdotes to tell the stories of the ancient civilizations we thought we knew.