Dear Members,

I’m excited to announce the much anticipated (and briefly delayed) Dispatch Book Club is officially kicking off today. 

Although my career has been in political campaigns and the law, my reading list has not. Why did English evolve as the most diverse language on the planet, how did Andrew Johnson survive impeachment, why do humans have sex, what did Rome look like the day Caesar crossed the Rubicon—if there’s an expert who is passionate about their subject, chances are that I will be too. And, of course, I like doing multi-book deep dives once a topic has burrowed into my brain. 

Exclusively for Dispatch members, The Dispatch Book Club will feature one book each month, through the end of the year, accompanied by a community discussion and companion podcast. At the beginning of each month we’ll open a new discussion thread and at the end of that month we’ll release the members-only podcast featuring a discussion of the selection, often with the author. 

Now, to the books. Our first three months and books will explore “Thinking about Thinking.” David Eagleman will be our first guest to discuss his book:

Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain
By David Eagleman

Livewired surf’s the leading edge of neuroscience atop the anecdotes and metaphors that have made David Eagleman one of the best scientific translators of our generation, presenting new discoveries from Eagleman’s own laboratory, from synesthesia to dreaming to wearable neurotech devices that revolutionize how we think about the senses.

This month’s discussion thread can be found here: Member Discussion for Livewired  — June 2022

We’re going to learn, explore, and have a lot of fun. I’ll see you in the comments section!

The Dispatch Book Club is a new program for paid members only. Join today to participate in the book club and for full access to all of the newsletters and community features The Dispatch offers.

2022 Dispatch Book Club Schedule

June – August

THINKING ABOUT THINKING

June

Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain
By David Eagleman

Livewired surfs the leading edge of neuroscience atop the anecdotes and metaphors that have made David Eagleman one of the best scientific translators of our generation, presenting new discoveries from Eagleman’s own laboratory, from synesthesia to dreaming to wearable neurotech devices that revolutionize how we think about the senses.

July

The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain 
by Annie Murphy Paul

Where does great thinking come from? A biology and social science writer argues that the brain is only part of the answer

August

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know
by Adam Grant

An organizational psychologist coaches readers on how to better understand their unexamined beliefs while opening up to curiosity and humility

September – November

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

September

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life
By Ed Yong

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light—less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are.

October

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet
By John Green

This book reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale—from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canada geese and penguins of Madagascar.

November

Humankind: A Hopeful History
by Rutger Bregman

A Dutch historian aims to prove that human beings are, by their nature, good. Skeptics be warned, he comes with thousands of years of evidence.