YouTube University has taught legions of people how to crochet a cat, make a sourdough starter, play “Octopus’s Garden” on the ukulele, plant blueberry bushes, and avoid offending Parisians, but no 13-minute video can compete with the debut work of authors who have been mulling over their material, perfecting their craft, and writing, rewriting, and editing book-length testimonies to their areas of expertise.
Born and raised in scorching Ahmedabad, India, where highs have reached more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, author and architect Kalpana Sutaria is well positioned to advise on green building. Sutaria immigrated to the U.S. in 1976 to study architecture at the University of Texas at Austin and has since worked at Austin’s Public Works and Transportation Department and collaborated with politicians and leaders as a member of both the United States Green Building Council and the American Institute of Architects. Her debut, Cooling Our Environment, illustrated with photos, charts, and blueprints, demonstrates how climate-friendly architecture can reduce structures’ carbon loads. Drawing from both Indian and American architectural advancements, Sutaria shows the many potential big wins of green design (e.g., when greenhouse gases decrease, public health improves). Our reviewer notes, “Sutaria writes with the forceful compassion of a true believer, bluntly telling her readers that we can’t just air-condition our way out of the climate crisis—we must adapt, not only with green initiatives but also with architecture that’s less wasteful.”
A good negotiation has its own dramatic arc. It’s also something we do every day, whether we like it or not. Geoffrey Michael, a lifelong negotiator with a background in personal finance, investing, economics, marketing, and aviation, teaches readers to understand, if not enjoy, the negotiation process in his nonfiction debut. If They Won’t Bend, Break Them!® covers the gamut, from buying a boat or a Fortune 500 company to compromising with spouses and kids. Agreeing on terms, or tipping those terms to one’s favor, is more complicated than it appears. Michael says, “While most negotiating strategies seem like common sense, it’s relatively easy for people to get caught up in the moment’s emotions and ignore their basic instincts.” If They Won’t Bend abounds in well-considered tips based on experienced deal-making (“It’s your responsibility to ensure the other party understands the basis for your position and your evaluation of theirs”) that can only enhance readers’ ability to make their case.
Power to the Partners by Maraam A. Dwidar is a smart book on a topic we haven’t often seen: building coalitions among social justice organizations. Once it’s up and running, an advocacy group can greatly benefit from sharing resources and perspectives with similar organizations. Dwidar, an assistant professor of government at Georgetown University, examines the structures of intersectional advocacy and outlines the pros (resilience) and cons (infighting) of advocacy groups banding together. Our reviewer calls Dwidar’s debut a “well-researched and insightful guide to building long-lasting coalitions” and highlights Dwidar’s informed take on intersectional advocacy. As the author warns, “research shows that coalition-building, while effective, isn’t the only key to long-term success, as the coalitions themselves, and not just their constituent groups, must have clearly demarcated structures.”
Chaya Schechner is the president of Kirkus Indie.
