Human Raised by Dana Suskind

HUMAN RAISED by Dana Suskind should be on your reading list. It is on several others, including an appearance as the notable non-fiction choice on the LibraryReads July 2026 selections and on the Next Big Idea Club’s summary of July 2026 Must Read Books. Suskind, an MD who writes extensively and is a professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Chicago, focuses this new book on “Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, & Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI.” In chapters with titles like “The Human Edge,” “How Parents Build a Child’s Brain,” or “Robots in the Classroom,” she makes several very compelling and interesting arguments. For example, Suskind writes, “I believe that the relationship between child development and artificial intelligence is one of the most critical and overlooked challenges of our time, one that has the potential to transform childhood, family structures, and ultimately nothing less than our future as a species. And it's up to us as parents and caregivers to decide how these intelligent tools will shape our children's lives.” I found her sharing of Hinton’s comments on embedding maternal instincts in AI models to be quite thought-provoking. And, like many of us, she expressed  concerns about the pervasiveness of AI, asking, “Will a primarily or entirely human-raised childhood be a luxury experience, like a farm-raised diet?” Parents, grandparents, caregivers and educators will find much to consider and discuss in HUMAN RAISED. This book is not anti-technology; rather Suskind is encouraging us to act and to shape the future; she eloquently points out, “In Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, … the birds that no longer sang weren't the tragedy. They were …. a warning that something essential was dying. I hear a similar warning now in a different kind of silence: the eerie, algorithm-induced quiet of children transfixed by technology.” Suskind stresses four guiding principles (HOPE) for raising children alongside AI:  Human connection is irreplaceable; Own your imperfections; Protect the early years; and Enhance—don’t replace—connection. Highly recommended.

Dad Brain by Darby Saxbe

DAD BRAIN by Darby Saxbe describes “The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men's Lives.” Saxbe, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, splits her book into two sections: the Science of Fatherhood and the Practice of Fatherhood. It’s truly interesting to realize that Saxbe is “one of the only researchers in the world to have collected longitudinal neuroimaging research on men as they become fathers,” due in large part to the limited research on men as parents. Still, she points out how fatherhood can benefit society, partners, children, and the men themselves, thanks especially to greater social connection and opportunities for improved mental health. Frequently showcasing a collection of related facts, Saxbe points, for example, to research that shows younger-looking brains for both fathers and mothers and describes some theories as to why this greater cognitive functioning occurs. She offers suggestions for several areas of additional research, and I look forward to seeing more from her. An Appendix with suggested resources, plus an Index and Notes comprise close to twenty percent of the text. 

Read an excellent overview of Saxbe’s thinking in her recent opinion piece at The New York Times: “Ultimately, the traits of a good dad are also the traits of a good man: strength coupled with a willingness to look out for the young and vulnerable, to teach but also listen, to lead by example, to tackle daunting challenges and to persevere with grit.” Happy Father's Day to all!!

The Invincible Brain by Majid Fotuhi

THE INVINCIBLE BRAIN by Majid Fotuhi offers “The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life.” Booklist describes this text as “informative, practical, and inspiring.” The conversational tone, clear outline, and customization certainly contribute to that perception. A widely published and interviewed researcher, Fotuhi is an adjunct professor of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins’s Mind/Brain Institute, an adjunct professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at George Washington University, and the medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center. He writes repeatedly and clearly about the five pillars of brain health (Fitness, Sleep, Diet, Mindset, and Training) and how to measure and increase them in a systematic way, encouraging his readers to focus on the area(s) where they want or need the most improvement. In order to get a benchmark assessment of brain function, Fotuhi provides direction on creating a brain portfolio and lists forty questions dealing with physical conditions, health habits, and socializing that “will bring to your attention things you may not have thought about, or help you realize there are things you have been tolerating that you could do something about.” He then suggests resources and weekly interventions which can change over the course of his twelve-week program. THE INVINCIBLE BRAIN has also been praised by fellow doctors/writers like  Sanjay Gupta, David Perlmutter, and John Ratey (Spark). Have a look.

I Heard There Was a Secret Chord by Daniel J. Levitin

I HEARD THERE WAS A SECRET CHORD by Daniel J. Levitin (This is Your Brain on Music) is listed as Notable Non-Fiction in the August LibraryReads selections. It is a very well-written and accessible book which explores the idea of “Music as Medicine.” Levitin, a neuroscientist, musician, and best-selling author, splits the text into sixteen chapters dealing with topics like music memory, attention, mental health, pain, and trauma. He offers, for example, an entire chapter which discusses Parkinson’s disease, describing it as primarily a movement disorder, and points out how sometimes the tempo of music can be a help. Another chapter is titled Music in Everyday Life where Levitin explores concepts like the benefits of having music playing at home on a regular basis versus the potential distraction effect of having music playing in a workplace. There, he notes, “the optimal use of music is to step back from your work, close your eyes, and listen to music before going back to work.” What is another fun application of music he suggests? As an icebreaker before a meeting or class – I have used this technique, and it definitely works. There is much to learn about music therapy, memory stimulation (watch the smiles music evokes at an assisted living facility), or recent laboratory research. Levitin shares it all and includes an Appendix about Types of Music Therapy, plus a Glossary, and a Notes/reference section which together comprise about twenty percent of the text. I HEARD THERE WAS A SECRET CHORD received a starred review from Kirkus (“Levitin’s story is a fascinating piece of work, written with authority, empathy, and occasional humor.”). A few related texts are reviewed here. For a sample of Levitin’s writing, please see his recent opinion piece in The Washington Post, titled “A playlist for peace talks.”

What's Next Is Now by Frederik Pferdt

WHAT'S NEXT IS NOW by Frederik Pferdt, Google’s first Chief Innovation Evangelist, describes “How to Live Future Ready.” Pferdt, who taught at Stanford for a decade, outlines five key points: make your future happen; your mindset is critical; learn to expect the unexpected; pursue better (progress, not perfection); and check in with yourself regularly (i.e, what future do I want to create?).  After briefly introducing about a dozen “future ready” people (mostly colleagues from Google), Pferdt stresses values like optimism, openness, curiosity, experimentation, and empathy and offers exercises to practice and develop those habits. His “work is entirely focused on the future -- how to see potential and solve challenges in situations we haven't yet encountered.” This is an inspirational text and might make more sense to read as a team, reinforcing each other and re-emphasizing the hard work of shifting mindsets so as to adhere to the “belief that change is constructive, not a threat.” What fun, for example, to explore and play together with Google’s Arts and Culture resources. WHAT'S NEXT IS NOW is a 2024 Next Big Idea Club selection.  Pferdt’s emphasis on “future ready” made me think about the ALA program with that title from a few years ago.

Ageless Aging by Maddy Dychtwald

AGELESS AGING by Maddy Dychtwald and Kate Hanley is from the Mayo Clinic and it focuses on being “A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan.” Dychtwald has been writing about age/aging with a particular focus on women for over a decade. She has really gathered key points in one place and offers practical advice in a friendly, conversational tone. She writes, “In each chapter, I've included practical tips, techniques, and hacks that I've categorized according to your level of experience…. [even including] an ‘if you do one thing’ tactic so that you'll know the simplest and most impactful step to get you started.” Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, the Kindle version of this preview was so badly formatted that it was impossible to complete her suggested assignments (like checking off current practice of age accelerants or decelerants  or highlighting changes a reader wants to make). Dychtwald begins by noting differences between chronological aging, psychological aging, and physical aging. Her subsequent suggestions are intended to help battle what she calls the intention/action gap and could be quite useful and motivating to readers. Between five and ten percent of the book is devoted to notes and helpful bibliographic references. Dychtwald says, “Let joy lead the way!” and I do think this could make a wonderful gift, but I would like to see a better formatted print version first.  

Another reviewer has suggested Outlive by Peter Attia which is an Economist and Bloomberg Best Book Of The Year. It is also more readily available through public libraries and bookstores so I will be looking into that title, too. Attia has serves on the editorial board of the journal Aging and is host of The Drive, a popular podcast covering the topics of health, medicine, and longevity.

The Weight of Nature by Clayton Page Aldern

Since it is Earth Day it seemed appropriate to look at a couple of new climate related texts:

THE WEIGHT OF NATURE by Clayton Page Aldern is subtitled “How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains.” Aldern, a neuroscientist turned award-winning environmental journalist, looks at both the emotional and physical impacts on people from changes in nature. For example, he discusses PTSD triggered by more wildfires or the increased range for bats and mosquitoes (and the diseases they spread like rabies or Zika) due to higher temperatures. In addition to infection or trauma, the text explores memory, cognition, and behavior. Aldern stresses that hotter temperatures lead to more aggressiveness and make it harder to concentrate and focus. Other chapters which look at pain, sensing, and language are where he notes that “a changing climate also threatens our ability to notice some of the signals most relevant to our survival.” He describes examples of how water temperature and ocean acidification can impact crustacean olfactory systems or how pesticides “impair the homing abilities of honeybees.” Just reflect on the trees and plants in your neighborhood and how they seemed “confused” about when to bud or when to drop leaves, especially after periods of unusual cold or warmth or record-setting precipitation. Aldern documents his years of research in a section titled Notes and Further Reading which comprises roughly twenty percent of the text. Somewhat rambling in places, THE WEIGHT OF NATURE received a starred review from Kirkus (“a unique—and uniquely disturbing—addition to the literature”). 

BEFORE IT’S GONE by Jonathan Vigliotti, national correspondent for CBS News, is subtitled “Stories from the Front Lines of Climate Change in Small-Town America.” And Vigliotti does indeed write movingly about the devastation due to wildfire (and human errors) at Lahaina, Hawaii. In another section, he writes rather humorously about the “kamikaze iguanas” who in cold temperatures fall out of trees in South Florida. In short, this book is geographically and thematically all over the place. His preface (about Hawaii) and prologue (about climate change in Syria) raise some of his concerns but don’t really provide any guideposts for his readers. Then, BEFORE IT’S GONE is divided into four sections: Fire, Water, Air and Earth, although Vigliotti readily admits that “most if not all environmental disasters are fueled by more than just one element.” Yes, he introduces readers to local activists – one especially poignant section is about the increased suicide rate for farmers in Minnesota – but he does not clearly lay out a coherent argument, seemingly presenting more sensationalized (including some unnecessarily vulgar language) tales. His statistics are supported in a Notes section that is about fifteen pages. This is a widespread (“in 2021, 14.5 million American homes were affected by environmental disasters that figure works out to one in 10 homes in the country”) and expensive (“according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), between 2020 and 2023 the United States was hammered by more than eighty billion-dollar environmental disasters that destabilized highly developed communities”) issue. Perhaps attempting to personalize these trends will prompt action, but this text felt too disjointed and not focused enough on the small-town America referenced in its subtitle.