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General Knowledge Books

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Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Paperback)
by (shelved 102 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.32 — 1,316,334 ratings — published 2011
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A Short History of Nearly Everything A Short History of Nearly Everything (Paperback)
by (shelved 73 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.21 — 433,379 ratings — published 2003
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Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think (Hardcover)
by (shelved 36 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.35 — 205,928 ratings — published 2018
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Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (Paperback)
by (shelved 36 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.04 — 470,111 ratings — published 1997
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The Book of General Ignorance The Book of General Ignorance (Hardcover)
by (shelved 33 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.75 — 11,305 ratings — published 2006
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A Brief History of Time A Brief History of Time (Paperback)
by (shelved 32 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.21 — 490,987 ratings — published 1988
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Outliers: The Story of Success Outliers: The Story of Success (Hardcover)
by (shelved 31 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.19 — 886,352 ratings — published 2008
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What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions (Hardcover)
by (shelved 28 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.14 — 200,202 ratings — published 2014
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Thinking, Fast and Slow Thinking, Fast and Slow (Hardcover)
by (shelved 27 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.17 — 611,472 ratings — published 2011
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Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Hardcover)
by (shelved 27 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.01 — 909,013 ratings — published 2005
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Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow (ebook)
by (shelved 23 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.18 — 294,432 ratings — published 2015
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Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics (Politics of Place, #1) Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics (Politics of Place, #1)
by (shelved 23 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.19 — 123,461 ratings — published 2015
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The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (Paperback)
by (shelved 23 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.01 — 865,615 ratings — published 2000
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Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (Paperback)
by (shelved 22 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.96 — 629,467 ratings — published 2005
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Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (Hardcover)
by (shelved 21 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.36 — 236,514 ratings — published 2017
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An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned But Probably Didn't An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned But Probably Didn't (Hardcover)
by (shelved 21 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.90 — 2,436 ratings — published 1987
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21 Lessons for the 21st Century 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (Hardcover)
by (shelved 18 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.15 — 181,478 ratings — published 2018
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The 48 Laws of Power The 48 Laws of Power (Paperback)
by (shelved 17 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.08 — 241,234 ratings — published 1999
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Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (Hardcover)
by (shelved 15 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.08 — 66,495 ratings — published 2012
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The Art of War The Art of War (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.94 — 592,649 ratings — published -500
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Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know (Hardcover)
by (shelved 14 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.00 — 343,212 ratings — published 2019
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Brief Answers to the Big Questions Brief Answers to the Big Questions (Hardcover)
by (shelved 14 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.25 — 90,701 ratings — published 2018
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Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words (Hardcover)
by (shelved 14 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.14 — 12,612 ratings — published 2015
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Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder (Hardcover)
by (shelved 14 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.10 — 59,431 ratings — published 2012
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The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable (Hardcover)
by (shelved 14 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.96 — 124,410 ratings — published 2007
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Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 13 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.31 — 1,400,759 ratings — published 2018
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Man's Search for Meaning Man's Search for Meaning (Paperback)
by (shelved 13 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.37 — 927,539 ratings — published 1946
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Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (Hardcover)
by (shelved 12 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.08 — 215,109 ratings — published 2017
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Cosmos Cosmos (Mass Market Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.40 — 162,833 ratings — published 1980
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The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined (Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.15 — 29,949 ratings — published 2010
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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (Hardcover)
by (shelved 12 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.07 — 483,871 ratings — published 2012
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Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (Incerto) Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (Incerto)
by (shelved 12 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.08 — 73,354 ratings — published 2001
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David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants (Hardcover)
by (shelved 11 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.97 — 194,058 ratings — published 2013
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The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness (Paperback)
by (shelved 10 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.27 — 356,610 ratings — published 2020
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Seven Brief Lessons on Physics Seven Brief Lessons on Physics (Hardcover)
by (shelved 10 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.98 — 69,562 ratings — published 2014
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The Selfish Gene The Selfish Gene (Paperback)
by (shelved 10 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.16 — 196,915 ratings — published 1976
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The Prince The Prince (Paperback)
by (shelved 10 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.84 — 397,700 ratings — published 1513
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The Origin of Species The Origin of Species (Hardcover)
by (shelved 10 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.01 — 124,186 ratings — published 1859
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The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (Hardcover)
by (shelved 10 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.69 — 102,774 ratings — published 2005
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Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.23 — 25,457 ratings — published 1988
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The Body: A Guide for Occupants The Body: A Guide for Occupants (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.31 — 103,919 ratings — published 2019
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Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.19 — 32,970 ratings — published 2018
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Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.13 — 83,139 ratings — published 2019
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Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.95 — 58,879 ratings — published 2016
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The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.89 — 33,712 ratings — published 2010
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How to Win Friends & Influence People How to Win Friends & Influence People (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.21 — 1,185,831 ratings — published 1936
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Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.14 — 415,591 ratings — published 2014
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Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.88 — 95,282 ratings — published 2011
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This Explains Everything: Deep, Beautiful, and Elegant Theories of How the World Works This Explains Everything: Deep, Beautiful, and Elegant Theories of How the World Works (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 3.66 — 2,860 ratings — published 2013
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The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as general-knowledge)
avg rating 4.12 — 40,419 ratings — published 2014
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Mokokoma Mokhonoana
“We ought to read mainly, not to know more, but to remind ourselves that we do not know much.”
Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Mortimer J. Adler
“No general knowledge is expressible except in abstract terms. There is nothing particularly difficult about abstractions. We use them every day of our lives and in every sort of conversation. However, the words "abstract" and "concrete" seem to trouble many persons. [How to Read a Book (1972), P. 283]”
Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren

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