Noteworthy Book Releases for the Week of January 23

How do quiet people influence history and technology? What book is off the shelves due to an error? And what would a more modern Jane Eyre look like?

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

[Crown]

As any old person will tell you, people nowadays are too loud, too rude, and too egotistical… Unlike in their time, when peace ruled over the land… Not. While the age-old “kids today” angle of this book is a bit eye-roll inducing, author Susan Cain makes a point to not only survey historical introverts, but proves how an environment (any environment—modern or ancient) that sidelines the quiet and creative is hurting the culture at large. There was a fantastic recent article in New York magazine on the discrimination against Asians in the workplace because of their culture. Their nose-to-the-grindstone, work hard and stay quiet attitude often leaves them unfairly overlooked for raises and promotions. While we’re not sure if Quiet delves into the discrimination people from “introverted” or introverted-seeming cultures face, it does provide inspirational stories of quiet people who succeeded in a loud world.

City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas by Roger Crowley

[Random House]

Sounds like a great book from the title, doesn’t it? Maritime and economics history coiled into one to explain how the modern Western world was formed. Except, from Amazon: “Due to a manufacturing error by the Publisher, this title has been recalled. We’re working to restore availability of defect-free copies for our customers as quickly as possible.” Ouch. While this book came out this week, we recommend you wait a little while before picking up a copy.

The Flight of Gemma Hardy: A Novel by Margot Livesey

[Harper]

Poor Gemma Hardy, she’s just a little girl who must endure a series of hardships before she even hits puberty. From the death of her father, to the death of her guardian, to a mean aunt and attending a private school that treats her like a maid, she finally finds some stability in an au pair job. Her employer, Mr. Sinclair, is a mysterious man who intrigues Gemma, but nothing in her life is easy and neither is this romance. The Flight takes place in 1950s and 60s Scotland and Iceland.

All In: The Education of General David Petraeus by Paula Broadwell, Vernon Loeb

[Penguin Press HC]

General David Petraeus is the top military brass in our war in Afghanistan. Authors Paula Broadwell, who has two decades of work in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency, and Vernon Loeb, editor at the Washington Post and once embedded journalist with a division under Petraeus’ command, look into his military training and education to understand the moves he’s made in this unconventional war. Broadwell and Loeb interviewed the man himself and his top officers and soldiers to gain an intimate view of Petraeus.

Inside Apple: How America’s Most Admired – and Secretive – Company Really Works by Adam Lashinsky

[Business Plus]

The recent success of a company like Apple has left many baffled—it was only 20 years ago that Apple was a second tier company producing uggo computers. Now it’s on the forefront of personal technology and design. Author Adam Lashinsky, a senior editor at Fortune magazine, takes readers inside the inner workings of the Apple corporate machine to see what it is, exactly, that sets them apart and catapults them above and beyond the competition. Lashinsky looks to the future, as well, seeing how the company is functioning and changing after the death of its co-founder Steve Jobs. This makes a great follow-up book to Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography.

This article was originally published on AllMediaNY.com