From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire

by Sarah Jaffe

Sarah Jaffe’s newest nonfiction argues that we are living in an era full of collective loss, and that capitalism pressures us to bear those losses alone. Jaffe insists that we can defy capitalism by grieving collectively and pursuing transformation and revolution together, making for an encouraging book for readers engaged in community organizing.   

picked by Maritza

Health and Safety: A Breakdown

by Emily Witt

How does one heal and regulate their mind amid a 21st century landscape of psychedelics, professional letdown, and social malaise? Witt looks for (and finds) answers in the NYC dance music scene—just not the ones she necessarily anticipated. The journey is a vivid portrait of the club scene that weaves deep personal reflection and deft social commentary. A great gift for the nightowl in your family or friend group.   

picked by Owen

The Message

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a brilliant communicator, and this book couldn't have arrived at a better moment. In a journey that takes him from Senegal to the South to Palestine, Coates reflects on the power—as well as the dangers—of the stories we tell, and the way we tell them.   

picked by Alex

The Ultimate Hidden Truth of the World . . .: Essays

by David Graeber

While the title might be a bit hyperbolic, it's always worth reading anything from the incredibly original mind of the late David Graeber (the author of Debt and one of the icons of the Occupy movement). These essays might genuinely spark an epiphany about how "the way it's always been" is not the same as "the way it has to be", and are sure to provide fuel for many an enriching conversation about inequality, technology, democracy, art, power, and lots more.

picked by Jessica

What If We Get It Right?:

Visions of Climate Futures

by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

As Rebecca Solnit writes, "Hope just means another world might be possible." Our brilliant Brooklyn neighbor Ayana Elizabeth Johnson has assembled a dream team of thinkers, activists and writers to imagine a world where solutions to climate change might be achieved, and to celebrate the communities that are working to achieve them. It's galvanizing reading for optimists and pessimists alike, that might help a reader find their own role in making a new world.

picked by Jessica

Newly arrived immigrants to New York City face tough challenges, especially families with children. What's one small thing we could give them that can provide entertainment, connection, tools for learning, and something to call one's own? Yep, you guessed it: it's books.

Once again this year, Greenlight is working with NYC Service to donate books to kids and families in need in New York City. This year, we're especially excited that donated books will be distributed to New York's Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs) which are serving recently arrived asylum-seeking families. We have selected titles from great authors like Margaret Wise Brown, Oge Mora, and Jason Reynolds, in age groups and categories that have specifically been requested by the HERRCs as the most needed for the kids they serve, with many titles geared toward Spanish speakers and/or English learners.

Choose any of the books on our Secret Snowflake list to donate -- maybe it's a title that resonated with you, or your own kids! -- and we'll discount it 30%, and take care of all shipping and handling. And you'll make someone's holiday season a little brighter with books. The book drive runs through November 30, so make your book donation now!