As part of my role as a teacher in a sixth-form college for gifted students, I have the option of requesting books be bought for the library. I do also talk about EA with interested students, but am primarily interested here in books that people feel might inspire students who haven't otherwise engaged with effective altruism. As well as obtaining recommended books for my own school's library, I am exploring the possibility of donating highly recommended books to the libraries of other very high performing sixth forms, several of which I already have connections with, and several others I could easily make.
The school already has copies of the 80,000 hours career guide, The Life You Can Save, and Superintelligence, though I am still interested in comments (positive or not) on these. The more details you can add about why you've recommended (or not) a book, the better.
I recommend the book Hunger and Public Action. It has one of the best explanations on how nations change and improve the quality of life of their citizens. It discusses famine, and deaths in the statistical sense (not graphical), so please read it before giving it to kids. It also discusses how countries have done better or worse and hence has lessons on what policies are good or bad. One of the most important books to read for EA (if not kids).
Hi Alex, The book Hunger and Public Action is now available online, under a CC license
Full book PDF http://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/academic/pdf/openaccess/9780198283652.pdf Online https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/0198283652.001.0001/acprof-9780198283652
The entire book is interesting for me particularly interesting are the contrasts between China and India https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/0198283652.001.0001/acprof-9780198283652-chapter-11