By Liza Monroy | Jan 22, 2021 50 Things to Do at the Beach Easkey Britton, illus. by Maria Nilsson. Princeton Architectural Press, May. Big-wave surfer Britton, who has a PhD in environment and society, offers a concise, illustrated primer based on years of research and activism: she rides a surfboard made from cigarette butts to raise awareness about environmental conservation, and is the first woman known to have surfed Iran’s Baluchistan Coast. See our q&a with Easkey, “Reading the Sea.” The Three-Minute Philosopher Midal, whose books include The French Art of Not Giving a Sh*t, is a philosopher who lectures frequently on meditation and mindfulness. Here, he distills inspiration from 40 writers and thinkers including James Baldwin, Charles Baudelaire, and Simone de Beauvoir. Each essay can be read in three minutes, serving up deep thoughts on a fast-food timeline.