Two books, one upcoming, and one recent, newly on my reading list:

1. Speed: How It Explains the World, by Vaclav Smil https://www.amazon.com/Speed-Explains-World-Vaclav-Smil-ebook/dp/B0DVGSKNR5

How the relentless pursuit of speed shapes technological landscape and social & environmental realities

2. The Land Trap, by Mike Bird
https://www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-History-Worlds-Oldest-ebook/dp/B0DW27PFL4

The role of land, through history, in making the rich richer and the poor poorer.