All Books
A novelist embraces solitude and nature as antidotes to lossIn “Memorial Days: A Memoir,” author Geraldine Brooks carves out space to grieve – and to heal.
Forgotten Muslim builders gave medieval Europe its iconic architectureHistorian Diana Darke argues in “Islamesque” that Europe’s monuments owe a vast debt to Muslim craftsmen and designers.
How four women physicists escaped the Nazis, but lost their life’s work“Sisters in Science” tells of the rise of female scientists in 1930s Germany – some of whom were Jewish – whose careers were ended by Adolf Hitler.
From indigo to the blues, the history of Black people is woven in a single colorImani Perry’s essay collection “Black in Blues” threads together the cultures and lore of the Black diaspora into an insightful commentary.
A travel writer finds inspiration in staying stillPico Iyer makes time for retreats at a Benedictine hermitage in California. In “Aflame: Learning From Silence,” he writes about finding clarity.
War worries heavy? Internet out? In Ukraine, books are the balm.Russian President Vladimir Putin has made Ukraine’s book publishing industry a target of the war. But the industry and Ukrainian readers are keeping books alive as a source of Ukraine’s resilient culture, and of solace and distraction.
How the Librarian of the Year is helping his beloved Los AngelesLibrarian of Year John Szabo, of the Los Angeles Public Library, talks about the fires and why libraries are so important in these political times.
Makers of the world’s rarest pasta and soy sauce inspire aweIn “Custodians of Wonder,” Eliot Stein takes readers on a tour from Japan to Peru to meet the artisans keeping ancient crafts alive.
‘I Am Nobody’s Slave’ charts a course toward intergenerational healingIn “I Am Nobody’s Slave,” memoirist Lee Hawkins reaches deep into his family history and finds redemption in understanding his roots.
A humble berry at the heart of a virtuous cycleRobin Wall Kimmerer reflects on the cooperation among plants and draws inspiration for human societies in “The Serviceberry.”
A biographer celebrates Benjamin Franklin’s curiosity and joy in scienceThe ‘ingenious’ Founding Father Benjamin Franklin receives his due as scientist-inventor in Richard Munson’s sparkling biography.
Raise the curtain on the 10 best books of JanuaryThe 10 best books of January 2025 embrace living on the edge, escaping convention, and confronting racism.
Music unlocks secrets about the design of the universeDaniel K.L. Chua’s expansive, eye-opening book documents how music from China to Greece has underpinned humanity’s search for joy.
End the year on a high note with the 10 best books of DecemberThe 10 best books of December include a spy novel, essays by physicist Alan Lightman, and a group biography of four women scientists in Nazi Germany.
Woodrow Wilson stood on the wrong side of historyIn “Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn,” former U.S. Rep. Christopher Cox examines how the president undermined rights for women and Black people.
How Handel brought ‘The Messiah’ to life in bleak timesIn ”Every Valley,” Charles King compellingly recounts how the composer, in a mere three weeks, wrote the soaring music for which he is best known today.
Why J. Edgar Hoover’s biographer worries about Kash Patel running the FBIAn author who studied J. Edgar Hoover’s complicated legacy at the FBI says she sees warning signs in the overt political statements by Trump nominee Kash Patel.- Why J. Edgar Hoover’s biographer worries about Kash Patel running the FBIAn author who studied J. Edgar Hoover’s complicated legacy at the FBI says she sees warning signs in the overt political statements by Trump nominee Kash Patel.
A year of plentiful prose: The best books of 2024The year’s best books include the novel “James” by Percival Everett and a memoir by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
The ‘Voltaire of the Arabs’ is lionized in France, but imprisoned in AlgeriaThe detention of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algeria shows how the shadows of colonialism continue to haunt the world of French letters.
