All Books
- A poignant memoir unfolds the struggle of Cuban Jewish exiles
In “Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile, and Repair,” Rosa Lowinger writes with compassion about the dislocation her parents experienced after leaving Cuba for the U.S.
- ‘The Book of (More) Delights’ charms with quirky insights
Ross Gay pays attention to the dozens of small moments that give life meaning. His second book of everyday observations is loaded with detours, digressions, and humor.
- ‘We are creatures built for joy’: Dispatches from a nature lover
“Every living thing ... is pursuing its own vital purpose,” writes columnist Margaret Renkl in her latest collection of essays, “The Comfort of Crows.”
- Growing mighty: How a Jamaican author created a freer life
In a vivid and poetic memoir, Safiya Sinclair chronicles her journey from sheltered Rastafarian girl to a self-assured, award-winning poet and author.
- In the 10 best books of November, humility changes lives
A desire to right past wrongs animates many of our November reads. From a Civil War general to a young Londoner, self-reflection offers insight.
- As divisions deepen in India, a 15th-century poet inspires hope
Amid heightened religious division, some Indians find common ground in the teachings of a poet who brought Hindus and Muslims together 600 years ago.
- The US government stole Lakota land. Her Jewish family benefited.
Author Rebecca Clarren’s immigrant Jewish family was helped by federal policies that stripped Native Americans of their homelands. Her book wrestles with that legacy.
- Moscow’s Metropol Hotel served as a ‘gilded cage’ for Western journalists
In “The Red Hotel,” Alan Philips unfolds the difficulties faced by British and American reporters in Moscow during World War II.
- How WriteGirl helps teens find their creative voice
Girls used to be told to be seen and not heard. Keren Taylor founded WriteGirl to inspire them to see their voice as valuable.
- Hack your fridge: Delicious meals with less waste
Mindfulness in the kitchen – from how to store food properly, to what to make from odds and ends in the fridge – will go a long way toward reducing waste.
- Uncovering Shakespeare’s rare First Folios – paw prints and all
For literary forensics expert Eric Rasmussen, each Shakespeare First Folio is unique and loaded with history – from cat paw prints to bullet holes.
- Please don’t buy my books
It wasn’t until I set out to sell my old books that I realized the precious memories they held.
- How the women’s movement transformed society
Three recent books explore the contours of the second-wave feminist movement, from titan Betty Friedan to the editors and readers of Ms. Magazine.
- ‘Absolution’ asks if ‘doing good’ can cover for lack of empathy
Alice McDermott’s novel “Absolution” probes issues of duty, charity, and complicity among a group of American expat wives in 1960s Vietnam.
- How cats teach their humans to be – well, more humane
“The Goodbye Cat,” Hiro Arikawa’s follow-up to “The Travelling Cat Chronicles,” celebrates the unbreakable – and sometimes unearthly – bonds between felines and their adoring owners.
- Courage, justice, and fortitude: Our favorite October reads
From Beirut to Florida, characters embroiled in quests for justice – for themselves and others – search for light and progress in this month’s 10 best books.
- Politeness or civility? Alexandra Hudson untangles the difference.
What place do simply good deeds have in our society? In “The Soul of Civility,” Alexandra Hudson argues that they’re indispensable.
- ‘The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store’ weaves a tale of love and community
In his triumphant novel “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store,” James McBride explores the appeal and elusiveness of the American dream.
- Women war correspondents marched to their own drummer
Two reporters – Jane Ferguson and Dickey Chapelle – covered separate conflicts in different eras, but both were driven by the need to “go see for themselves what was happening.”
- Anna May Wong blazed a trail for Asian actors in Hollywood
Chinese American actor Anna May Wong defied racism and bias through persistence and determination. “Daughter of the Dragon” tells her story.