All Books
Carry the summer into fall with the 10 best books of AugustThe 10 best books of August provide a bridge into fall reading, with a mix of clever novels, satisfying memoirs, and two revealing biographies.
Afghanistan鈥檚 first female pilot paid a steep price for the freedom to flyNow in exile, Niloofar Rahmani writes of her journey to become the Afghanistan鈥檚 first female pilot in the memoir, 鈥淥pen Skies.鈥�
鈥楾he Outlier鈥� paints a complex portrait of Jimmy CarterKai Bird鈥檚 鈥淭he Outlier:聽The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter鈥� shows the president鈥檚 fierce intelligence, stubbornness, and decency.
鈥楾he Power of Strangers鈥�: What we gain from listening to othersJoe Keohane, author of 鈥淭he Power of Strangers,鈥� says we gain from talking with 鈥� and especially listening to 鈥� people we don鈥檛 know.聽
Billie Jean King goes 鈥楢ll In鈥� on tennis and women鈥檚 equalityTennis legend Billie Jean King鈥檚 activism brought greater respect and higher pay to women鈥檚 sports, but she felt forced to hide her sexuality.聽
Napoleon plundered Europe鈥檚 art to bring prestige home to France鈥淧lunder鈥� digs deep into Napoleon鈥檚 theft of artworks across conquered Europe in his effort to enrich the Louvre and solidify French dominance.
Three amazing sports books showcase triumphs and progressTop sports books of summer focus on the Tour de France, women surfers, and the 1969 NBA finals in glorious detail, bringing the events to life.聽聽
A shepherd鈥檚 guide to feeding the planet and saving the EarthSheep farmer James Rebanks reimagines how to feed the planet and save the Earth in 鈥淧astoral Song: A Farmer鈥檚 Journey.鈥�
鈥楲ieutenant Dangerous鈥� uses wry humor to point out the absurdity of Vietnam WarIn his memoir about being drafted into the Vietnam War, Jeff Danziger lays bare the futility and waste, as well as his own聽naivet茅.
Edgar Allan Poe exposed scientific hoaxes, and invented his ownA new Poe biography by John Tresch shows the writer鈥檚 deep involvement in the scientific milieu of his day.聽
Before 鈥楾he Wiz鈥� and 鈥楧reamgirls,鈥� there was 鈥楽huffle Along鈥�In a Q&A, Caseen Gaines talks about the first Broadway musical with an all-Black cast, the 1921 鈥淪huffle Along,鈥� and how it broke boundaries.
鈥楬ow the Word Is Passed鈥�: The stories we tell about racePoet, scholar, and writer Clint Smith delves into the past 鈥� both personal and collective 鈥� to unravel the tangled history of race in America.
鈥楾he God Beat鈥�: Journalists reflect on questions of meaning and transcendenceThis timely collection of essays explores how journalists wrestle with faith, doubt, solidarity, and protest.聽
The general who let Robert E. Lee get awayGeneral Meade鈥檚 Union troops routed Lee at Gettysburg, and let the Confederate soldiers retreat to safety. A new book defends his actions.聽
Laurie Colwin possessed a 鈥榩ositive genius for comfort鈥�With the reissue of novelist and food writer Laurie Colwin鈥檚 books, our reviewer recalls interviewing her decades ago.聽
Melting pot: Vietnamese family settles in New Orleans鈥淭hings We Lost to the Water鈥� transposes Vietnamese refugee tale to New Orleans, where a single mother writes notes to her absent husband.
A world where men make art and women take 鈥楽econd Place鈥�Rachel Cusk鈥檚 novel 鈥淪econd Place鈥� explores a woman鈥檚 thwarted creativity, as she pits herself against a male artist staying on her property.聽
Paging through summer: Cool reads for hot daysThe 10 best books of July provide cool reads for hot days. From novels to a biography, these titles offer made-in-the-shade reading enjoyment.
The popular books that brought Americans together in a common cultureThe canon of popular American literature not only unified the culture, it helped create the national narrative of individualism and self-reliance.聽聽
鈥楩acing the Mountain鈥� tells of heroic Japanese Americans who fought for the USDespite discrimination and internment, Japanese Americans joined the U.S. military during World War II and fought with honor and distinction.
