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鈥楾he Light Ages鈥� argues for a rebranding of the medieval periodThe Dark Ages were not solely about battles and plagues, says historian Seb Falk. Instead, they included a flourishing of scientific inquiry.聽
Last-minute gifts: The 10 best books of December 2020Just in time for the holidays, it鈥檚 the Monitor鈥檚 selections for the top books of December 2020 all wrapped up and tied with a bow.
A life unconquered by Taliban rule in 鈥楧ancing in the Mosque鈥�As a girl, Homeira Qaderi watched the Taliban take over her home city in Afghanistan. As a young woman, she took a dangerous stand.聽聽
Obama memoir 鈥楢 Promised Land鈥� delivers earnest self-reflectionThe 44th president of the United States does more than defend his legacy; he shares the values that have animated his life and political career.
Q&A with Lesley-Ann Jones, author of 鈥楾he Search for John Lennon鈥�The British rock historian answers questions about one of music鈥檚 brightest stars 鈥� and the shadows he left behind.
鈥楾ecumseh and the Prophet鈥� shines a light on Native American resistanceShawnee warrior Tecumseh has been portrayed nobly, while his brother fared poorly at the hands of historians. Peter Cozzens balances the story.聽
Q&A with Ravi Somaiya, author of 鈥楾he Golden Thread鈥�United Nations secretary-general Dag聽Hammarskj枚ld 鈥済enuinely tried to do good and was also quite effective鈥� during the Cold War, according to聽Somaiya.
A bear lives, hunts, and watches the Arctic melt in 鈥業ce Walker鈥�Through the eyes of a polar bear comes a beautifully-written, wrenching narrative of a warming planet and the struggle to survive.
The best nonfiction books of 2020 offer wisdom and insightExplore the life of intrepid explorer Sanmao, how America rewrote its own history, and聽Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 legacy in the best nonfiction titles of 2020.
See the world differently with the best fiction books of 2020From a riff on 鈥淧ride and Prejudice鈥� to a sagacious story of race and belonging, the best fiction books of 2020 offer fresh ideas and perspectives.
鈥楩ossil Men鈥� explores breakthrough science 鈥� and human natureA new book tracks the discovery of a ground-shaking addition to the fossil record, and shows how science ultimately comes down to the human element.
Steve Martin brings the cartoon fun in 鈥楢 Wealth of Pigeons鈥�A collaboration with New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss yields a droll collection that pokes fun at human foibles and offers gems of comic wisdom.聽
Before history devolves into mythology: 2020鈥檚 best books on World War IIHistorians grapple with the grimmest, toughest questions surrounding the war, about culpability, morality, and demagoguery during a fraught time.
A family history in trees and flowers: A biologist鈥檚 memoirPart memoir, part travel narrative, and part nature writing, a biologist聽visits Taiwan 鈥� her ancestral homeland 鈥� and unravels her family history.
Richard III struggled against his two brothers for the crownEnglish history recounts many tales of bloody battles, but the infighting among 鈥淭he Brothers York鈥� was legendary for its ferocity.
Cozy up for story time with these delightful picture booksRead-aloud books for children inspire delight and foster kindness by exploring how it feels to be different, to belong, and to win over a new friend.
Just-right stories: The four best audiobooks of November 2020In the mood for bite-sized entertainment? Essays about nature and outstanding short stories make for deep but quick listening this month.
Q&A with N. Scott Momaday, author of 鈥楨arth Keeper鈥�Pulitzer prize-winning writer聽N. Scott Momaday discusses his newest book, his life, poetry, and his career.
A star architect and his son go on a journey in search of beautyThe pursuit of the mythical Atlantis inspires Renzo Piano to review his career, which includes landmarks such as London鈥檚 The Shard skyscraper.聽
A chance to redo the past in 鈥楤efore the Coffee Gets Cold鈥�Time travel and caf茅聽culture yield a lovely, wise brew in a translation of聽Toshikazu Kawaguchi鈥檚 popular play-turned-novel.