“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”—Stephen King I’ve been on a tear, having just read three (entirely different) books so good that now I’m in book depression, waiting to find others as transporting, funny, and well-written. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang The night I watch Athena die, we’re celebrating her TV deal with Netflix. I’m a … Read more
No family is without fault; few parents can be labeled good or bad. Both Priscilla Gilman and E. Dolores Johnson demonstrated that truth with extraordinary openness in their memoirs—for which we can all be grateful. Truth-telling is hard. The Critic’s Daughter by Priscilla Gilman Gilman captures the nuances of a family—her remarkable father with fine-grained … Read more
“The library was a little old shabby place. Francie thought it was beautiful. The feeling she had about it was as good as the feeling she had about church.” A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. February is Library Lovers Day — and not only do I love libraries, but I also credit the Kensington … Read more
Stories abound of Jewish people who grow up warm and secure in their faith. Those for whom the eight days of Hanukah didn’t compete with Christmas: Jewish nurses, firefighters, and doctors (the ones my mother wanted me to marry) who take Christmas Eve shifts to ensure that their Christian brethren are home for the holidays. … Read more
If you read as I do (unceasingly, never sticking to any one genre, and always with a backup book (or ten) just in case, you’re always seeking books to match your current mood, yes? Pride and Prejudice won’t do when you’re in a Frankenstein mood. There are times nothing will work except dark and broody-moody, to … Read more