This Week's Must Read

Books that deepen, contextualize or offer new angles on one of the week's major headlines.

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For The New Year, Ray Bradbury's Buoyant Vision Of The Future

January 2, 2015 • We saw a lot of dystopias in both films and books this year. Author Jason Sheehan has had enough. He plans to celebrate the new year with some science fiction that's actually hopeful about the future.

For The New Year, Ray Bradbury's Buoyant Vision Of The Future

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For Wintry Weather, An Especially Cold And Snowy Tale

December 26, 2014 • This week we celebrated not only Christmas, but also the solstice — the shortest day of the year. In honor of this wintry weather, author Edward Carey recommends his favorite winter fairy tale.

For Wintry Weather, An Especially Cold And Snowy Tale

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'Rum, Rumba, And Romance': A Book On Cuba's Enduring Mystique

December 19, 2014 • This week, President Obama announced that he will begin to normalize relations with Cuba. Cuban-American writer Richard Blanco recommends a book about Cuba's imprint on the American imagination.

'Rum, Rumba, And Romance': A Book On Cuba's Enduring Mystique

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The Ethics Of Torture, Explored In A Painful Fable

December 12, 2014 • This week, the Senate released a report that details the interrogation techniques used by the CIA after Sept. 11. Author Laila Lalami grapples with the questions it raises by turning to literature.

The Ethics Of Torture, Explored In A Painful Fable

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After The California Downpour, 'The Drought' Offers Some Dry Reading

December 5, 2014 • It rained in California this week. That might not sound like news, but the state is experiencing a record-setting drought. Jason Heller turns to science fiction to reflect on the strange weather.

After The Ferguson Decision, A Poem That Gives Name To The Hurt

November 28, 2014 • This week, a Missouri grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson, the officer who killed Michael Brown. Writer Syreeta McFadden turns to Audre Lorde's poetry to make sense of this decision.

After The Ferguson Decision, A Poem That Gives Name To The Hurt

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These 'True Tales' Add Nuance To The Immigration Discussion

November 21, 2014 • President Obama announced an executive action on immigration this week. For an in-depth look at the issue, author Gustavo Arellano recommends two nonfiction collections about Mexican immigrants.

These 'True Tales' Add Nuance To The Immigration Discussion

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After Catalonia's Independence Vote, An 'Homage' To George Orwell

November 14, 2014 • This week Spain's northeast region voted in favor of independence. But the results weren't recognized by the Spanish government. The situation reminds poet Rowan Ricardo Phillips of a favorite book.

After Catalonia's Independence Vote, An 'Homage' To George Orwell

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For Political Junkies, A (Literary) Post-Election Fix

November 7, 2014 • Post-elections, Molly Antopol and Jason Sheehan reflect on the results by turning to their favorite political books, Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail.

For Political Junkies, A (Literary) Post-Election Fix

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A 19th Century Novel Explains Quantitative Easing

October 31, 2014 • This week, the Federal Reserve ended the quantitative easing program. Author John Lanchester says Anthony Trollope's 19th century novel The Way We Live Now clarifies the current financial situation.

A 19th Century Novel Explains Quantitative Easing

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The Corpse Exhibition And Other Stories of Iraq

After The Blackwater Convictions, A Book On Iraq's Nightmarish Reality

October 26, 2014 • Four former Blackwater guards were found guilty last week in connection with a fatal shooting in 2007. Author Brian Castner recommends a book on the toll violence has taken on Iraq.

After The Blackwater Convictions, A Book On Iraq's Nightmarish Reality

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For The Midterm Elections, A Book On 'What It Takes' To Win

October 24, 2014 • The midterm elections are less than two weeks away. Writer Michael Schaub recommends a book that explores what it's like to run for office and live through all the dramatic ups and downs.

For The Midterm Elections, A Book On 'What It Takes' To Win

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After A Flurry Of Literary Awards, A Book On The 'Wonder' Of Words

October 19, 2014 • It's literary awards season. The Nobel, the National Book Awards shortlists, and the Man Booker Prize were all recently announced. Author Jason Sheehan recommends some reading on all this reading.

After A Flurry Of Literary Awards, A Book On The 'Wonder' Of Words

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Oscar Pistorius' Sentencing And The Classic True Crime Novel

October 17, 2014 • Oscar Pistorius, superstar athlete, was back in court this week for his sentencing hearing, after a culpable homicide conviction. Journalist Mandy Wiener says his case reminds her of a favorite book.

For This Baseball Season, Roger Angell Has Just The 'Ticket'

October 10, 2014 • The American League Championship Series begins tonight. Writer Kate Tuttle says Roger Angell's 1988 collection of essays, Season Ticket, is the perfect accompaniment to the postseason.

For This Baseball Season, Roger Angell Has Just The 'Ticket'

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Behind The Sunglasses: The Lives Of Secret Service Agents

October 3, 2014 • This week, following a series of security lapses, the Secret Service director resigned. For a look at the agency beyond the scandal, author Ben Dolnick recommends the novel Big If by Mark Costello.

Behind The Sunglasses: The Lives Of Secret Service Agents

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As The Ebola Outbreak Worsens, A Book About Compassion

September 26, 2014 • This week, the CDC predicted there could be tens of thousands of Ebola cases if the disease is not controlled soon. Author Alaya Dawn Johnson turns to a favorite novel for wisdom amid this epidemic.

As The Ebola Outbreak Worsens, A Book About Compassion

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Book Reviews

For The Autumnal Equinox, A Poem As Chilling As The Fall Weather

September 19, 2014 • Tuesday is the first day of fall. This time of year reminds critic Abigail Deutsch of Stephen Dobyns' "How to Like It" — a poem about a man who ponders his lost summers and fleeting dreams.

For The Autumnal Equinox, A Poem As Chilling As The Fall Weather

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Amid NFL Scandals, A Novel About America's Love Of The Sport

September 19, 2014 • It's the start of the season, and the NFL is already beset by scandal. Writer Mark Chiusano recommends a novel about football's place in American culture, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.

As Independence Vote Approaches, A Spirited Novel About The Scottish Experience

September 12, 2014 • Next week the people of Scotland vote on whether to become independent from the U.K. Author Marie Mutsuki Mockett recommends a book that illuminates the Scottish psyche, Iain Banks' The Crow Road.

As Independence Vote Approaches, A Spirited Novel About The Scottish Experience

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A Foreshadowing Of Violence In A 1937 Middle East Travelogue

September 5, 2014 • The Middle East, as portrayed in Robert Byron's The Road To Oxiana, is worlds away from the one we know. But author J.M. Ledgard says this flawed but fascinating book helps explain the region today.

The Considered Bite: Low-Carb Diets And Our Relationship With Food

September 5, 2014 • According to a new study, cutting back on carbs can lead to weight loss. Dana Goodyear and Jason Sheehan explore how to eat enjoyably, by recommending Tartine Bread and The Gastronomical Me.

The Considered Bite: Low-Carb Diets And Our Relationship With Food

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In An Earthquake, History Fuels One Writer's Anxiety

August 29, 2014 • An earthquake in Napa Valley this week brought back old fears for author Gustavo Arellano. In his anxiety he's revisiting the book A Crack in the Edge of the World.

In An Earthquake, History Fuels One Writer's Anxiety