An inclusive look at women’s history, beyond White activists
Historian Elisabeth Griffith includes divisions alongside victories in this rich, intersectional account of the struggle for equality.
The incredible feats and lonely life of sports legend Jim Thorpe
David Maraniss shows how the legendary athlete was celebrated, belittled and exploited.
‘The Boys’ author Katie Hafner on her path from journalist to novelist
Going from nonfiction to fiction can be both liberating and paralyzing, Hafner explains.
A veteran asks: What did the Afghan war mean for those who served?
Marine veteran Elliot Ackerman, who helped evacuate Afghans, reflects on the war's flawed decisions, moments of kindness and "disastrous" end.
Mary Rodgers’s memoir weighs in on her famous dad and Stephen Sondheim
Rodgers died in 2014, but worked on her memoir with Jesse Green.
‘The Man Who Could Move Clouds’ is a memoir full of magic
Ingrid Rojas Contreras tells the story of her grandfather Rafael Contreras Alfonso, a Colombian healer with otherworldly gifts.
Behind the scenes of ‘Bull Durham’ and its bittersweet take on baseball
Director and screenwriter Ron Shelton shares quirky details about the making of the movie, and illuminates its themes of aging and regret.
The big bang created the universe. What created the big bang?
Quantum cosmologist Laura Mersini-Houghton winds back the clock to ponder the origin of our universe's origin.
Tracing the Republican Party’s devolution to one man: Newt Gingrich
Dana Milbank identifies Gingrich as the culprit who began steering the GOP away from Reagan and toward Trump.
History’s famous delusions, those who believed them — and why
Victoria Shepherd explains some of psychology's landmark cases with empathy and understanding.
A fresh look at Ruth Asawa’s extraordinary life
On the occasion of a retrospective exhibition of Ruth Asawa's work in England and Norway, the show’s co-curators have edited a book of essays about her life.
‘The Year of Miracles’ is a welcome reminder to savor the small stuff
Ella Risbridger’s new book beautifully explores the consolations of friendship and cooking (recipes included).
A geologist’s journey from the terrestrial to the celestial
Examining the rocks of the Earth and the mysteries of space, Lindy Elkins-Tanton also plumbs the meaning of her life.
How decades of greed and bad choices left us vulnerable to a pandemic
Covid-19 deaths are a symptom of many other social ills, including inequality, federalism and factory farms, John Ehrenreich argues.
The pope who thought he could negotiate with Hitler
Using newly opened Vatican archives, David I. Kertzer presents a comprehensive account of the failures of Pope Pius XII.
A joyful tour of French history, from main avenues to back roads
Graham Robb brings 2,000 years of history to life, weaving in rich details and forgotten characters.
Reader does this question need a comma? A new book offers grammar help.
Roving grammarian Ellen Jovin helps settle questions about commas, split infinitives and more in “Rebel With a Clause.”
Wellness is something we all want. How has it become a luxury?
Fariha Róisín’s “Who Is Wellness For?” explores the cultural appropriation and commodification of a basic need — and how that can be changed.
A (dubious) suicide, a (possible) mole and an enduring CIA mystery
After his colleague's disappearance, a former CIA officer was driven to try to solve an even larger puzzle, Howard Blum recounts.
Fear, biases and brinkmanship: A psychological history of the Cold War
The era's near-misses and misunderstandings serve as a cautionary tale as the United States again faces off with great-power rivals.