Anas Atassi’s inviting cookbook is named after a spice that is one of two keys to Syrian cuisine. The other indispensable element, Atassi contends, is figurative: “nafas,” which literally means breath, but also connotes “the art... Read More

A farmer turned religious leader prepares for the rapture in Lin Enger’s novel "American Gospel". Amid the uncertainty and turmoil of President Nixon’s resignation, Enoch knows one thing for certain: Jesus will return in fourteen... Read More

John W. Haines’s travel accounts go across the world, but their heart stays at home. Haines is from Laramie, Wyoming, a place he describes in terms of its freedom, extreme weather, and adventurous and caring people. But like many young... Read More

"Owning the Room" is a self-help work for developing leaders that’s concerned with management and methods for success. Roger A. Gerard’s "Owning the Room" suggests means for developing dynamic leadership skills and running companies... Read More

Thorough research is apparent in Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman’s "The Religion Clauses", a deep monograph about the correctness of the separation of church and state. Both a history of the US Constitution and Supreme Court... Read More

Questions of body image, sexuality, family, and racial identity are raised in Jessica Mehta’s novel "You Look Something". When Julia moves from a small community college to a university in Portland, she immerses herself in every... Read More

Soviet Jews faced anti-Zionist actions within the USSR; under pressure from human rights campaigns, they were finally offered opportunities for emigration, though leaving was risky. Poignant and suspenseful, Emil Draitser’s "Farewell,... Read More

As science advances in its understanding of the universe, scientists must periodically let go of long-held preconceptions and replace them with new facts. Take our limited understanding of consciousness. Science doesn’t have a clue... Read More