Med highlights the complexities of the Arabic language and shows how even simple words may be interpreted in a bevy of ways. Chenar Med’s "The Shadow of the Swords" brings a skeptic’s spirit to contemporary readings of the Quran,... Read More

Contextualizing Dickinson’s work, Gilpin reveals both a reverence for her poetry and a skill in exploring new meaning. W. Clark Gilpin’s new take on the enigmatic giant of American poetry, Emily Dickinson, eruditely weaves literary... Read More

The careful dance between the worthy and the regrettable helps the narration maintain balance, even as its characters careen toward their own ruination. The latest novel from NPR contributor Alan Cheuse draws its inspiration from the... Read More

Romance gives way to reality, and vivacity to human fragility in this novel about rebuilding a family after a loss. The novel that won Paul Cavanagh the spot as the first-ever Lit Idol hits the international stage. "After Helen" is a... Read More

Cohen says he’s found who’s responsible for conflict in the Middle East. Sam Cohen’s lengthy work, Future of the Middle East—United Pan-Arab States, seeks to illuminate favorable developments in the Middle East and to project a... Read More

Skyscrapers is a satisfying, and often surprising, work of crime fiction. Jill Wilson Brennan’s novel, "Skyscrapers", is a fast-paced tale of corporate intrigue that weaves complicated family dynamics and social commentary into its... Read More

This detailed, sometimes shocking memoir of an LA cop pulls no punches on crime and punishment. Retired officer Lawrence J Rupp writes about his years in law enforcement, withholding no gritty details. "The Duck Theory" is a frank,... Read More

This book is partly an intelligently organized and fascinating survey of religious and scientific responses to the unknown. Soviet expat and accomplished physician Michael Kleenoff returns with a hefty “philosophical memoir” that... Read More