In poet Mona Arshi’s debut novel "Somebody Loves You", Ruby, who was born to Indian parents in England, stopped talking at school. She goes to see various therapists. Her older sister, Rania, is artistic but morbid. The girls’ mother... Read More

In "Our Oldest Companions", Pat Shipman delves into the history of canine domestication, marveling that dogs have chosen to associate with humans. Focusing on coevolution and the dingoes of Australia, she illuminates “how mutually... Read More

When seeking to understand how the universe works, “we have to let go of instincts, intuitions and simple explanations,” science teacher Tim James writes. In "Astronomical", he revels in the oddness of planetary behavior and quantum... Read More

“To walk at night” creates “a night twice lived,” Matt Gaw declares in "Under the Stars", which is structured around a series of night walks to delve into the science of the night sky. The pull of the moon is undeniable, Gaw... Read More

Bill Schutt’s "Pump" is an entertaining survey of the evolution of the circulatory system. From grasshoppers to whales, it explains how hearts and other analogous structures work. Zeroing in on the human heart, the book contrasts the... Read More

“Planets are born from the chaos of countless collisions,” Simone Marchi writes in "Colliding Worlds", which cites everything from lunar craters to gold seams as evidence of interplanetary impacts. Space rocks have not existed from... Read More

In "How to Talk to a Science Denier", Lee McIntyre comments that “our fellow citizens don’t seem to listen to facts anymore.” Still, be the topic climate change or vaccines, he endorses respectful conversation as the best way to... Read More

In "The Soul of the Family Tree", Lori Erickson traces the “spiritual DNA” of her Norwegian ancestors, investigating how their heritage influenced their cultural practices and religious beliefs, especially in the Midwestern United... Read More