Author Mary Robinson was the first woman president of Ireland, serving from 1990 to 1997; afterward, she served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002. She was also an honorary president of the global... Read More

Is Merilyn Simonds’s "Refuge" a fictional memoir, a historical novel, or an exploration of the causes and results of seeking refuge? It’s all three, as it turns out, and a mystery besides. Questions hover over ninety-six-year-old... Read More

Saygin Ersin’s "The Pasha of Cuisine" delights with its aromatic language, scintillating narrative, and compelling characters. Here, a feast to satisfy even the most discerning literary palate awaits. The cook—a protagonist who... Read More

"Tales of the Astonishing Black Spark" is a wickedly funny adventure told from the perspective of a comic-book-savvy black superhero. It succeeds both as a superhero story in novel form and as an entertaining, funhouse-mirror view of... Read More

"Consent on Campus" is an eye-opening analysis. According to the lowest estimates, one in five women who attend college will experience sexual assault while there. As the #MeToo movement upends careers and prompts nationwide discussions... Read More

Deborah Carol Gang’s "The Half-Life of Everything" centers on David and Kate, a married couple easing contentedly toward middle age. They have two adult sons and decades of shared memories. Then Kate begins to experience early-onset... Read More

Margaret Hagerman’s "White Kids" brings to mind two words: must read. Many crucial race studies focus on the struggles of disenfranchised folks. But by centering her research on white children, Hagerman studies the kids who benefit... Read More

John Briscoe’s Crush: The Triumph of California Wine is a lively introduction to California’s wine industry. Though blessed with a superb climate and geography for cultivating grapes, California winemakers endured centuries of... Read More