Part of a series of New Directions “storybooks” meant to be read in a single sitting, “The English Understand Wool” is a little gift to DeWitt’s (often ardent) readers and an inviting primer for readers new to her. DeWitt is one of our most ingenious writers, a master of the witty fable, and she pulls off her trick here through marvelous specificity of voice and a plot that hums like German machinery. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
In his latest true-crime thriller, bestselling popular historian Stashower turns his attention to the so-called “Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run,” aka the “Cleveland Torso Murderer,” a still-unidentified maniac seemingly responsible for a dozen or more murders in Depression-era Cleveland. The author’s focus falls on the investigative role played by Eliot Ness, who was named the city’s safety director after his success in Chicago as the charismatic leader of a mob-busting brigade. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
This Is What It Sounds Like is a journey into the science and soul of music that reveals the secrets of why your favorite songs move you. But it’s also a story of a musical trailblazer who began as a humble audio tech in Los Angeles to became Prince’s chief engineer for Purple Rain, and then create other No. 1 hits as one of the most successful female record producers of all time. Now an award-winning professor of cognitive neuroscience, Susan Rogers leads readers to musical self-awareness. She explains that we each possess a unique “listener profile” based on our brain’s natural response to seven key dimensions of any song. Are you someone who prefers lyrics or melody? Do you like music “above the neck” (intellectually stimulating), or “below the neck” (instinctual and rhythmic)? Whether your taste is esoteric or mainstream, Rogers guides readers to recognize their musical personality, and offers language to describe one’s own unique taste. Like most of us, Rogers is not a musician, but she shows that all of us can be musical–simply by being an active, passionate listener. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
Melbourne Law School professor Giblin and Boing Boing cofounder Doctorow deliver a lucid and damning exposé of how big business captured the culture markets. Contending that anticompetitive practices are hollowing out the music, literature, video game, journalism, film, and TV industries, the authors untangle the complex web of contracts, regulations, and legal arguments deployed by corporations to maximize their profits and prevent new competitors from entering their markets … The book’s broad scope, expert policy recommendations, and flashes of wit (Disney executives are “cartoon villains” for refusing to honor science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster’s contracts) make it a must-read for anyone involved in these industries. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
Sixteen reprints from 1933 to 1973 showing golden age–inspired puzzle masters doing what they do best: bringing together readers, books, and felonies. Even more than in other entries in the British Library Crime Classics, the hallmarks here are urbane literacy and unfettered conceptual invention … Perhaps the single best collection yet in this blue-chip series. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
In “The Life of Crime,” Martin Edwards takes on the colorful history of the detective novel, and its enduring fascination. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
The interconnected stories in Fofana’s spectacular debut collection feature a range of vibrant characters who are living close to the edge … A range of emotions, from wistfulness to humor, envy, and vengefulness, colors these pages that are often filled with laugh-out-loud passages … Above all, the characters’ voices are unforgettable, crackling with energy and spunk. “Everybody got a story, everybody got a tale. Question is: is it despair or prevail?” Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
The fate of the world is in our hands. Humanity’s written history spans only five thousand years. Our yet-unwritten future could last for millions more — or it could end tomorrow. Astonishing numbers of people could lead lives of great happiness or unimaginable suffering, or never live at all, depending on what we choose to do today. In What We Owe The Future, philosopher William MacAskill argues for longtermism, that idea that positively influencing the distant future is a key moral priority of our time. From this perspective, it’s not enough to reverse climate change or avert the next pandemic. We must ensure that civilization would rebound if it collapsed; counter the end of moral progress; and prepare for a planet where the smartest beings are digital, not human. If we make wise choices today, our grandchildren’s grandchildren will thrive, knowing we did everything we could to give them a world full of justice, hope and beauty. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
Human nature and atmosphere will always interest Osborne more than the traditional pyrotechnics of a thriller. The palpable sense of dread that hovers over Hong Kong and Osborne’s exploration of Adrian’s own moral conundrum is what kept me turning the pages … Osborne skillfully — and with exquisite prose — probes the nexus of community and character, and how where we are shapes who we are. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
Isaac Fitzgerald grabs readers’ attention with the title of his memoir and never lets go. He’s a mesmerizing storyteller who deploys unexpected delights from his very first line … He fills the 12 essays in Dirtbag, Massachusetts with heaping helpings of humor, joy, pain, sorrow, grace and insight. Throughout, Fitzgerald writes in carefully chosen prose … Fitzgerald joins the ranks of some of the very best memoirists, including Tobias Wolff, Tara Westover and Dani Shapiro. This entertaining and thoughtful book reveals Fitzgerald’s talents as a master craftsman of unusual insight and will leave readers eager for more. Read more
(We earn a small commission if you click above and buy the book at Bookshop.org)
