Buy San Francisco Is Burning at Amazon
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Vintage, $15). Better than any other book, Crime and Punishment convinces the reader of time and place at every turn. And after we’ve followed the murderer Raskolnikov through torment, guilt, and exasperation, we feel as if every synapse of his mind has been revealed.
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Downtown by Pete Hamill (Back Bay, $15). I have lived in New York all of my life, and until I read Hamill’s book, thought I knew as much as I needed to know in order to love every line in the sidewalks. But then Downtown brought me into the hallways, the lobbies, and the alleyways, and into the minds of some of the greatest New Yorkers. It’s a learning experience on the way to true love.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon (Modern Library, $10). This is still the only book I know that illustrates successfully how a society changes little by little until it becomes thoroughly corrupt and falls apart. Plus, Gibbon is a writer’s historian, up there with Dante and Shakespeare.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (Scribner, $14). I knew Angela McCourt. She was a wonderful woman, as filled with charm and wit as her son Frank is with intelligence and talent. Frank’s acclaimed memoir is a book about voice, and all English teachers in the world should memorize every page. But, indeed, everyone should read this book: It will make you laugh.
Little Chapel on the River by Gwendolyn Bounds (Morrow, $24). As clean a book about small-town American life as I have read, better than Winesburg, Ohio. This new ode to a pub is a beautifully told tale that shows how people come to know one another—talking, laughing, and learning.
Christianity and Culture
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How China is battling the chikungunya virusUnder The Radar Thousands of cases of the debilitating disease have been found in the country
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Deep thoughts: AI shows its math chopsFeature Google's Gemini is the first AI system to win gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad
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Book reviews: 'Face With Tears of Joy: A Natural History of Emoji' and 'Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story'Feature The surprising history of emojis and the brother duo who changed pop music
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Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short storiesFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
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Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationshipsFeature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
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Aysegul Savas' 6 favorite books for readers who love immersive settingsFeature The Paris-based Turkish author recommends works by Hiromi Kawakami, Virginia Woolf, and more
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Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of warFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
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Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventureFeature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
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Thomas Mallon's 6 favorite books from the 80's and early 90'sFeature The author recommends works by James Merrill, Calvin Trillin, and more
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Anne Hillerman's 6 favorite books with Native charactersFeature The author recommends works by Ramona Emerson, Craig Johnson, and more
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John Kenney's 6 favorite books that will break your heart softlyFeature The novelist recommends works by John le Carré, John Kennedy Toole, and more
