Susan Wise Bauer is the author of The Well-Educated Mind, The Well-Trained Mind, and The Story of the World series. She teaches at the College of William & Mary.
Babel Tower by A.S. Byatt (Vintage, $15). Byatt combines her story of post–World War II England with chunks of a fantasy novel; the narrative manages to reflect on language, motherhood, loneliness, God, and the universal impulse to build imaginary worlds that will protect us from the sharp agonies of real life.
A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt (Vintage, $10). The central problem in Bolt’s play is as immediate today as when it was first published: Sir Thomas More finds that he has to choose between the authenticity of his private self and success in the political arena. (“If you could just see facts flat on, without that horrible moral squint,” Cardinal Wolsey tells him, early on, “you could have been a statesman.”)
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Passage by Connie Willis (Bantam, $8). I’ve been a fan of Willis’ since I first came across Doomsday Book, a deft combination of science fiction, history, epidemiology, and religion. In Passage, Willis tackles near-death experiences with the same deftness; you won’t realize what she’s up to until you reach the end.
Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis (Harvest, $13). If I could write like Lewis, I’d die happy. He finds the perfect metaphors for the experiences we share but can’t always articulate—in this case, the “stab of Joy,” the piercing and transitory sense of sweet beauty that comes unexpectedly.
The Road From Coorain by Jill Ker Conway (Vintage, $12). Australian-born Jill Ker Conway is a tough, resilient woman, raised by another tough, resilient woman who has nothing to do but manage her children’s lives. Conway’s search for a place where she can live “the life of the mind” is engrossing, but her relationship with her mother makes her autobiography hauntingly tragic.
Rebels Against the Future: The Luddites and Their War on the Industrial Revolution: Lessons for the Computer Age
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The six-seven meme that has taken over the worldIn the Spotlight With roots in rap and basketball, the phrase has young people obsessed, and it could be here to stay
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Five takeaways from Plaid Cymru’s historic Caerphilly by-election winThe Explainer The ‘big beasts’ were ‘humbled’ but there was disappointment for second-placed Reform too
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A journey through Trinidad’s wild heartThe Week Recommends Experience the island’s natural wonders, from watching baby turtles hatch to visiting an ancient bat cave
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Gilbert King’s 6 favorite books about the search for justiceFeature The journalist recommends works by Bryan Stevenson, David Grann, and more
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Nathan Harris’ 6 favorite books that turn adventures into revelationsFeature The author recommends works by Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McGuire, and more
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Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
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Lou Berney’s 6 favorite books with powerful storytellingFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Dorothy B. Hughes, James McBride, and more
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Elizabeth Gilbert’s favorite books about women overcoming difficultiesFeature The author recommends works by Tove Jansson, Lauren Groff, and more
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Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
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Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
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Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious charactersFeature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
