Yo-Yo Ma, concert cellist and artistic director of The Silk Road Project, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating local cultures and global connections, recommends five recent favorite reads.
Lying Awake by Mark Salzman (Knopf, $14.70). I have enjoyed all of Mark Salzman’s books, but find this one to be a tremendous achievement. He illuminates the nature of spiritual life through the unique voice of Sister John of the Cross; using the realities and inspirations of her visions, he explores the age-old mystery of artistic inspiration.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Eastward to Tartary: Travels in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Caucasus by Robert D. Kaplan (Random House, $18.86). Kaplan’s history, enriched by his comprehensive knowledge of the region, is my favorite kind of book—one that begins a process. It opened a door for me: Not only did I come away with a better understanding of the region, I actually wanted to go there.
The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf (Schocken Books, $12.80). Described by Maalouf as a “true life novel,” the author presents a well-researched and objective historical study. He transcends traditional perspectives of the Mideast and West, creating an objective historical chronicle.
The East India Company: A History by Phillip Lawson (Longman Publishing Group, $43). As I learned more about the migration of ideas and goods along the Silk Route, I wanted to gain a better understanding of the East India Company, which was such a huge part of British history. Here, Lawson provides a comprehensive study.
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sitesIn The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s voidFeature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War DepartmentFeature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious charactersFeature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War IIFeature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
-
Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short storiesFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
-
Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationshipsFeature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
-
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
-
Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of warFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
-
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
