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Samantha Power recommends 6 of her favorite books
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author recommends books by Andre Agassi, Primo Levi, and more
A never-more-relevant exploration of one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century: Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1944 "Economic Bill of Rights" address. In connecting the defeat of fascism with economic security and independence, FDR highlighted the link between global peace and the individual longing for dignity. I liked the book so much that I married its author.
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Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
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Levi's searing account of the Nazis' "demolition of man" raises often unanswerable moral questions. I read this memoir in my early 20s, and it helped ignite an abiding interest in the causes and consequences of the Holocaust. Rereading the book recently, I was struck again by the depth of Levi's character and the enduring power of his understanding of human nature.
In this gem of a short-story collection by my favorite novelist, Tóibín explores from many angles the intricate bonds between mothers and sons, and the parental choices and dashed expectations that can leave their mark in life-altering ways.
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Alexievich crisscrossed the former Soviet Union to hear directly from women whose roles were essential in World War II but whose voices had rarely been heard. In awarding her the Nobel Prize, committee members rightly credited her with inventing a new literary genre: "a history of emotions ... a history of the soul."
In this enraging yet ultimately inspiring memoir, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative recounts his work championing those denied fair trials, whether because of their skin color or their lack of means. Stevenson, whether in the Supreme Court or with an incarcerated client, never loses sight of those he refuses to leave behind.
You don't have to like tennis to be swept away by Agassi's gripping storytelling and rich personal portraits. He reminds us how some people are lucky enough to be born into loving families, and others build them from scratch by nurturing soul-sustaining friendships. Reading this remarkable book while trying to write a memoir was a bad idea.
