Irving is a masterful storyteller, and has a knack for drawing compelling characters. During a Little League game, 11-year-old Owen Meany hits a foul ball, resulting in a terrible accident. What follows is the coming-of-age story of an incredibly rich character. We see Johnny and his unusual best friend Owen grow up and attend the prep school where Johnny’s stepfather teaches, before Owen heads off to ROTC as the Vietnam War escalates. This novel, which gently addresses heavy themes of fate and faith, is widely believed to be his finest. Read it and see why it’s on so many readers’ desert island lists. Add the Whispersync narration. More info →

In his landmark work Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv brought together cutting-edge studies that pointed to direct exposure to nature as essential for a child’s healthy physical and emotional development. His book will change the way you think about our future and the future of our children." More info →

From the author of the New York Times bestseller A Paris Apartment, a new historical novel based on the life of Alicia Corning Clark and her real-life romance with then-Congressman JFK. In 1950 Alicia emigrates from Poland to the U.S. under the Displaced Persons Act, and is hired to work as a housekeeper for the wealthy Kennedy family in Hyannis Port, Maine. That's when she meets son and rising politician Jack. The two fall in love and quickly become engaged, but Jack's father forbids the marriage because Alicia is Jewish, so Alicia takes off for Hollywood, while Jack focuses on his political ambitions. But neither forgets the other. Readers will be consulting their history books to see what's fact and what's fiction in this story about the woman who J. Edgar Hoover was convinced bore JFK's child. More info →

Inspired by a true story she stumbled upon in the historical archives (which would totally spoil the big reveal—you're going to have to read the Author's Note to learn all!), Quinn weaves together three perspectives to tell a gripping story. There's no weak link in the story; each thread is fascinating—and when they began to come together I couldn't read fast enough. A mesmerizing tale of war crimes, coming of age, love and fidelity, and the pursuit of justice, with stirring implications for today. A 2019 Summer Reading Guide selection. Whispersync audiobook available, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. More info →

Thoughtful, poetic, and powerful. Much like keeping a daily gratitude journal, poet Ross Gay wrote slice of life essays every day for an entire year. Nothing is too small or insignificant to cause delight, from candy wrappers to nicknames, to basketball—and this unique format reveals just as much as a tell-all memoir. Please note that while this book is packed with delights there are also some tough moments and hard themes. He reminds us to find delight in the every day, even in spite of life’s injustices and difficulties that so often come our way. Audible narration available, narrated by the author. More info →

I've cooked my way through Ina Garten’s cookbooks so I can vouch for it being a great book for home cooks, from beginners to pros. Hearty dinner dishes like cheesy chicken enchiladas, perfect beef stew, and chicken pot pie soup are fabulous, but we've loved the giant crinkled chocolate chip cookies and applesauce cake with bourbon raisins, two dessert recipes we've made again and again. More info →

Mary Laura Philpott shared this title in What Should I Read Next episode 195—Wanted: Book enthusiast at large, saying she kept waiting for the big twist, but there was no twist. In spite of—or maybe because of—the memoir’s seemingly simple premise of a mother parenting her child when she wasn’t quite ready, Philpott saw her own life in a completely new way after reading it. With humor and candid honesty, O’Connell shares the details of her unplanned pregnancy, entry to the brand new world of parenting, and questioning of nearly everything about her identity. Nothing happens, but EVERYTHING happens, as she experiences the highs and lows of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. There is no universal story of motherhood, but by sharing the oft-untold (and not at all picture-worthy) bits, O’Connell shows how to have more compassion and gentleness for yourself or the mothers in your life. More info →

Never underestimate a visionary. When Eleanor of Aquitaine decrees Marie de France will be sent to an impoverished abbey in England, Marie is shocked and desperate to get back in Eleanor’s good favor. But as she gets used to life with the nuns, she finds she has much to give as prioress and that includes her own divine revelations. Marie takes protecting her fellow nuns seriously, no matter how the world changes around them. An urgent exploration of religion, power, and sexuality. More info →

From the publisher: "Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita's own past. While Meena's fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her. A tender and evocative novel about love, hope, familial devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice, Thrity Umrigar shows us two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time." More info →

From the publisher: "In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, or 'old same,' in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she has written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. They both endure the agony of footbinding and together reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart." More info →