By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 31, 2020
In celebration of Edward Abbey's birthday earlier this week, we are featuring a reading list of similar authors who came before and after him. More than just environmentalists, these activists raised clarion calls in defense of nature.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 29, 2020
It's another of those odd, unlikely holidays—Curmudgeon's Day! And, of course, we're celebrating with books! Why are lovable grumps such a staple in literature? Maybe it's because it's so satisfying to find the kind heart underneath all their bluster. Here are seven of our favorite literary curmudgeons.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 24, 2020
Tomorrow is the Lunar New Year, a major holiday in China and several other East Asian countries. Check out our list of eight books to help you celebrate! These are mostly kids' books with a cookbook thrown in for good measure.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 22, 2020
Happy Celebration of Life Day! Life is sweet. Life is hard. Life’s a trip. No matter who you are or what your circumstances may be, figuring out how to live well is a journey. Even as we savor the sweet aspects of existence, we grapple with questions about what it all means and how we can make the most of ourselves.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 17, 2020
Today is Betty White's 98th birthday! The pioneering actress, comedian, and producer boasts the longest television career—80 years—of any entertainer. She was one of the first women to assume roles both in front of and behind the camera, and she's also written several books. Read about her fascinating journey.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 15, 2020
Have you started cheating on your diet yet? Has your goal to be more productive got you feeling frantic? If you’re tired of seeing your New Year’s Resolutions fall by the wayside after a couple weeks, we have some ideas for you. This year, consider resolutions that will not only improve your life, they’re even enjoyable.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 10, 2020
January is National Soup Month (an obvious choice!) and everyone's always looking for the next great soup recipe, right? So, we decided to help out by recommending five great soup cookbooks. Whether you're looking for a good vegan stew, an exotic new concoction, or just trying to figure out how to put your new Instant Pot to use, we have an option for you.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 08, 2020
This week we celebrate the birthday of writer and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. Largely unappreciated in her lifetime, the trailblazing author's writings saw a resurgence after Alice Walker's 1975 essay called her "the patron saint of black women writers." Here we review five of her essential titles.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 03, 2020
A new year means new books! Here are nine of the most highly anticipated titles in the first few months of 2020, plus related recommendations you can read now.
By Ashly Moore Sheldon • January 01, 2020
Happy New Decade! We are embarking on a brand-new era. It may seem a bit arbitrary, but we humans like to retrospectively infuse these tidy ten-year periods with distinct personalities. Here we review the character of the last five decades and make some guesses about how the 2020s will be remembered.