The host of the “Normal Gossip” podcast, Kelsey McKinney, investigates gossip with an appreciative eye in her winning ode to snooping, You Didn’t Hear This From Me. ... Read full Story
Jojo Moyes, the author of We All Live Here, deeply understands the tribulations of women like Lila Kennedy, who have taken on the responsibility of caring for their elders even as they still have children to raise. ... Read full Story
In these 17 stories from Amanda Peters, author of The Berry Pickers, it’s easy to appreciate her characters’ pain and hope, and in particular, their profound love for the natural world. ... Read full Story
Whether you’re dating, in the throes of passion or in it for the long haul, these fresh takes on love and sex are sure to enlighten. ... Read full Story
Lindsay Jill Roth’s grounded Romances and Practicalities isn’t your average dating book—her practical advice proves that communication is sexy. ... Read full Story
Neko Case’s memoir, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, is an ode to the persistent ability to love, and how it transforms our lives. ... Read full Story
To Walk the Sky will find a receptive audience in nearly every age group and setting, from families of steelworkers and proud descendants of the brave skywalkers, to middle grade students learning about Native American history. ... Read full Story
Ruth Franklin’s thoughtfully probing The Many Lives of Anne Frank illuminates the “kaleidoscope of meanings” ascribed to the titular author and her foundational work. ... Read full Story
Emily Austin’s third novel, We Could Be Rats, is a heartfelt and stirring read for those interested in fiction that tackles themes of mental health, family relationships and reconnection. ... Read full Story
In her first novel, playwright Betty Shamieh has crafted a page turner that is not only funny and of its time, but also steeped in history, questioning the age-old adage that time heals all wounds. ... Read full Story
Beena Kamlani’s detailed historical debut, The English Problem, follows an Indian man who journeys to England in the 1930s to study law and support Indian independence, but finds himself caught between his ambition, his heart and his values. ... Read full Story
Black in Blues grapples with the history of Black suffering, Black art and, ultimately, Black joy and resistance, all through the color blue. ... Read full Story
"Sly Lives! is exceptionally strong in its attention to musical detail—even more than Questlove's previous cinematic effort, the Academy Award–winning Summer of Soul, Sly Lives! feels like a film made by a great musician. The film's interviewees offer illuminating ruminations on Sly's vocal arrangements, including his penchant for switching back and forth between unison vocal parts and harmonized ones ..." — Jack Hamilton, Slate, 13 Feb. 2025
Did you know?
English has multiple p-words that imply a strong instinct or liking for something, including propensity and proclivity, but to keep things precise, penchant is the proper word for implying a pronounced, persistent taste in a person ("a penchant for pretty pendants") or a predominant predilection for performing particular actions ("a penchant for petting penguins"). Penchant traces back all the way to the Latin verb pendere, meaning "to weigh," but is more immediately preceded in English by the French word penchant, from the present participle of pencher, meaning "to incline."