The driving character of the novel Horse is Lexington, the most famous American racehorse of the 19th century. But this story is so much more than about a great stallion who sired champions. Geraldine Brooks uses Lexington as a backdrop to write about the consequences of one of this country’s greatest sins, slavery. The sweeping novel effortlessly weaves back and forth from before the…
Mrs. Kip has just moved in to the hospice wing of an assisted living facility in Kansas City. Despite her terminal diagnosis, she ministers to everyone around, living out her faith as she has always done. Rules don’t apply to her; if she feels called to visit a resident across the hall she grabs her…
Erica’s Pick of the Week is a moody southern noir that grapples with history.
I’m fascinated by Australian mysteries. Something about the Australian landscape lends itself well to crime fiction: the bleak, drought-ridden outback serves as the perfect setting for murder. Dirt Creek fits right into this, as the book is named for the town in which it’s set (also called “Dirt Town” by its residents). This small, rural place is slowly dying,…
Ellen Jovin, roving grammarian and purveyor of the Grammar Table, tackles her visitors’ most-argued grammar disputes, mistakes, and misconceptions in the new book Rebel with a Clause. You too can grammar like a boss!
Shelf Life 