David K. Johnson’s "Buying Gay" is a compelling retrospective of physique magazines, which provided gay men with an outlet in the 1950s and 1960s. The “Physique Era” encompasses the rise and fall of physique magazines from 1951 to... Read More

The educational, engaging story of a single tree that became symbolic of environmental activism, "Big Lonely Doug" by Harley Rustad dramatizes the conflict between human consumption and the environment. The story revolves around a... Read More

Passions flare over the founder of Islam. He is variously considered the supreme prophet, the “embodiment of Islam,” a visionary leader, a reformer come to offer an alternative to the corruption of the Christian church, and a genius... Read More

Oakland Ross’s "Swimming with Horses" is a multilayered adventure that is part mystery, part coming-of-age tale. The story vacillates between apartheid South Africa in 1962 and a small Ontario town a year later, when Hilary, a... Read More

A coming-of-age story and history lesson, "Resurrection of Gracie MacDougal" dignifies everyday characters living through extraordinary times. In Linda Buxbaum’s sweeping World War II-era historical novel, "Resurrection of Gracie... Read More

"Who the Hell Wants to Work for You" is an invaluable business book—entertaining, enlightening, and empowering. Tim Eisenhauer’s "Who the Hell Wants to Work for You" is the rare business book that’s a joy to read. The author’s... Read More

Post–World War II British youth coming of age during the 1960s and ‘70s had to navigate their journeys to adulthood through a society rocked by massive change. Celia Hughes’s "Young Lives on the Left", based on interviews with... Read More

Blending elements of philosophy, religion, and the mystery genre to interesting effect, "49 Buddhas" is the start of a series to watch. Jim Ringel’s refreshing and complex murder mystery "49 Buddhas" borrows from Eastern philosophy and... Read More