Viewing movements toward women’s equality through the lens of riding horses, Eliza McGraw’s "Astride" is a charming history book. At the turn of the twentieth century, just as horse-riding began to go out of fashion for society men,... Read More

The stories in Bob Johnson’s collection "The Continental Divide" pulse with tension, their characters grounded in their convictions and using language ripe with country pulp. Attentive to their characterizations and settings, these... Read More

A teenager discovers his hidden telekinetic powers, setting the scene for action, drama, and wildness, in John Hearne’s rollicking science fiction novel Someone’s Been Messing with Reality. After unlocking his powers, Martin learns... Read More

Keith Gilyard’s sprawling memoir "The Promise of Language" makes a passionate case for the power of language, particularly Black language, to transform lives and enliven art and culture. Born in Harlem and raised in Queens, Gilyard... Read More

Em J Parsley’s "You, From Below" is a surrealist novella in which an Appalachian town is destroyed by a massive sinkhole. After Mission disappears, You starts climbing into the mountains to deliver the letter in their pocket; it... Read More

Casey Mulligan Walsh’s memoir "The Full Catastrophe" reveals how tragedy can become a path to freedom. Walsh begins her story in medias res—in the hospital, receiving news of her son’s death. The first chapter pivots back to her... Read More

Karen Vermeulen’s graphic memoir "Good Luck to Us All" is a funny, honest account of an “imperfect” life marked by foibles and follies. An unwanted pregnancy, a bad relationship, an unruly cat, and aging are among the problems... Read More

In Youssef Rakha’s bold novel "The Dissenters", a son pieces together his mother’s Egyptian story. Following his mother’s death, Nour experiences visions of her in their attic. Piecemeal, he writes to his estranged sister, Shimo,... Read More