🧠Because truth is often stranger—and funnier—than fiction.
Memoirs, essays, and deep dives into everything from psychology to platypuses. Smart reads for curious minds.
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When The Atlantic Monthly celebrated its 150th anniversary by publishing excerpts from the best writing ever to appear in the magazine, in the category of the humorous essay it chose only four pieces—one by Mark Twain, one by James Thurber, one by Kurt Vonnegut, and...
A sweeping and deeply personal account of Native American boarding schools in the United States, and the legacy of abuse wrought by them in an attempt to destroy Native culture and life FINALIST FOR THE PEN OPEN BOOK AWARD • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, TIME,...
From the author of the classic Mythology , "a book of both cultural and critical importance" reveals ancient Greece through literature, philosophy, and art ( The New York Times ). "Five hundred years before Christ. . . . Athens had entered upon her brief and...
When the self-help books just aren't helping, it's time to call in the experts: real people . . . San Francisco Chronicle columnist Adair Lara polled her readers for life lessons learned through experience, receiving thousands of heartfelt and irreverent responses....
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER · A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2025 “With propulsive humor and perspective on her annus horribilis, Jong-Fast achieves the memoir’s transformative work of alchemy, arming us all with lines so good you won’t just want to...
"Filled with heart, humor and hope" a inspiring memoir on living with depression from the acclaimed mental health podcast Depresh Mode with John Moe ( People ). For years John Moe, critically-acclaimed public radio personality struggled with depression; it plagued his...
“When truth teller and careful writer bell hooks offers a book, I like to be standing at the bookshop when it opens.” –Maya Angelou Renowned visionary bell hooks explored the meaning of love in American culture with the critically acclaimed bestseller All About Love:...
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat —and one of America’s most beloved chefs and teachers—125 meticulously tested, flavor-forward, soul-nourishing recipes that bring joy and a sense of communion A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: THE NEW YORKER,...
"As warm and stimulating as a library to which one returns again and again," the Pulitzer Prize–winning critic discusses the rewards of reading books ( Chicago Tribune, Editor's Choice). Once out of school, most of us read for pleasure. Yet there is another equally...
America's most inspirational voices, in their own words: "If you're looking for a reason to act and dream again, you'll find it in the pages of this book" ( Chicago Tribune ). Published when Studs Terkel was ninety-one years old, this astonishing oral history tackles...