So Far Gone, Jess Walter
Walter’s novel centers on Rhys Kinnick, a reclusive environmental journalist forced back into society by family crisis. Rhys, who has spent years in self-imposed exile wrestling with regret, trauma, and intellectual separation, finds his world upended when his daughter, Bethany, sends her children to stay with him, fleeing the dangers of their stepfather's ties to a Christian Nationalist militia. I liked how Walter's characters are deeply drawn and real: Rhys is neither hero
We Should All Be Birds, Brian Buckbee
This, for me, was an example of how the mind can completely ruin your life if you let it. This memoir is raw. Its an exploration of chronic illness, grief, and the unexpected salvation found in a humble pigeon. Stricken by a mysterious and debilitating illness (eventually diagnosed as ME/CFS) that left him constantly isolated and tormented by unrelenting headaches, Buckbee’s former life as an adventurous athlete and teacher dissolved. The book begins at his lowest point, gri
Replaceable You, Mary Roach
Mary Roach's Replaceable You delivers her blend of meticulous research, dark humor, and relentless curiosity that her fans have come to love, making the quest to repair and replace human body parts fascinating. As usual, she humanizes highly technical and often nauseous subjects, covering everything from the history of prosthetic limbs and early skin grafts to the cutting-edge science of 3D-printed organs and xenotransplantation (pig-to-human parts). Roach takes readers into
Mailman, Stephen Grant
Stephen’s book offers a moral reflection on identity, service, and community, grounded in the rural landscape of Southwest Virginia. After losing both his marketing job and sense of purpose during the pandemic, Grant took on the role of a mailman in Blacksburg, VA. Through keen observations… like watching how a small gesture (coffee left in a freezing mailbox) becomes a ritual of mutual recognition, Grant explores how seemingly menial labor reveals value and dignity, pushing
Life, & Death, & Giants, Ron Rindo
A deeply moving novel that tracks the life of Gabriel Fisher, a child born under extraordinary circumstances… close to 19 pounds, and orphaned almost immediately. Raised first by his older brother and then by his Amish grandparents, Gabriel is physically very large (nearly nine feet tall), with grace and innocence seem woven into his being. He’s able to walk early, has a special bond with animals, and quickly becomes a local athletic sensation. Rindo tells the story through m
Stoner, John Williams
What a wonder… high-level expansiveness. A t its core, this book is a relentless philosophical inquiry into the nature of an ordinary existence, masterfully challenging the traditional heroic narrative. It follows William Stoner, a man born to poor Missouri farmers, who unexpectedly finds his calling in literature and becomes a modest, uncelebrated university professor. A meticulous chronicle of small failures: disappointments in marriage, professional inactivity, and the s
A Marriage At Sea, Sophie Elmhirst
Tremendous. Elmhirst’s work transcends the genre of travelogue. It’s a compelling existential narrative on identity and environment. By chronicling a lost at sea…117 days adrift of a married couple, Elmhirst relays how the essential self of two people are tested by deliberate isolation. The sea is not merely a setting but a void. It’s stripped of the external social world (career, community, consumerism) that typically anchors people in the modern world… the evolution of huma
Lion, Sonya Walger
A short and powerful memoir. A bit over 100 pages, Walger’s Lion is an exploration of memory, legacy, and the deep imprint a parent leaves on a child’s life. The title itself is a powerful metaphor for the author’s father, whose larger-than-life presence and absence both loom large throughout the narrative. Walger’s prose is lyrical and introspective, weaving together fragments of memory, family lore, and personal reflection. The book challenges the reader to consider how we
Waiting on the Moon, Peter Wolf
Peter’s memoir weaves together reflections on creativity, chance, and the passage of time. At its core, the book champions the idea of being present and open to life’s unpredictable encounters…what Wolf describes as “hanging out and staying to see who shows up.” Through a series of vignettes, he positions himself not as the central hero but as a witness to the lives and struggles of artists, musicians, and friends. The narrative is as much about the people he meets such as Bo
Billionaires Wilderness, Justin Farrell
Farrell's book dives deep into the residents of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It's not a book about land ownership; it's an exploration of how the ultra-wealthy, often with good intentions, end up reinforcing existing inequalities even in their efforts to "conserve" the wild. Farrell uncovers the paradox of environmentalism becoming a luxury good, where access to pristine nature is increasingly reserved for those who can afford it. This raises some questions: What does "wilderness"
