Nonfiction
Pandemic Policies
‘A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID From Destroying America’
By Scott W. Atlas
Atlas, who was on Donald Trump’s COVID-19 Task Force and advocated a public policy perspective, wrote a mind-blowing exposé about how policies were instituted—without basis in public policy or science—and ultimately had disastrous effects on society. A heart-wrenching story.
Bombardier Books, 2021, 352 pages
Rekindling Citizen Engagement
‘I, Citizen: A Blueprint for Reclaiming American Self-Governance’
By Tony Woodlief
In this book, Woodlief described how our government has continued to stray from our founding principles, providing ample examples of our ever-expanding government and discussing how our system, which started off so well, has been slowly but surely dismantled. “I, Citizen” is a call to action for Americans to begin playing the traditional role of good, concerned citizens: It doesn’t mean jumping on social media to address the country’s ills, but doing as Theodore Roosevelt suggested—actually getting in the arena.
Encounter Books, Dec. 7, 2021, 264 pages
Fiction
Taking the Bus From Hell to Heaven
‘The Great Divorce’
By C.S. Lewis
A group of people living in hell board a bus and travel to the outskirts of heaven, where if they repent of their sins they can enter into that paradise forever. However, only a few of them possess the desire and willpower to shake off their past offenses. All the others cling to their pride and their wrongdoing, and so return to hell, which in this case means alienation from God and from one another. Forgiveness and humility are the themes in this short, brilliant novel.
HarperOne, 2015, 160 pages
The Life You Always Wanted
‘The Nine Cloud Dream’
By Kin Man-jung, trans. by Heinz Insu Fekl
This 17th-century Korean classic centers around a monk who undergoes a most interesting punishment for being tempted by eight fairy maidens: getting reincarnated as the most ideal man. As he journeys through his new life, he realizes that all isn’t as it seems. Well-written and entertaining, this book easily offers insight into our modern age: Then and now, our desires are still the same—but so are the fundamental truths.
Penguin Classics, 2019, 288 pages
Self-Improvement
Boost Your Productivity
‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change’
By Stephen R. Covey
Rather than a glittery array of life-hacks, Covey’s book aims to put forth a set of fundamental principles to live by, from being proactive and managing priorities to envisioning the end in mind. If you’ve never read “The 7 Habits” or even if it’s been a while, now is the perfect time of year to absorb the valuable lessons it conveys.
Gardners Books, 2004, 384 pages
Classics
Sparkling Wit to Light Up the Winter
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
By Oscar Wilde
Subtitled “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” this stage comedy gently pokes fun at Victorian manners, class distinctions, and customs while having brought laughter to audiences since its first performance more than a century ago. The dialogue is brilliant—Wilde’s ability to write dazzling epigrams shines here—while the situations created by deceptions and name changes whip up a delicious mix of wonderful absurdities. Read the play with family or friends or even aloud to yourself, then watch one of the many film versions that exist.
Dover, 2008, 64 pages
For Kids
One Man’s Gift to the World
‘Snowflake Bentley’
By Jacqueline Briggs Martin, ill. by Mary Azarian
This is the story of a young boy’s lifelong pursuit to capture the beauty of snowflakes. See also a compilation of his work, “Snow Crystals;” these books will show children the beauty of nature and the potential of their own curiosity.
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2009, 32 pages
Still a Role Model for Girls Today
‘Anne of Green Gables’
By Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne Shirley is a high-spirited 11-year-old orphan whose imagination frequently lands her both in trouble and in the hearts of readers. Sequels to this story allow us to accompany her on many other adventures and into adulthood.
Bantam Books, 1982, 336 pages
