This week, we feature a popular-science approach to astronomy that explores the invisible spectrum of light and an insightful examination of the ills of our time.
Astronomy
‘The Invisible Universe’
By Matthew Bothwell
Light is our window to the world. Yet we see through only a small window of the full spectrum of light—just one percent of it. This book explores the world of light―visible and invisible. It reveals the secrets of the invisible spectrum and explains what those hidden parts tell us about the universe. A delightful book, it avoids equations and jargon. Even those normally uninterested in by science will be hooked by it.
Oneworld Publications, 2021, 320 pages
Fantasy
‘Shadow of the Crescent’
By Margaret Ball
When the ruler of San Florian, a city-state in 15th-century Italy, is murdered by a rival faction, his wife, Catarina Rinaldi, could rule the city—if she puts down the rebellion. Gian Bracciaforte leads a 15-man troop of mercenaries. A man with a past, he and his men are unemployed, and they are looking for work. In this fantasy novel, their lives become entangled. Set in late-Renaissance Italy and the Near East, it is marvelous historical fiction that offers adventure and romance.
Galway Press, 2023, 305 pages
Foreign Policy
‘The Diplomacy of the American Revolution’
By Samuel Flagg Bemis
Some may not know it, but the American Revolution was nearly a world war. It involved the most powerful empires at the time: Great Britain, France, and Spain. It also drew in the Germans, Dutch, and the Russians. The fallout between the American colonists and the British Crown may have resulted in the maneuvering of armies and navies, but it also resulted in some of the greatest diplomatic achievements in our nation’s history. This third edition of Bragg’s important work reminds us of our diplomatic heritage.
Encounter Books, 2024, 272 pages
Nonfiction
‘American Awakening’
By Joshua Mitchell
This examination of identity politics and other afflictions of our age includes an incisive look at our epidemic of loneliness and how we are creating it by the broken ways in which we live. Mr. Mitchell, a professor of political science, brings a wealth of insight and wisdom to these fractious issues. His thoughts on the pandemic disaster and what it reveals about our irrational fear of “the death from which no quarantine alone can protect us” is alone worth the cost of this thoughtful book.
Encounter Books, 2020, 296 pages
Cooking Classic
‘The Joy of Cooking’
By Irma Rombauer
Self-published in 1931, and revised nine times since then, this cookbook, which the New York Public Library declared one of the 150 most influential books of the 20th century, has graced millions of kitchens for generations. Aimed at middle-class families, it contains all sorts of information about foodstuffs, including the classic chapter “Know Your Ingredients,” along with more than 4,000 recipes. Often given to newlyweds, it remains, like salt and pepper, a staple in many kitchens.
Scribner, 2019, 1200 pages
For Kids
‘The Long Winter’
By Laura Ingalls Wilder
The sixth book in the beloved Little House series, “The Long Winter” features the Dakota town of De Smet as it battles the relentless winter of 1880–1881. As great blizzards isolate the community, the Ingalls family and their neighbors face intense hardship and must summon every resource they’ve got. A compelling tale and an inspiring read.
HarperCollins, 2016, 364 pages
