This week, we feature a witty memoir that honors America, and a collection of short plays that are perfect for small theater companies or high schools.
Non-fiction
‘Never Say You’ve Had a Lucky Life’
By Joseph Epstein
In this autobiography subtitled “Especially If You’ve Had a Lucky Life,” the 87-year-old Epstein, long regarded as a master of the essay, offers readers a tour of his life while reflecting on America’s changing values and mores. From the Depression to the present, he examines such topics as fatherhood, work, ambition, and fashion. Written with the same wit and flair that mark his hundreds of other essays, this memoir should spark both smiles and some long thoughts in readers.
Free Press, 2024, 304 pages
History
By Noel Malcolm
This book follows the Bruni/Bruti families—Italian-speaking Christians from Albania in the 16th century. The families consisted of merchants, clergy, soldiers, translators and political administrators. They were minor nobility from Ulcinj, an Albanian coastal trading city bordering the Ottoman Empire. At the start of the book in 1550, Ulcinj was merely a strip of coast controlled by Venice. Reading more like a novel than history, this book follows these families’ fortunes.
Oxford University Press, 2015, 640 pages
Mystery
By Jim Lester
It’s 1952 and Jake August, a Navy CID officer invalided out of the service. He writes pulp fiction in New York City for Rattlesnake Books to pay the bills and keep himself busy. Then Abbey O’Brian, a secretary at Rattlesnake, gets Jake to look into the suicide of her fiancé, Donald Karp, another Rattlesnake writer. She thinks it was murder. Jake soon uncovers a conspiracy tied to a secret society. A mystery in the tradition of Spillane and Heim.
Jim Lester Books, 2021, 272 pages
Anthology
‘George MacDonald: An Anthology 365 Readings’
By C.S. Lewis
Over the past century, C.S. Lewis has had a significant impact on the world—his influence has ranged from the literary to the philosophical to the religious. But who had the most influence on Lewis? According to Lewis, it was George MacDonald. In this book, Lewis introduces us to MacDonald, his writings, and the depth of his thoughts. The anthology is practically a daily devotional with 365 readings. MacDonald, a devout Christian, is presented with all his wit, wisdom, and whimsy.
HarperCollins, 2015, 224 pages
Classics
‘Twelve Classic One-Act Plays: Chekhov, Strindberg, Synge and Others’
Edited by Mary Carolyn Waldrep
Aristophanes, Chekov, Oscar Wilde, and Susan Glaspell are just four of the playwrights whose work appears here. These short, royalty-free plays run from satire to tragedy and are ideal for any number of purposes, especially for high school performances or small theatrical groups. Editor Waldrep writes that she chose these plays with amateur theater in mind, solving some of the expense and other problems facing such organizations. A treat for your budding actor or for solitary entertainment.
Dover Publications, 2010, 224 pages
For Kids
By Andrea Wang and Jason Chin
While driving in Ohio, a young girl’s Chinese immigrant parents are amazed to spot watercress growing wild in a ditch. They stop the car to gather it, but their daughter is embarrassed. When her mother shares about her youth in China and her family’s struggle during the Great Famine, the girl has a change of heart and appreciates her family’s sacrifices.
Neal Porter Books, 2021, 32 pages
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