Mind Fixers
Harrington sorts out out the many different levels of interpretation and judgement that can shape narratives about mental suffering and relief. She shows how difficult it is to turn subjectivity into science.
Talk on the Wild Side
Lane Greene invites readers to think of all the ways that language is wild, as opposed to something that can be tamed or domesticated.
Those Bees and Bugs
In a time when people seem to be more aware of the plight of bees than of the bees themselves, these two authors will show you how to find and appreciate these creatures.
Lawn Boy
This is a tale of an insightful and compassionate young man taking his first steps into adulthood with inconsistent guidance.
Extended Heredity
New experiments and theories have broadened ideas about the way an organism develops and how it passes traits to future generations.
The Restless Clock
What is conscious agency? How does it arise? Where does it reside? Do conscious agents have a place in western science?
Bloodlines
As you read this book, construct a family tree with as much detail you can fit into it. It’s important to keep track of all the people and what can be understood from their lives.
The First Word
How did language evolve? This book is a comprehensive survey of the tantalizing ways researchers have failed to answer that question.
The Spaces Between Us
Have you ever inadvertently walked too close to an overhanging branch only to have a leaf or twig that you didn’t see slap you on the eyelid as you passed?
Certain Women
I remembered rushing up a stairway with a dog, dressing for the weather, smoking when no one was looking, waking up with the wrong shadow on the wall.
Balsamroot
Balsamroot is the tale of three women, each navigating the unknown at a different stage of life.
The Secret Life of Dust
Every line of this book brings a new piece of information, and each mote of it is one that you will be delighted to discover.
Is That a Fish in Your Ear?
This book delivers all sorts of information about language and translation that will make you wonder, “Why didn’t I ever think about this before?”
Sarah Canary
This is a perfect book to take on a trip. It is funny, philosophical, and suspenseful. The more slowly you read it, the better it is.
Jagged Edge of the Sky
This deep-keeled tale unfolds in a series of vignettes that span multiple generations on two continents. The connections that lie between the details will startle you long after you put the book down.