Reading Recommendations

The Changeling

A horror story/fairy tale by Victory Lavalle set in contemporary times. It's beautifully written, horrifying, and powerful. If you're into horror at all you should read this.

Lovecraft County

A horror novel that reads like a short story cycle, with different protagonists in each chapter. Each chapter is a piece of a larger story. The added horror of racial attitudes in the fifties heightens the horror.

The Tangled Tree

Quammen is a fantastic science writer. The book begins by covering the early "tree of life" diagrams and finishes with how DNA and RNA analysis led to the discoveries about the nature of life and what makes us us.

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

A brief nonfiction history of dinosaur life. What's especially impressive is Brusatte's ability to both connect his narrative to scientific evidence and make it interesting to readers. It's also a humbling look at the power of natural disasters.

Invisible Ink

Modiano's work typically deals with memory, perception and the unreliability of both. This novel is no exception. It's a story about a missing person's case from thirty years ago. It's more approachable than some of his work, and it's a worthwhile read.

Return of King

Don't confuse it with the final book in Tolkien's trilogy. This book is a history of the first Anglo-Afghan war. Dalrymple uses British and Afghan sources and weighs the accuracy of all evidence. It's a fascinating history.

Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli

A beautiful and intense graphic novel from the creator of the Terminal Lance cartoon strip. A great read.

The White Donkey

The first graphic novel from Terminal Lance creator, Maximilian Uriarte, is an intense read and one of the great pieces of fiction to come from the Iraq War.