

Literature and Poetry
The Pastor's Son, a Chapter from Medicine in Translation by Danielle Ofri:
"When he could marshal some grains of his spirit, he trawled the web for plastic surgeons, hoping someone might offer the medical care he needed. Most days he simply drew the blankets over his head ... They ended their relationship by mutual agreement, but he knew she just needed a graceful way out" more »
Two Family Memoirs Celebrating Mothers and Fathers
Where academics offer long, abstract explanations of manic depression, she cuts to the heart of matter, showing what it is like for a child to live with a manic: “Mania is broiling and freezing thirty dozen chicken wings in Catalina sauce ‘to get a jump of condolence meals’ for friends who aren’t feeling well but aren’t dead yet.” “Who’s gonna notice the freezer burn,” Lola asks. more »
CultureWatch Begins Summer Reads
Unless you already know all the biographical details of Renoir's life, however, you read on if only to discover which woman, if any of them, will be next in his life and how the money will be found to complete the work within the deadline. You have to know whether Augustine will enable him to keep up his spirits, whether he will make the models all appear on time and frequently enough to finish each section at all, if the weather will hold, if he will be able to persuade his supplier to trust him for more paint…and other problems that arise like plot points in a thriller. more »
On Looking Forward to Summer and Good Beach Reads
Oh, and one more thing: a true beach read must be one that you can pass along, which is why ours are almost always paperbacks. When you’ve found a satisfying beach read, others will request your copy as soon as you’re through with it, probably because you’ve been recounting your delight at the dinner table (an obnoxious habit, that, but I’ve had some good reads out of it). If you’ve been emphatic enough with your praise, the book will travel from hand to hand, and probably wind up going home with someone else. more »