Category Archives: Short Stories/Essays

The essays in this collection by Marilynne Robinson address several different aspects of American life, from its Puritan history, to the presidency, to the media. Some also take on such lofty theological concepts as the sacred, grace and beauty, and … Continue reading →

In this collection of 10 essays, Morgan Jerkins reflects on her life and how it represents the experiences of black women in America. Each essay tackles a different aspect of life, including her childhood impressions of beauty, to life in … Continue reading →

One of the best books I read last year was Joan Didion’s essay collection, Slouching Towards Bethlehem. I appreciated Didion’s keen observations and her blending of personal observation with commentary on the culture. It felt significant and hardly at all … Continue reading →

Ta-Nehisi Coates rose to prominence as a writer largely through his articles for The Atlantic, and this collection includes nine of those articles, each drawn from a year of the Obama presidency and the year following. Through them, we can … Continue reading →

Several years ago, I read David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest. I enjoyed it, mostly, but found it was too much of a good thing. The sort of good thing where once you’ve had too much of it, you feel a … Continue reading →

Did you know that the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world? At least it did in 2012, according to the essay by Jeremy Travis and Bruce Western in this collection edited by Angela J. Davis. Besides having … Continue reading →

In this slim book, Jeff Chang shares his perspective on various racial conflicts and controversies of the past few years. The word “Notes” in the subtitle is essential to appreciating what this book is. It’s not a comprehensive study of race … Continue reading →