Book Review: ‘The Holocaust,’ by Dan Stone
A new book by the historian Dan Stone seeks to amend — and expand — our understanding of the genocide.
Mary McCarthy’s Campus Novel and the Crisis in Higher Education
How a 1950s novel explains the crisis in higher education.
Alice Munro’s Best Work: A Guide
The only prerequisite for reading the Nobel laureate, a master of short stories, is: having lived. Here’s where to start.
The Best 5 Books About Artificial Intelligence
A guide to the best books about artificial intelligence.
Letha Dawson Scanzoni, Pioneer of Evangelical Feminism, Dies at 88
In books like “All We’re Meant to Be” and “Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?” she used the Bible to challenge beliefs that women were inferior to men and that homosexuality was a sin.
The Secret of Thomas Mann’s Translator
A new novel about Thomas Mann’s longstanding American translator portrays a woman ahead of her time and, despite her shortcomings, important to leading Mann to a Nobel Prize.
'Your Utopia' considers surveillance and the perils of advanced technology
The best of Bora Chung's new stories impart a feeling of disorientation, evoking worlds that seem at first like utopias only to disclose, upon deeper inspection, dystopias.
'Your Utopia' considers surveillance and the perils of advanced technology
The best of Bora Chung's new stories impart a feeling of disorientation, evoking worlds that seem at first like utopias only to disclose, upon deeper inspection, dystopias.
(Image credit: Algonquin Books)
The Most Powerful Person in Publishing Doesn’t Like to Talk About Himself
Nihar Malaviya, Penguin Random House’s C.E.O., is a behind-the-scenes operator with a significant task: leading the company after a period of messy, and expensive, turbulence.
Book Review: ‘Hard by a Great Forest,’ by Leo Vardiashvili
In Leo Vardiashvili’s first novel, “Hard by a Great Forest,” a young man begins a fraught quest in the country he once fled.
Book Review: ‘One Nation Under Guns,’ by Dominic Erdozain; ‘What We’ve Become,’ by Jonathan M. Metzl
Two new books consider how the country’s obsession with firearms has become an existential threat.
N. Scott Momaday, Pulitzer-Winning Native American Novelist, Dies at 89
The success of his novel “House Made of Dawn,” the first work by a Native American to win a Pulitzer, inspired a wave of Native literature.
In 'Martyr!,' an endless quest for purpose in a world that can be cruel and uncaring
Engaging and wildly entertaining, Kaveh Akbar's debut novel will undoubtedly be considered one of the best of the year because it focuses on very specific stories while discussing universal feelings.
In 'Martyr!,' an endless quest for purpose in a world that can be cruel and uncaring
Engaging and wildly entertaining, Kaveh Akbar's debut novel will undoubtedly be considered one of the best of the year because it focuses on very specific stories while discussing universal feelings.
(Image credit: Knopf)
Audiobooks Are Booming. Spotify Wants in on the Action.
There are early signs that Spotify’s addition of audiobooks to its streaming service is helping drive audiobook consumption — already a growing market.
Just Because: A Breezy Ode to Life’s Contradictions
Just Because: A Breezy Ode to Life’s Contradictions
unCovered Review by Collette Jones, ACLS Egg Harbor City Branch
Matthew McConaughey’s debut children’s book, JUST BECAUSE: A BREEZY ODE TO LIFE’S CONTRADICTIONS, is a charming and thought-provoking exploration of life’s complexities wrapped in a playful rhyming package. The book celebrates the beauty of “just because” moments, where one thing can be true, and its opposite can also hold merit.
Through vibrant illustrations and McConaughey’s signature Southern drawl (downloadable audiobook available, bit.ly/42dGMLV), we meet a cast of characters demonstrating diverse perspectives. A child who loves reading may also be a messy eater, and a clumsy friend might be a loyal confidante. These dualities are presented not as contradictions, but as facets of a multifaceted world.
The book’s strength lies in its simplicity. McConaughey doesn’t preach or moralize. He simply observes and invites readers to do the same. “Just because you stumble sometimes, doesn’t mean you can’t run,” he writes, encouraging acceptance of imperfections and embracing growth.
JUST BECAUSE isn’t without its flaws. The rhyming prose can occasionally feel clunky, and the message, while valuable, might be too nuanced for very young children. However, for older kids and adults, it’s an insightful reminder that life is rarely black and white.
The book’s true magic lies in its ability to spark conversations. It invites readers to question assumptions, consider alternative perspectives, and celebrate the messy, beautiful tapestry of human experience. Whether you’re a parent reading with your child or an adult rediscovering the joy of simple truths, JUST BECAUSE offers a refreshing perspective on life’s contradictions, reminding us that sometimes, the most meaningful lessons are learned not in right or wrong, but in the vibrant “just because” in between.
Where Southerners Go to Fill the Tank and Feed the Family
Are they gas stations that serve food or restaurants that pump gas? A new photography book explores the lure of these restorative community rest stops.
Book Review: ‘Alphabetical Diaries,’ by Sheila Heti
In her new book, the writer presents 10 years of her diaries in an unorthodox arrangement.
17 New Books to Read in February
New novels from Tommy Orange and Kristen Hannah; memoirs from Kara Swisher and Leslie Jamison; a biography of Medgar and Myrlie Evers — and more.
Book Review: ‘Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame,’ by Olivia Ford
In “Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame,” Olivia Ford whips up a sweet confection about a septuagenarian cook with reality TV dreams.
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