This week, we feature a look at “perfect” Scandinavian societies and an absorbing novel about a girl longing to practice medicine in China’s past. Historical Fiction ‘Lady Tan’s Circle of Women’ By Lisa See This captivating story begins in 1469, the fifth year of the Chenghua Emperor’s reign. The protagonist is a girl named Tan…

This week, we feature collected tales of the estimable sleuth Father Brown and a history of an overlooked but crucial Revolutionary War battle. History ‘Fatal Sunday: George Washington, the Monmouth Campaign, and the Politics of Battle’ By Mark Edward Lender and Garry Wheeler Stone There are numerous battles in the Revolutionary War that can be…

This week, we feature an in-depth biography covering Theodore Roosevelt’s final years and a comprehensive exploration of learning and the human mind. Nonfiction ‘Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic’ By Simon Winchester Data and information are available at the click of a computer key or swipe on…

This week, we feature a naval history of an important British evacuation and a lush novel about the fate of three generations of an Indian family. Fiction ‘The Covenant of Water’ By Abraham Verghese This is a lovely, sweeping novel of epic proportion following the fates of three generations of a family living on India’s…

This week, we feature a meticulous biography of the remarkable President James A. Garfield and a slim gem that illuminates the importance of fiction. Nonfiction ‘The Novel, Who Needs It?’ By Joseph Epstein Packed into this short book are musings on serious novels, their history, and their enormous influence on the human mind and heart,…

This week, we feature a winning romance with a time-hopping heroine and a comprehensive history that explores how the Allies won World War II. Fiction ‘In This Moment’ By Gabrielle Meyer The heroine in this time-traveling romp through history is known as Margaret or Maggie or Meg. It all depends on which time period you’re…

This week, we feature the recently found memoirs of one of baseball’s greats and a fascinating true story of a shipwrecked, mutinous crew. Nonfiction ‘The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder’ By David Grann In 1740, a squadron of seven ships left Portsmouth, England, on a mission to capture a fabled Spanish galleon….

This week, we feature a Smoky Mountains cookbook with a side of savory stories and a unique slant on one of America’s most beloved illustrators. Art ‘Norman Rockwell’s Models: In and out of the Studio’ By S.T. Haggerty For fans of Norman Rockwell, Haggerty has made a beautiful and unique contribution to the artist’s legacy….

This week, we feature a witty guide to domestic and cultural sanity and an incisive look at the gifts Greek classics have bestowed on our culture. Nonfiction ‘Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War’ By Peachy Keenan The new radical extremism calls for sanity! Imagine that! This enjoyable guide asks its readers…

This week, we feature a children’s classic that stirs the love of nature and a lucid essay collection exploring early 20th-century naval history. Naval History ‘Fighting in the Dark: Naval Combat at Night: 1904–1944’ By Vincent P. O’Hara and Trent Hone, editors During the sailing era, only 10 percent of battles occurred at night. During…