Mind, Body & Spirit

Gosden’s fascination with identity and how it has informed humans throughout time shines through in this new book on the history of magic in human society. Drawing on many examples of its cultural significance, Gosden shows just how big a role magic has played in the development of societies all over the world. Whether he is talking about horoscopes or tattoos, his voice makes a fun read for anyone, from history buffs to the casual reader.  — MJ

There is a healthy way to be angry at Trump and white supremacy. In this profound and helpful book, a queer Black Buddhist teacher wrestles with his own rage. He teaches us how spiritual practice and vigilant activism can be interwoven. He does not teach us to bypass anger, but instead to use it as a tool. This is the book on social justice and mindfulness we have been waiting for. I cannot recommend it highly enough. — Jason 

The term “emotion scientist” may sound made up, but it’s a real and important job in the mental health field. Brackett has held that title for more than 25 years and has given us a book to share what he’s learned over the past two-and-a-half decades. Childhood is a pivotal time for our development, and Brackett has developed RULER, a system that teaches the skills of emotional intelligence, setting children and adults up for healthier relationships to their own emotions and those of others. — MJ

Adam Kirsch surveys themes of alienation in the Old World, assimilation in America, and newfound nationhood in Israel, bringing to light, or profoundly illuminating, some of the great works of Jewish literature. He ends with a selection of Judaism’s formative religious responses to the 20th century, from philosophical to feminist. His fascinating and enjoyably readable prose made me want to read, or reread, almost every one. I believe I will.  — Dave

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, The Undying is unapologetic, unflinching, and unsentimental. Boyer’s diagnosis of triple- negative breast cancer propels her into the sphere of the “sick,” and her thrift shop mom aesthetic becomes infused with platinum-rich chemotherapy treatments, an oncological lexicon, and ritualistic obedience to a capitalist healthcare system. Written in her acclaimed essay-style prose, Boyle torches the idea of a “pink ribbon for the cure” and rejects the notion that her illness can be quantified by analytics and mortality calculators. The Undying is a dissection of the relentless rhetoric of “fighting” cancer: as Boyer shows, personal determination alone cannot separate “survivors” from “lost battles.” Austere and deeply personal, The Undying unravels the subtle intricacies of living with illness as she weaves her own intimate narrative of an exhaustive pursuit of undying. — Charlotte

This is the book I wish I had growing up. That I could have handed to family and friends, linked people to in those early pre–social media days, when reaching out was much more limited. It covers so much more than I was expecting—privilege, toxic masculinity, eating disorders, pronouns, advertising. It’s a mix of hardcore research and intimate, raw experiences sharing space with Gottlieb’s crisp, vibrant art. - Rachel

The more we seek to understand strangers, the more elusive they become. Brilliantly pertinent, eloquent, and captivating, Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers explores our interactions with strangers through narratives of CIA interrogations, college sexual assaults, the Amanda Knox case, bail arraignment hearings, and more. These interactions—playing on our inherent biases about the truth—have historically led to devastating mistakes when not approached with caution and humility. For everyone from the politically engaged citizen to the college freshman, Talking to Strangers is a must-read. - Charlotte

I highly recommend this book, even if I struggle to explain exactly why. It’s a cancer book that talks about everything but cancer, focusing instead on the painful rawness that so many other books pass by. She writes of that liminal space between the individual and the diagnosis, the array of changes a person goes through while retaining pieces of themselves even as others redefine them: survivor, patient, terminal. The book itself meanders through the hazy experience of decisions and pain before zooming out to look at the big picture of the motivation and success behind cancer treatment. It’s the sort of book I’d like to thank for allowing me to read it, and thank the author for sharing these words. - Rachel

This delightful book is hard to categorize. Written by Sasha Sagan, the daughter of astronomer Carl Sagan and writer-producer Ann Druyan, For Small Creatures is part memoir, part history, part science, and all heart. Raised by her famous parents as ethnically Jewish but not religious, Sasha Sagan was taught from a young age to find the miracle in the natural world that surrounded her. When her own daughter was born, Sagan was committed to continuing this way of upbringing but wanted to make sure that her daughter also had a sense of ritual and meaning that Sagan herself felt so deeply inside but had a hard time naming. Reflecting on nature, history, science, art, and literature, Sagan tells the story of how across eons and cultures, humans have always developed a way to mark the nature of time’s passing, of life, of death, and of the phenomenon of feeling. In charming prose, she offers a wonderful way to find meaning in everyday life.  - S.M.C.

The Astro Poets are Alex Dimitrov and Dorothea Lasky, two accomplished poets whose humor and insight into all things astrology have propelled them to half a million followers on Twitter. With compatibility guides, playlists, and poems, Astro Poets provides a frame of reference for those who are new to astrology and dives deep for those who are well-versed in their moon and rising signs. Readers can expect to find out why Mariah Carey is the quintessential Aries, what to expect when texting a Pisces, and why Scorpios are the way that they are. Dimitrov and Lasky have written a refreshing, entertaining book of astrology that’s sure to delight anyone who has ever asked someone for their exact time of birth. - Billy