‘Greetings from Utopia Park: Surviving a Transcendent Childhood’ In the early 1980s, after being abandoned by her alcoholic husband, 5-year-old Claire Hoffman’s mother, a devoted practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, abruptly moved Claire and her brother from New York to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s headquarters in Fairfield, Iowa. “Greetings from Utopia Park” is
Read More →‘Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road’ Finn Murphy’s memoir is one of (most of) a life driving a truck, moving customers long distance. Called a “bedbugger,” he carefully packs belongings and loads them into his trailer, preparing them to safely reach their destination. Having dropped out
Read More →‘The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit’ In 1986, 26-year-old Christopher Knight walked away from his job, his car, his family and his life and set up a camp in the Maine woods where, other than two very brief accidental run-ins with hikers, he spoke to no one until
Read More →‘It Devours!’ Night Vale is a weird little town with a lot of heart. It was first made popular in podcast form and then in its first brilliant novel and now selling out live shows all over the world. It seems there’s nothing the strange little town in the desert
Read More →‘Home Grown Pantry’ Barbara Pleasant has written several bestselling books on organic gardening and self-sufficient living, along with regular articles for Mother Earth News and Mother Earth Living. Her new book is a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated and well-organized reference for the beginning and more experienced gardener alike. In five chapters,
Read More →‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ In the early part of the 20th century, the Osage nation, given a supposedly worthless reservation, was blessed with the discovery of black gold. They soon became the richest individuals in the world. However, these great riches also attracted the attention of others greatly interested
Read More →‘Lab Girl’ My definition of good popular science writing is that which even the reader who eschewed high school chemistry and physics can understand. Outstanding popular science writing will captivate the same reader from the first page on. “Lab Girl” by Hope Jahren falls into the second category. Growing up
Read More →“Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” While it may be hard to imagine a 33 year old having lived enough to fill a memoir, Daily Show Host Trevor Noah’s, Born a Crime, describes more than most of us will ever experience. Born to a native African mother
Read More →“Norse Mythology” With the upcoming release of the “American Gods” television show, Neil Gaiman bends his mythological mind and undeniable storytelling prowess to classical tales from deep in the past. With his trademark blend of wit and wonder, Gaiman weaves together the known and unknown tales from ancient Scandinavia into
Read More →“Moonglow” Michael Chabon’s new novel is a beautiful memorial to his grandparent’s lives and a fantastic exploration of family and memory. Although it is fiction, the narrator certainly seems to be Chabon himself, shaping and replaying his family’s story with characteristic talent. The focus is on his grandparents, whose history
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