Adult

A timeless collection of original essays by some of the most prominent contemporary writers in America—from Pete Dexter to Jane Leavy, from Roy Blount Jr. to Colum McCann—each piece focusing on one uniquely colorful subject

Deep in the rugged Appalachians of North Carolina lies a dark, forbidding place called the cove and within its shadows lives Laurel Shelton, a lonely young woman who’s believed to be a witch. One day, a stranger appears who explains in a note that his name is Walter and he is a mute. Laurel experiences true companionship and happiness for the first time, but Walter harbors a secret that could destroy everything.

Jill Farrow is a typical suburban mom who has finally gotten her and her daughter's lives back on track after a divorce. But Jill’s life is turned upside down when her ex-stepdaughter, Abby, shows up on her doorstep late one night and delivers shocking news: Jill’s ex-husband is dead.

In the summer of 1973, Joe Castle quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever.

Gabriella Mondini is a rarity in 16th-century Venice: a woman who practices medicine. When her father disappears, Gabriella faces a crisis: she is no longer permitted to treat her patients, women who need her desperately, without her father's patronage. She sets out across Europe to find where --- and why --- he has gone.

Harry's beloved ex–post mistress is never idle, dividing her time between raising this year’s bounty of crops; taking care of her veterinarian husband, Fair; indulging her passion for classic cars; and adding further to her reputation as a nosy neighbor. Her animal companions see disaster fast approaching but can do little except try their best to protect their foolishly intrepid human.

Anne Tyler gives readers a wise, haunting and deeply moving new novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, ripped apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances --- in their house, on the roadway, in the market.

While her younger brother Barack grew up in the U.S. and Indonesia, Auma Obama’s childhood played out in a remote village in Kenya. They met for the first time in the 1980s, and built a lasting relationship that led to travels together in Kenya, research into their family history, and ultimately Auma’s support for her brother’s political career and eventual bid for the U.S. presidency.

In the aftermath of the devastating fire that tears her family apart, Grace embarks on a mission to find the person responsible and protect her children from further harm. This fire was not an accident, and her daughter Jenny may still be in grave danger. Grace is the only one who can discover the culprit, and she will do whatever it takes to save her family.

Hearkening to the myth of Pandora's Box, the first book in Austin Boyd's new series sweeps readers into a world where unprecedented choices never intended by heaven lead to unintended consequences never before seen on earth.