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Books

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.

The 1924 Law That Slammed the Door on Immigrants and the Politicians Who Pushed it Back Open

Decades of xenophobic policy were overturned, setting the United States on the path to the diversity seen today

A broadsheet campaigned to save the house once owned by John Hancock.

How Historic Preservation Shaped the Early United States

A new book details how the young nation regarded its recent and more ancient pasts

This week's selections include Enemy of All Mankind, Who Ate the First Oyster? and Daughter of the Boycott.

Books of the Month

A Notorious 17th-Century Pirate, the Many Lives of the Louvre and Other New Books to Read

The seventh installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis

Enroll in Hogwarts classes, find out which house you belong in, and listen to the audiobook version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Education During Coronavirus

Hear Daniel Radcliffe Read the First Chapter of ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’

The actor is one of 17 celebrities slated to participate in newly announced read-alongs of the series’ first book

Studying the rich panoply of Dominican folklore to use in her work, poet Elizabeth Acevedo seeks to learn from the myths and legends and to ask deeper questions.

Elizabeth Acevedo Sees Fantastical Beasts Everywhere

The National Book Award winner’s new book delves into matters of family grief and loss

This week's titles include Death By Shakespeare, Empires of the Sky and How to Feed a Dictator.

Books of the Month

Shakespearean Stabbings, How to Feed a Dictator and Other New Books to Read

The sixth installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis

Micrograph of a well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma

How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer

A new book argues that controlling cancer is within reach if scientists are able to anticipate the evolution of resistance to traditional treatments

This week's selections include The Women With Silver Wings, Tombstone and The Restaurant.

Books of the Month

A 2,000-Year History of Restaurants and Other New Books to Read

The fifth installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis

Folium was used to illustrate illuminated manuscripts—and color the rind of a popular Dutch cheese.

Art Meets Science

Researchers Follow a 15th-Century Recipe to Recreate Medieval Blue Ink

The purplish-blue pigment, derived from a Portuguese fruit, fell out of use by the 19th century

This week's selections include The Betrayal of the Duchess, Anonymous Is a Woman and Nerve.

Books of the Month

The Science of Fear, the Royal Scandal That Made France Modern and Other New Books to Read

The fourth installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis

Batu Caves, Malaysia

Virtual Travel

A Photographic Tour of the World’s Most Colorful Places

The new book ‘The Rainbow Atlas’ invites readers on a vivid journey across the globe

Capitol Hill Books is one of several independent bookstores selling "mystery bags."

Covid-19

Local Bookstores Offer ‘Mystery Bags’ of Quarantine Reading

Buyers can ask for a mix of their favorite genre or seek booksellers’ recommendations

Shel Silverstein's houseboat, Evil Eye, is up for sale.

Shel Silverstein’s Historic Sausalito Houseboat Is Now on Sale

The children’s book author and illustrator purchased the repurposed World War II vessel in 1967

Protesters gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court on April 23, 2019. The Commerce v. New York case highlighted a proposed question about U.S. citizenship included by the Trump administration in the 2020 U.S. census.

The Enumerated Story of the Census

A new book charts the history of counting the public, from the ancient censuses in Rome to the American version of decennial data collection

This week's selections include Hidden Valley Road, The Last Voyage of the Andrea Doria and Coffeeland.

Books of the Month

Coffee’s Dark History, the Sinking of the World’s Most Glamorous Ship and Other New Books to Read

The third installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis

1796 portrait miniature of Mary Pearson by William Wood

Cool Finds

Newly Discovered Portrait Depicts Woman Who May Have Inspired Jane Austen Character

Mary Pearson, who was briefly engaged to the writer’s brother, may be the real-life counterpart of Lydia Bennet from “Pride and Prejudice”

"Washington and His Cabinet" lithograph by Currier & Ives

The President’s Cabinet Was an Invention of America’s First President

A new book explores how George Washington shaped the group of advisors as an institution to meet his own needs

A selection of classic books available on Audible Stories

Education During Coronavirus

Listen to Hundreds of Free Audiobooks, From Classics to Educational Texts

Audible’s new service is aimed at school-age children participating in distance learning but features selections likely to appeal to all

This week's offerings include How the South Won the Civil War, The Imposteress Rabbit Breeder, and Heaven and Hell.

Books of the Month

The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits, a History of Hell and Other New Books to Read

The second installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Ten Surprising Facts About Everyday Household Objects

While COVID-19 has us homebound, it’s a good time to reflect on the peculiar histories of housewares we take for granted

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