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Recommended by the NY Times.

A scholarly, thoroughly researched book, and yet very pertinent - dare I say essential - for the non-scientists it targets as its readership. I'm a bit biased in that I work at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which is prominently featured in several chapters, but some of the accounts of wartime and Cold War-era research have opened my eyes to the tightrope my predecessors walked, and serve as a cautionary tale today.

A very compelling, relatable story of a woman who walks away from responsibility in search of identity. It's alternately funny and brutal, but always unapologetic. Without giving too much away, the author was very effective at weaving letters into a story line. I finished the book very quickly - not because it's "a quick read" but because the journey was so exhilarating.

Javier Cercas' mastery of the "non-fiction novel" is evident in that "Outlaws" reads like a true story. I came away believing that all of the characters, as well as their interweaving histories, could easily be 100% real. The author's first-hand knowledge of Barcelona helped frame the action in neighborhoods that evolved over the years, as if it were yet another character. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down until I finished.

As provocative a read as you can get from a graphic history, Nate Powell challenges himself to maintain an activist stance while also raising a family, and in so doing challenges all of us "armchair activists".

Javier Cercas is a master of the non-fiction novel. As in past books like "The Lord of all the Dead", the in-depth history of the deception of the main character is interlaced with the author's misgivings about writing the book, reaching a climax in an imagined dialogue with the protagonist. The why behind the lies is never fully fleshed out, leaving the distinction between truth and fiction as a continuing exercise for the reader.

"Song of the Simple Truth" compiles all of the known poetic output of Julia de Burgos, a cultural icon of Puerto Rican literature. While her best known poems (e.g. "Rio Grande de Loiza") are prominently represented, the crowning achievement of this collection are others that appear in writing for the first time. This bi-lingual edition features the translation of Jack Agüeros, who also provides an extensive introduction which serves as a brief biography of a woman whose poetry was shamefully neglected during her short lifetime.

Essential reading, beautifully illustrated. It begins with George as a young boy, believing that he and his family were going on an exciting new adventure, only to witness moments when his parents are barely able to hide their sorrow and bitterness. The book ends on a note of hope, but also with a warning to remain vigilant lest history repeat.

As the title would imply, this book displays its outrage like an outlawed Puerto Rican flag during the days of the infamous Gag Law. It includes detailed accounts of the many acts of heroism and defiance on the part of the island's Nationalists, as well as the brutality of the U.S. response. The history of Puerto Rico's colonial exploitation is also explored at length. If you're Puerto Rican, you'll come away from this book both informed and angry.

I bought this book for the title comic, but it contains many more, all of which make for an engaging read. "Your Black Friend" is written from the point of view of a Black man trying to clue his White friends in on their often inadvertent racist behavior. Other features make the case for anarchy versus pacificism, as well as questioning the effectiveness of non-violent protest. This is not a "Peanuts" anthology.