Once out of school, most of us read for pleasure. Yet there is another equally important, though often overlooked, reason that we read: to learn how to live. Though books have always been understood as life-teachers, the exact way in which they instruct, cajole, and convince remains a subject of some mystery. Drawing on sources as diverse as Dr. Seuss and Simone Weil, P. G. Wodehouse and Isaiah Berlin, Pulitzer prize-winning critic Michael Dirda shows...

"Based on real history and alternating between the story of war widow Alice searching for identity in the 1940s and excerpts from Eleanor Dare's Commonplace Book and the tale of her harrowing survival, The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare explores the meaning of female history and the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter"-- The waning days of World War II. Alice, a young widow and mother, is unexpectedly presented with her birthright: the deed...

"We all need inspiration. Other People's Words delivers it. When we are confused or sad, lonely or angry, or simply in need of a boost in a relationship or in our life goals, each of us can uplifted by the wisdom of others. New York Times bestselling author Seth M. Siegel has spent a lifetime collecting quotations that can guide us through virtually every life challenge and experience. The result is Other People's Words, a must-have collection that...