855: That’s a Weird Thing to Lie About

This incisive book provides an essential guide to understanding and recovering from the calamitous corrosion of American democracy over the past few years. Thanks to the special perspective that is the legacy of a Soviet childhood and two decades covering the resurgence of totalitarianism in Russia, Masha Gessen has a sixth sense for the manifestations of autocracy—and the unique cross-cultural fluency to delineate their emergence to Americans. Gessen not only anatomizes the corrosion of the institutions and cultural norms we hoped would save us but also tells us the story of how a short few years changed us from a people who saw ourselves as a nation of immigrants to a populace haggling over a border wall, heirs to a degraded sense of truth, meaning, and possibility. 'Surviving Autocracy' is an inventory of ravages and a call to account but also a beacon to recovery—and to the hope of what comes next.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Eric Carle. The story follows a tiny caterpillar that hatches from an egg and begins eating through various foods each day of the week. After overeating on Saturday, the caterpillar gets a stomachache but feels better after eating a green leaf on Sunday. The caterpillar then builds a cocoon and emerges as a beautiful butterfly. The book incorporates elements of early childhood education, including counting, days of the week, and the life cycle of a butterfly. It is known for its iconic collage artwork and educational content.

The Furies continues the Kent family saga with Amanda Kent as the central figure. After surviving the Battle of the Alamo, Amanda embarks on a journey to reclaim her family's legacy amidst the backdrop of the California Gold Rush and the looming Civil War. Her story intertwines with historical figures and events, capturing the societal tensions of the era.