Good Reads & Views

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
Fiction

What it’s about: The plot of this simple story is not the point of this beautiful book. The four title characters meet each other and talk about life and love. The simple illustrations add to the spare narration.

Why you might like it: The book is filled with insights told very simply: “’What is the bravest thing you ever said?’ asked the boy. ‘Help,’ said the horse.”  It is also very heartwarming: have tissues on hand.

Readalikes: Children’s books that have adult depth, such as The Little Prince and Winnie-the-Pooh.

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The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
Nonfiction

This highly readable and enjoyable 2011 National Book Award winner tells the story of the development of modernity, by way of apostolic secretary Poggio Bracciolini. A humanist who turned avid book collector, Poggio scoured monasteries for ancient Latin texts and, in 1417, discovered De rerum natura, or “On the Nature of Things” by Lucretius, a Roman poet and philosopher who was born in 99 BCE. Lucretius was a follower of Epicurus and his verse seeks the pursuit of happiness as the highest goal in a life void of superstitions and religious dogma and the accompanying threats of punishment in the afterlife. The discovery of this book fueled the Renaissance, inspiring personalities such as Botticelli, Galileo, Darwin, Montaigne, and Shakespeare, among others.