# books and literature (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 6 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover books and literature. Page: Feed: --- ## [What does the Catholic church teach about LGBTQ+ people?](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/what-does-the-catholic-church-teach-about-lgbtq-people/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-does-the-catholic-church-teach-about-lgbtq-people) _2026-08-26 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ What does the Catholic Church teach about LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) people? That answer deserves a book or maybe several. But let me try to answer that as clearly as I can in an article. Full disclosure: I’m a Catholic priest, so I want to present church teaching as accurately as I \[…\] The post What does the Catholic church teach about LGBTQ+ people? appeared first on… ## [Book Review: ‘Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea,’ by Emily Wilson](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/books/review/crossing-the-wine-dark-sea-emily-wilson.html) _2026-08-26 · Jennifer Szalai · NYT \> Books_ A new book of essays by the celebrated classicist captures her excitement for her subject matter and the surprising range of her references. ## [22 New Books to Read in September: John Green, R.F. Kuang, Marlon James and More](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/books/new-books-september.html) _2026-08-26 · NYT \> Books_ Novels by Marlon James, Emma Cline, Hernan Diaz and John Green; nonfiction by Emily Wilson and Robert Kolker; and more. ## [The Best Literary Detective You’ve Never Heard Of, and the Man Who Made Him](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/books/peter-grainger-crime-writer-dc-smith.html) _2026-08-26 · Sarah Lyall · NYT \> Books_ How Peter Grainger, an English mystery writer, self-published his way into prominence. ## [Robert Skidelsky, Definitive Biographer of Keynes, Dies at 86](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/books/robert-skidelsky-dead.html) _2026-08-25 · Jonathan Kandell · NYT \> Books_ An economic historian and political maverick, he was a sometimes polarizing public intellectual and a member of the House of Lords. ## [Catholic sisters and advocates explore how we love with action](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/catholic-sisters-and-advocates-explore-how-we-love-with-action/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=catholic-sisters-and-advocates-explore-how-we-love-with-action) _2026-08-25 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Listen on: Apple | Spotify In a world marked by division and conflict, our faith calls us to love our enemies and strangers as we love ourselves. This season opener of Just Politics invites listeners to reflect on a profound question: What does it mean to love others with faith? What does that love look like on a \[…\] The post Catholic sisters and advocates explore how we love with action appeared… ## [How justice movements deal with legacies of abuse](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/how-justice-movements-deal-with-legacies-of-abuse/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-justice-movements-deal-with-legacies-of-abuse) _2026-08-25 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ In March 1966, around 100 striking farmworkers started walking 300 miles from Delano, California, toward Sacramento. The mostly Mexican American and Filipino farmworkers had been on strike for six months and were marching to the state capitol to bring attention to their demands for higher pay and safer working conditions. Organized by Cesar Chavez and \[…\] The post How justice movements deal with… ## [Book Review: ‘The Black Shield,’ by Wilbert L. Cooper](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/books/review/the-black-shield-wilbert-cooper.html) _2026-08-25 · Eli Saslow · NYT \> Books_ In an evocative new memoir, the journalist Wilbert L. Cooper explores the history, and paradoxes, of race and policing in Cleveland, his hometown. ## [Cause of stuggling](https://www.sindark.com/2026/08/24/cause-of-stuggling/) _2026-08-25 · Milan · a sibilant intake of breath_ I think a root cause for why I have been struggling so much with everything in life is that I am desperately fearful and unhappy, and I don’t know what to do about it. Our civilizational crisis makes me feel more anger, sadness, grief, and isolation than I know how to cope with. Since I … Continue reading "Cause of stuggling" ## [How Should ‘Huckleberry Finn’ Be Taught?](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/magazine/huckleberry-finn-teachers-students-schools.html) _2026-08-24 · Ruth Franklin · NYT \> Books_ I traveled around the country to find out if “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” still has a place in the classroom. ## [Countdown to Getting Paid (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/cTUPFzuM9egb) _2026-08-24 · **Sponsored**_ Create a shareable wallet timer — deposits buy back time and pay debt down ## [A Sunday reflection for August 30, 2026](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/a-sunday-reflection-for-august-30-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-sunday-reflection-for-august-30-2026) _2026-08-24 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Readings (Year A): Jeremiah 20:7–9Psalm 63:2, 3–4, 5–6, 8–9Romans 12:1–2Matthew 16:21–27 Reflection: The hope that belongs to our call Creator, Christ, enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we might know what is the hope that belongs to our call. Fifteen years ago this week, I stood in the kitchen watching Nanny Robyn leave. \[…\] The post A Sunday reflection for August 30, 2026 appeared first on… ## [What is the lectionary?](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/what-is-the-lectionary/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-the-lectionary) _2026-08-24 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Whenever my extended family gets together for a meal, the same stories are told and retold. One story leads to another, and before long we’re all laughing and remembering. Yes, these stories repeat what we know already, but the way they connect sometimes surprises us, opening new vistas on a shared past we thought we’d \[…\] The post What is the lectionary? appeared first on U.S. Catholic . ## [Iceland’s Murder Rate Is Off the Charts (in Its Books, at Least)](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/books/iceland-crime-fiction.html) _2026-08-24 · Amelia Nierenberg · NYT \> Books_ The Nordic nation has almost no homicides, yet crime fiction is its favorite literary genre. That means writers face a challenge: making murder feel believable. ## [New Romance Books](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/books/review/new-romance-books.html) _2026-08-24 · Olivia Waite · NYT \> Books_ Our columnist on three of the month’s best releases. ## [Book Review: ‘The Time Tax,’ by Annie Lowrey](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/books/review/the-time-tax-annie-lowrey.html) _2026-08-24 · Tim Wu · NYT \> Books_ In “The Time Tax,” the Atlantic journalist Annie Lowrey takes aim at bureaucratic red tape. ## [Don’t let this fading summer pass you by](https://www.sindark.com/2026/08/22/dont-let-this-fading-summer-pass-you-by/) _2026-08-22 · Milan · a sibilant intake of breath_ ## [Book Review: ‘The Anniversary,’ by Andrea Bajani](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/books/review/andrea-bajani-anniversary.html) _2026-08-22 · André Aciman · NYT \> Books_ “The Anniversary,” a novel by the Italian novelist Andrea Bajani, examines a marriage ravaged by abuse and malice. ## [Book Review: ‘The Great Wherever,’ by Shannon Sanders](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/books/review/the-great-wherever-shannon-sanders.html) _2026-08-22 · Nina LaCour · NYT \> Books_ In “The Great Wherever,” generations of spirits watch as their descendants debate whether or not to sell their ancestral home. ## [An Expert on Conflict Says Your Relationships Are Doomed Without It](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/magazine/priya-parker-interview.html) _2026-08-22 · David Marchese · NYT \> Books_ The author Priya Parker says the key to human connection is to lean into the fight. ## [The Month’s Best New Mystery Books](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/books/review/new-mystery-books.html) _2026-08-22 · Sarah Weinman · NYT \> Books_ Our columnist on four of the month’s best releases. ## [PixelRift — Platforming with Level Editor (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/HVpRGw1wNbPv) _2026-08-22 · **Sponsored**_ Includes a built-in level editor, campaign with elemental heroes, and boss encounters. ## [The Local: Drama in the Boundary Waters](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/us/the-local-boundary-waters.html) _2026-08-21 · Jay Gabler · NYT \> Books_ William Kent Krueger talks about his thriller set in the Boundary Waters, a timely subject. ## [Margo Howard, Reluctant Columnist and Daughter of Ann Landers, Dies at 86](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/style/margo-howard-dead.html) _2026-08-21 · Penelope Green · NYT \> Books_ She published two books about her famous mother but didn’t fully embrace the family business until her late 50s, when she began writing “Dear Prudence” for Slate. ## [Victor Niederhoffer, Trader Who Went Boom and Bust (Twice), Dies at 82](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/business/victor-niederhoffer-dead.html) _2026-08-21 · Michael S. Rosenwald · NYT \> Books_ He pioneered a technique for using computers to predict short-term movements in stock prices, something that proved to be hugely lucrative — when it worked. ## [Book Review: ‘The Breakup,’ by Kurt Andersen](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/books/review/kurt-andersen-breakup.html) _2026-08-21 · Jonathan Dee · NYT \> Books_ In Kurt Andersen’s new novel, “The Breakup,” a family navigates a nation ruptured by civil war. ## [Mending clothes can be an antidote to throwaway culture](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/mending-clothes-can-be-an-antidote-to-throwaway-culture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mending-clothes-can-be-an-antidote-to-throwaway-culture) _2026-08-21 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ In my bedroom, I have a bag filled to the brim with socks that have seen better days. Some have pilled fabric, while others are speckled with rips and holes in the heels. At first, I felt paralyzed about what to do with them. Part of me wanted to throw them away—but something stopped me. \[…\] The post Mending clothes can be an antidote to throwaway culture appeared first on U.S. Catholic . ## [Back-to-School Picture Books by Amy Schwartz, Sophie Blackall, Oliver Jeffers and Chris Priestley](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/books/review/back-to-school-picture-books.html) _2026-08-21 · Jennifer Hubert Swan · NYT \> Books_ Works by Amy Schwartz, Sophie Blackall, Oliver Jeffers and Chris Priestley show little ones what they might miss if they stay home. ## [Book Review: ‘Life of M,’ by Rachel Cusk](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/books/review/life-of-m-rachel-cusk.html) _2026-08-21 · Alexandra Jacobs · NYT \> Books_ Though full of details that echo the life and career of Natalie Portman, “Life of M” remains chilly and abstract. ## [Books Our Editors Loved This Week](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/20/books/review/20tbr-new-recommended-books.html) _2026-08-20 · NYT \> Books_ Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times. ## [Pray the Examen to find your spiritual path](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/pray-the-examen-to-find-your-spiritual-path/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pray-the-examen-to-find-your-spiritual-path) _2026-08-20 · Maximiliano Mendoza · U.S. Catholic_ Soon after moving to Florida, I fractured my ankle. My life felt fractured, too. Disoriented by the loss of a flourishing ministry and community in Ohio, I felt unmoored and painfully alone. The questions in my heart throbbed with the pain in my foot: Where am I? Where am I going? Disorientation sets in when \[…\] The post Pray the Examen to find your spiritual path appeared first on U.S. Catholic . ## [Interview: Blake Crouch on ‘Dark Matter’ and His Favorite Books](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/20/books/review/blake-crouch-dark-matter.html) _2026-08-20 · NYT \> Books_ “Lots of white space on a page. Short paragraphs that move.” This month Apple TV airs Season 2 of a series based on his 2016 sci-fi thriller “Dark Matter.” ## [AI News Summaries & Audio (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/7BCpNTKLtpP2) _2026-08-20 · **Sponsored**_ Tap an article for an AI summary and an audio briefing. ## [We can’t have a healthy democracy without education](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/we-cant-have-a-healthy-democracy-without-education/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=we-cant-have-a-healthy-democracy-without-education) _2026-08-19 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ August is a month full of mixed emotions as many of us try to pack in one last summer adventure. The expectation and anticipation that accompany the start of a new school year ask all of us, not just students and teachers: Are we open to learning new things? Is ongoing education a priority in \[…\] The post We can’t have a healthy democracy without education appeared first on U.S. Catholic . ## [Feeling Lonely? These 8 Books Might Help.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/well/loneliness-books.html) _2026-08-19 · Anna Borges · NYT \> Books_ Psychologists, therapists and other experts share the works they recommend to people who are struggling to connect. ## [Bridget Todd Doesn’t Trust A.I., But She Told ChatGPT Everything](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/podcasts/bridget-todd-ai-chatgpt.html) _2026-08-19 · Anna Martin · NYT \> Modern Love Podcast_ The tech writer and podcaster Bridget Todd felt sorry for people who said they had relationships with chatbots. Then she became one of them. ## [Book Review: ‘The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,’ by Jill Lepore](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/books/review/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-artificial-state-jill-lepore.html) _2026-08-19 · Jennifer Szalai · NYT \> Books_ In a new book, Jill Lepore examines what happens when we abandon liberal democracy for rule by automation and machines. ## [In the story of the adulterous woman, who really sinned?](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/in-the-story-of-the-adulterous-woman-who-really-sinned/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-the-story-of-the-adulterous-woman-who-really-sinned) _2026-08-18 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Why is the church so obsessed with sex?” Many of us Catholics have fielded this question from our non-Catholic friends, as well as some of our Catholic ones. The question often exposes a jarring disconnect between our lived faith and public perception. Although if we’re honest, we understand why it is asked: the U.S. Catholic \[…\] The post In the story of the adulterous woman, who really sinned?… ## [Book Review: ‘The Book of Chuck,’ by Charmaine Wilkerson](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/books/review/the-book-of-chuck-latoya-watkins.html) _2026-08-18 · Charmaine Wilkerson · NYT \> Books_ In “The Book of Chuck,” clairvoyance is a terrible inheritance. ## [Book Review: ‘Range,’ by Dorthe Nors](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/books/review/range-dorthe-nors.html) _2026-08-18 · Charlotte Wood · NYT \> Books_ In “Range,” by the Danish writer Dorthe Nors, a misfit astrophysicist lives alone in the wilderness, struggling to connect. ## [A Sunday reflection for August 23, 2026](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/a-sunday-reflection-for-august-23-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-sunday-reflection-for-august-23-2026) _2026-08-17 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Readings (Year A): Isaiah 22:19-23Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8Romans 11:33-36Matthew 16:13-20 Reflection: St. Peter, help us to do God’s will I wonder what Peter felt when Jesus said, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.” Was he honored to receive such a charge? Did he become overwhelmed with the weight \[…\] The post A Sunday reflection for August 23, 2026 appeared first on U.S.… ## [AI art risks destroying our imaginations](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/ai-art-risks-destroying-our-imaginations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ai-art-risks-destroying-our-imaginations) _2026-08-17 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Since ChatGPT was unleashed upon us in 2022, we’ve heard dire warnings about the ultimate effect of artificial intelligence (AI) on human society and even the human species. In 2024, the International Monetary Fund said that AI would eventually affect 40 percent of the jobs currently done by humans. A fundamental goal of AI development, \[…\] The post AI art risks destroying our imaginations… ## [Book Review: ‘Dèy,’ by Edwidge Danticat](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/books/review/edwidge-danticat-dey.html) _2026-08-17 · Imbolo Mbue · NYT \> Books_ In Edwidge Danticat’s new novel, “Dèy,” a Haitian American mother in Miami experiences the numbing aftershocks of a random act of violence. ## [Edwidge Danticat Explores the “Precarity of Life” in Her New Novel](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/books/review/edwidge-danticat-dey-miami.html) _2026-08-17 · Anderson Tepper · NYT \> Books_ A terrifying personal experience inspired Edwidge Danticat’s fifth novel, which is set in Miami and Brooklyn, but with Haiti always in mind. ## [When Is It OK to Give Up on a Book? Our Readers Have Thoughts.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/books/review/dnf-reader-comments.html) _2026-08-16 · Scott Heller · NYT \> Books_ From carefree dabblers to book group die-hards, everyone, it seems, has an opinion. Just don’t tell them theirs is wrong. ## [As the Old Files Open, One Family Confronts Another’s Dark Nazi Past](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/16/arts/zilversmit-netherlands-podcast-book-holocaust-nazi.html) _2026-08-16 · Nina Siegal and Melissa Schriek · NYT \> Books_ A woman who secured the criminal file of her grandmother, a collaborator, offered to share it with a Jewish family that had been betrayed. Then she balked and a new dispute ensued. ## [Book Review: ‘The Maltese Version,’ by Katy Simpson Smith](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/16/books/review/the-maltese-version-katy-simpson-smith.html) _2026-08-16 · Lucy Ives · NYT \> Books_ Are the 30-somethings in Katy Simpson Smith’s “The Maltese Version” in love? That depends on how you define it. ## [Active on iNaturalist](https://www.sindark.com/2026/08/15/active-on-inaturalist/) _2026-08-15 · Milan · a sibilant intake of breath_ In the past month, I have gone from 371 Common Milkweed observations on iNaturalist (17th in the world) to 678 observations (9th). Previously, I had not tried the “Identify” feature, but now I am up to 3,602 identifications. ## [Book Review: ‘Days of Miracle and Wonder,’ by Ashley Kahn](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/books/review/days-of-miracle-and-wonder-ashley-kahn-graceland.html) _2026-08-15 · Mark Braude · NYT \> Books_ In “Days of Miracle and Wonder,” Ashley Kahn revisits the “trials and triumphs” of Paul Simon’s “Graceland.” ## [Jason Arday, Cambridge Professor Accused of Plagiarism, Is Found Dead](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/world/europe/jason-arday-dead.html) _2026-08-15 · Mara Hvistendahl · NYT \> Books_ Mr. Arday resigned last week after the university announced an investigation into allegations of plagiarism and fabrication. ## [Raoul Vaneigem, Whose Manifesto Inspired 1968 Revolt in France, Dies at 92](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/books/raoul-vaneigem-dead.html) _2026-08-14 · Adam Nossiter · NYT \> Books_ “The Revolution of Everyday Life,” published in 1967, was his cri de coeur against mindless work, materialism and authority. ## [Art offers a glimpse of the Creator among us](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/art-offers-a-glimpse-of-the-creator-among-us/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=art-offers-a-glimpse-of-the-creator-among-us) _2026-08-14 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Art Is How God Loves Us By Meridith Hite Estevez (Broadleaf Books, 2026) Google’s AI Overview would likely take one look at the floral cover, trendy title, and dustjacket blurbs for Art Is How God Loves Us: The Sacred Beauty of Created Things and characterize Meredith Hite Estevez’s book as another just-trust-Jesus, embrace-your-inner-artist spiritual memoir \[…\] The post Art offers a glimpse of… ## [Confessional](https://uscatholic.org/articles/202608/confessional/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=confessional) _2026-08-14 · Nathaniel Hunter · U.S. Catholic_ Midnight velvet box lined with stars, shimmer of silver comets tracing the ancient wooden door, directing you to enter & look inward at the night—be ruthless, be methodical. What is your starkest truth, the proof, laid bare—put on the high beams and probe the angles. I know it hurts because of what they have done; \[…\] The post Confessional appeared first on U.S. Catholic .