Well Read - The Texture Issue

We asked some friends and contributors to share a book they enjoy – a read that stayed with them long after they turned the last page. If you’re looking for a great recommendation for what to read next, see why these titles were chosen.

Bonjwing Lee’s pick
Personal History
by Katharine Graham

"During my interview with the first law firm where I worked, one of the partners asked what I was reading. I told her that I was finishing Katharine Graham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir. The writing was so sublime that I was sad to be nearing the end. The partner told me that she cried through the last dozen pages, unwilling to leave the magnificent life and story that Graham had so masterfully lived and recorded for us. Born to a family of immense influence in the publishing world, Graham was accustomed to orbiting men of power. She settled into motherhood and was content to let her charismatic husband shine. But, an unexpectedly tragic twist of fate forced her to make a daring decision that landed her at the helm of The Washington Post, becoming the first female publisher of a major U.S. newspaper. The people she knew, the adversity she faced, and the obstacles she overcame were as incredible as her courage and character."

Libby Callaway’s pick
I Dream He Talks to Me: A Memoir of Learning How to Listen
by Allison Moorer

“Allison Moorer’s book of essays explores her relationship with her son, John Henry, who was diagnosed with autism at age two. John Henry is non-verbal, but he and his mom have learned to communicate and explore their relationship and the world in other ways. Their bond is deep, personal, and entirely unique.”

Mark Rozzo’s pick
Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967-1975
by Richard Thompson with Scott Timberg

“I’ve always loved Richard Thompson’s guitar playing, and this long-awaited memoir, written in collaboration with the late Scott Timberg, is every bit as supple, surprising, and emotionally honest as his music.”

Nadine Zylberberg’s pick
Pachinko
by Min Jin Lee

“Min Jin Lee's sprawling historical novel follows four generations of a Korean family that immigrates to Japan amid political turmoil and prejudice. The author's words, and painstaking research, bring vivid texture to the family saga, such that I can almost hear the deafening sounds of the pachinko parlors and taste the umami of Sunja's kimchi. Simply put, with every page, Pachinko is a gift.”

Mary Celeste’s pick
The Year of Knots
by Windy Chien