THE HEADLINE-GRABBING ABDUCTION OF a young Englishwoman in Tokyo in 2000, explored in thoughtful complexity.

JOKEY, CHATTY TOUR through the fringes of science, from Ben Franklin’s electrocuted turkey to nuking the moon.

A DEEPLY RESEARCHED LOOK at the Institute for Advanced Study’s post-WWII computer innovations; alas, too vague.

THE DUCHESS OF WINDSOR gets yet another biography; this one offers some interesting new information, insights.

THE FUNNIEST AGORAPHOBIA MEMOIR ever written?  Almost certainly, but there’s insight aplenty as well.

INSIDE THE INTERNET activism that helped to spark the Arab Spring protests, with one of its early organizers.

SEARINGLY PERSONAL, YET incisively analytical memoir of ovarian cancer from women’s studies star Susan Gubar.

THE EXTRAORDINARY LITERARY HISTORY of gay writers in America, particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries.

ENTERTAINING MEMOIR FOLLOWS a woman’s journey from cult film stardom to marijuana farming (and back out!)

FASCINATING TRUE STORY of a 1919 confidence game (and the victim’s revenge) sheds light on the history of scams.