Books and Podcasts

FICTION

Colette: Cheri and The End of Cheri 

translated by Rachel (Rapp) Careau ’86

Careau offers rich, insightful translations of acclaimed French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette’s novels Cheri and The End of Cheri. Careau’s translations are infused with care and  close attention to the original stories, giving readers an in-depth experience of the romance and human narratives in Colette’s texts.

Helen in Trouble

by Wendy Sibbison ’68

In this coming-of-age story set in 1963, readers are introduced to Helen Bird, a smart, privileged 16-year-old who must face the consequences of an unexpected pregnancy. Sibbison’s debut novel offers an emotionally complex and thoughtful narrative about the struggles and joys of girlhood.

Acts of Service

by Lillian Fishman ’16

This debut novel follows Eve, a twentysomething queer New Yorker, as she entangles herself in a clandestine three-way affair with a straight couple. The trio’s dynamic, both exhilarating and disturbing, makes Eve question her sense of control and the origin of her desires.

 

NONFICTION

A Woman Who Did Not Wait: Louise Odencrantz and Her Fight for the Common Good

by Nana Rinehart

A professor and writer, Rinehart offers an extensively researched biography of early 20th-century industrial and social reformer Louise Odencrantz (Class of 1907). By bringing attention to Odencrantz’s life and work, Rinehart examines the important roles women played in shaping and improving the American workplace during the 20th century.

The Community 

by N. Jamiyla Chisholm

Barnard’s creative content director makes her book debut with this captivating memoir about the complexities of her family’s past and her experiences reckoning with buried trauma and unresolved tensions from their time in a religious cult. In this reflective personal history, Chisholm crafts a story of hope, justice, and familial healing.

 

 

 

 

Girl Archaeologist: Sisterhood in a Sexist Profession 

by Alice Beck Kehoe ’56

In her gripping memoir, Kehoe recounts her journey to becoming an archaeologist and anthropologist and the challenges of working in a male-dominated field. The book details her influential work on the histories of American First Nations communities and how she built a support system with and for women archaeologists, anthropologists, and ethno-historians.

La Nijinska: Choreographer of the Modern

by Lynn Garafola ’68

The latest book from emeritus professor of dance Lynn Garafola tells the story of Bronislava Nijinska, 20th-century ballet’s premier female choreographer. As a skilled historian, Garafola provides an expansive examination of Nijinska’s life and work, with a close look at her influence on modern dance history and the obstacles that she and women choreographers faced in the ballet world’s sexist environment. 

Bucking the Artworld Tide: Reflections on Art, Pseudo Art, Art Education & Theory

by Michelle Marder Kamhi ’58

Bucking the Artworld Tide offers an extensive exploration of traditional visual art and surveys critical discourse on the meaning of the traditional in 20th-century and contemporary art. Kamhi’s latest book both follows up on and provides context for her previous one, Who Says That’s Art? A Commonsense View of the Visual Arts.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

How to Be a Rock Star

by Lisa Tolin ’97

In Tolin’s picture book debut, a young girl explains everything she knows about how to become a true rock-and-roller, and her entertaining advice is accompanied by colorful illustrations (by Daniel Duncan) just as energetic as Tolin’s writing. 

POETRY

Blood Lines

by Ann Bookman ’70

Both a family history and an inquiry into genetics and our social environment, this collection of poems interrogates the tension between fate and randomness and seeks to uncover the resilient strength of unseen connections and inheritance across five generations of Ashkenazi women.

Ten Thousand Selves

by Chloe Martinez ’00

This poet’s latest book reflects on the power of storytelling and subjectivity. Martinez imbues her writings with a worldly and spacious context by rooting her new collection in her scholarship on South Asian religions.

 

 

Podcasts

Our Better Half 

Rosara Torrisi ’09

The licensed clinical social worker and sex therapist co-hosts Our Better Half, a podcast focusing on human sexuality, aging, and sex after age 50. 

One Year

Madeline Ducharme ’19

Writer and journalist Ducharme’s podcast looks at the people, ideas, politics, culture, and events that changed American history, focusing on just one year at a time.

Scene to Song

Shoshana Greenberg ’04

In this weekly podcast dedicated to the world of musical theatre, Greenberg and guests discuss topics such as Black women in musical theatre history, the legacy of Stephen Sondheim, and evil characters.

Post Reports

Maggie Penman ’12

Producer Penman leads the Washington Post’s premier podcast, a daily offering featuring detailed reporting and commentary on current events straight from the newsroom. 

Keep Calm and Cook On With Julia Turshen 

Julia Turshen ’07 

The noted cookbook author and food-adjacent guests delve into myriad topics, including cooking, baking, writing, mental health, and relationships.