Irish author Kevin Barry begins his latest collection of short stories (“Dark Lies the Island,” soon to be released in the United States from Graywolf Press, 192 pages, $24) with a tale of falling in love. But not exactly. “Across the Rooftops” is a story about slipping away from a party and sitting on a [...]

Ann Patchett doesn’t see her line of work as much different from many others. “It’s just a job. You’ve just got to do the work. There’s no mystery to it, which is sad in a way because we want to believe that the blue fairy comes and kisses us on the cheek and it’s going [...]

Not every birthday is happy, especially for children who “age out” of the U.S. foster care system. Each year, an estimated 30,000 young people are emancipated from the system. Many are only 18 — an adult on paper, but in reality someone who still needs support and services. According to the Foster Care Alumni of [...]

Summer reading is here. “Groundbreaking Reads” is the 2013 Adult Summer Reading program theme at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. For young adults the theme is “Beneath the Surface.” Prizes and special events highlight both programs. The start date is June 1. Find registration forms online at Crlibrary.org or at the Ladd Library. While there, [...]

Irish author Kevin Barry begins his latest collection of short stories (“Dark Lies the Island,” soon to be released in the United States from Graywolf Press, 192 pages, $24) with a tale of falling in love. But not exactly. “Across the Rooftops” is a story about slipping away from a party and sitting on a [...]

In some ways, Benjamin Percy’s “Red Moon” (Grand Central Publishing, 533 pages, $25.99) could be seen as a logical next step following his 2010 debut novel, “The Wilding.” “The Wilding” is about three generations of males facing the dangers of the natural world — and the menace they themselves create — together. It’s grounded firmly [...]

We’ve all had days where we wanted to be someone else. For Jenny Shaw, the main character in Allie Larkin’s darling new book “Why Can’t I Be You,” that day came when her boyfriend broke up with her (right before she left on a big business trip), she lost her luggage, and ended up with [...]

‘Stories in Uniform” is a chronological retrospective of the best military pieces Reader’s Digest (Reader’s Digest Association, 224 pages, $15.99) has published. These stories will make you weep, make your heart sing, inspire you, enrage you, and make you laugh. Beginning in World War I and continuing through the war in Iraq, readers will follow [...]