Travel, With and Without Baggage
A review of Clara Bensen's NO BAGGAGE, read on the way home from my own family trip to Italy (with far more suitcases).
Remembering Hurricane Katrina: What Went Missing and What Got Found
For the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a review of Fatima Shaik's new collection of short stories, What Went Missing and What Got Found.
A Neighborhood for Ice Cream
A roundup of our five favorite ice cream purveyors in the East Village, Lower East Side, and NoLita.
Richard Lachmann’s 2015 Dining in Lisbon
Reviews of innovative, traditional, and specialized Lisbon restaurants, along with dessert places including an unexpected reunion.
A Star for Translation
The advance reviews of the book I translated from Portuguese, The World in a Second, have delivered a huge thumbs up and my first starred review ever.
What? Is This a Joke?
The work of my friend Beverly Slapin leads to a discussion of humor and satire and the importance of dialogue rather than censorship.
Cybils Update: The Osmosis Strategy of Writing
An update on my work as a first-round panelist for the 2014 Cybils YA Fiction category and what I have learned for my own writing.
I Celebrate Buy Nothing Day
My reasons for observing Buy Nothing Day instead of Black Friday, along with a review of a YA novel that explores the global consequences of buying stuff.
Suicide Prevention: The Special Day Over, the Work Begins
An essay with links on the importance of connecting with others who feel alone in the world, inspired by my Lego photos for World Suicide Prevention Day.
Three Japanese Restaurants Off the Beaten Path: A Guest Post by Richard Lachmann
My husband Richard Lachmann continues his series of restaurant reviews abroad with three less well-known fusion restaurants in Japan.