Three Books...
In which authors recommend three books on a single theme.
What's Cooking? 3 Books That Are More Filling Than Food()
April 28, 2013 Oftentimes, foodie fiction makes you hungry. But author Jessica Soffer recommends three books that deal with food yet aren't in love with it — books to read when you're on a diet, a desert island, or for whatever reason would like a peach tart to not be compared to a summer's day.
Books featured in this story:
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
The Middlesteins
Heartburn
On The Move: Three Books To Keep Out Of The Boxes()
April 21, 2013 Author Sloane Crosley is moving apartments — and, just as importantly, her library. Some books will come with her; others won't. But when she can't find the sheets or shampoo, these are the titles she'll want easy access to.
Books featured in this story:
You've Got to Read This
Fraud
This Is Running for Your Life
Hardly Heroic: 3 Flagrantly Flawed Main Characters()
March 3, 2013 No one's perfect, especially in literature. Author Julie Wu's favorite protagonists are of sound mind and questionable morals. Do you have a favorite character who lacks, well, character? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
The Little Bride
Spartina
The Love Wife
3 Books About House Hunting In The Gilded Age()
February 17, 2013 The money and mansions of the turn of the century provide rich fodder for some fabulous reads. Author Janet Wallach recommends three books that give a glimpse of Gilded Age houses. Do you have a favorite book that highlights architecture? Let us know in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
A Hazard of New Fortunes
The Alienist
The Financier
Desert Flowers: Three Books That Are Anything But Dry()
February 4, 2013 The desert has inspired a rich literary landscape. Author Ruben Martinez recommends three reads that examine it both literally and figuratively. Do you have a favorite book that takes place in the desert? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Lying Awake
The Guardians
Complete Essays, 1939-1956
3 Books To Read Before The End Of The World()
December 17, 2012 If the conspiracy theorists are right, we only have a few more days before the end of the world. Author Ben H. Winters describes his favorite pre-apocalyptic works of fiction. Do you have a favorite doomsday masterpiece? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Decameron
The Children of Men
On the Beach
Country Cousins: 3 Books About Rural Living()
December 12, 2012 Author Wendy Welch shares her favorite book about small-town life that defy stereotypes. What is your favorite work that takes a bite out of literary tradition? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Cold Comfort Farm
Homestead
Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed
Bend Sinister: Three Tales Of Gothic Terror()
November 21, 2012 Vampires and other creatures of the night are modern pop-culture staples — not least within the Twilight franchise — but these gothic novels show why sometimes older is better. Author John Connolly explores three of his favorite Anglo-Irish gothic thrillers.
Books featured in this story:
Dracula
Melmoth the Wanderer
Uncle Silas a Tale of Bartram Haugh
Trust Me: Three Books With (In)credible Narrators()
October 29, 2012 Liars are sometimes the best storytellers. Author Amy Wilson shares three books with less-than-trustworthy narrators.Who is your favorite unreliable narrator? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Pale Fire
We Need to Talk About Kevin
London Fields
Play the Numbers: Three (Useful) Books About Data()
October 17, 2012 In the age of the Internet, data is everywhere — the question is how to use it. Author Doug Lemov recommends three books about the power of information. What is your favorite number-crunching book? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Soccernomics
The Ghost Map
The Wisdom Of Crowds
Disaster Strikes! Three Books Where Things Go Awry()
October 8, 2012 A book without suffering or struggle can only be described as one thing: boring. For Three Books, author Will Wiles writes about his favorite literary misadventures. Do you have a favorite book about everything going wrong? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Towards the End of the Morning
The Butt
Metropole
Fanciful Fauna: 3 Tall Tales Of Clever Critters ()
August 27, 2012 In real life, having a pet is hard work — they're messy, hard to train, and losing them can be heartbreaking. But in literature, as author Julia Stuart writes, animals are delightful. Is there a literary animal that you love? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Death and the Penguin
Boxer, Beetle
Fight Like A Girl: 3 Books That Pack A Deadly Punch()
July 16, 2012 Strong women abound in the media, but author Diana Lopez favors those who don't have inhuman courage, futuristic gadgets and superpowers. She recommends three books about average girls who are pushed to their limits. Who is your favorite fighting heroine? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
The Devotion of Suspect X
Mice
Bloody Jack
Too Cool For School: 3 Books On Scandalous Teachers()
July 9, 2012 Being a positive role model is usually a part of a teacher's job description, but author Jennifer Miller knows not everyone lives up to that standard. She recommends three books about educators who lead students astray. Do you have a favorite book about a teacher? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
The Secret History
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
What Was She Thinking?
3 Books That Enhance Steve Inskeep's Journey()
June 14, 2012 To many, life in North Africa has long seemed dominated by dictatorships. Hosam Aboul-Ela shatters this portrait with three books that display a vibrant society present despite extreme oppression. Has a book ever changed your conception of a region or culture? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Colonizer and the Colonized
In the Country of Men
Zaat
Screen Time: 3 Books That Should Be Movies()
June 11, 2012 Hollywood is forever going back to the well of literature for ideas. Author Tessa Harris says, if it's books Hollywood wants, there are still plenty of gems out there waiting to be discovered. She points to three books that should be movies — and you can recommend others in the comments section.
Books featured in this story:
Wolf Brother
The Alienist
Sacred Hearts
Three Cheers (And Three Books) For Mummy Dearest()
May 7, 2012 Mother's Day may arrive earlier in England than in the U.S., but British writer Rosamund Lupton is always happy to celebrate. She recommends three books that distill motherhood to its essential elements. Do you have a favorite book about moms? Tell us in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
The Hand That First Held Mine
The Snapper
Dear Zoo
Jargon To Jabberwocky: 3 Books On Writing Well()
April 18, 2012 Jonathan Gottschall is an English professor fed up with academia's ugly jargon. He recommends three books that help writers with their prose. Has a book ever helped you with your composition skills? Tell us about it in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
On Writing
On Writing Well
Advice to Writers
Snark And Sass: 3 Books On The True Nature Of Paris()
April 16, 2012 To some, spending April in Paris would be divine. But author Amy Thomas knows that living there full-time isn't always fun. She recommends three books that show how frustrating, judgmental and maddening Paris can be. Have you ever lived abroad? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Paris, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down
The Sweet Life in Paris
Stuff Parisians Like
Permanent Siesta: 3 Books To Whisk You Away()
April 13, 2012 You don't usually travel to distant places with heavy books. And besides, you're traveling, not reading, right? But author Adam Wilson suggests three books that you should take with you — regardless of their weight. Do you have a favorite book to read while you travel? Let us know in the comments.
Books featured in this story:
Breaking and Entering
The Savage Detectives
About Three Books...
"Three Books..." invites writers to recommend three great reads on a single theme.
What are your three books?


























































