New Books Network

A literary study tracing parallels between Genesis narratives and the rise and reign of David. Short motifs and mirrored scenes are compared, from sibling rivalry to errand-to-brothers episodes. Close readings highlight structural echoes like Joseph and David parallels, Bathsheba as a mirror image, and how analogies shape characterization and thematic arcs.

Beans Velocci, Assistant Professor at UPenn and author of Sex Isn’t Real, traces how scientific practices made sex seem binary. They walk through historical research in zoology, eugenics, gynecology, statistics, and trans medicine. Short, clear vignettes reveal how methods and institutions kept reshaping categories to fit prevailing social aims.

Margaret Heffernan, author and former CEO with BBC media roots, explores how artists turn uncertainty into creative opportunity. She discusses how artistic habits sharpen decision timing, the limits and uses of historical analogies, and why companies need artists for imaginative strategy. Topics include scenario storytelling, cross-domain innovation, hedging bets, and the governance challenges of AI.

Matthew P. Romaniello, historian of Russian imperial history and medicine, explores 18th-century naturalists and physicians who mapped Russia’s people, climate, and health. He discusses humoral medicine as ethnography, transnational medical networks, scurvy and variolation campaigns, travel writing biases, and how climate shaped imperial knowledge and reputation.

Danielle Girard, novelist known for tense psychological thrillers, discusses her 2026 novel Pinky Swear and the seeds of its suspense. She talks about teenage choices that shape adult lives. She explores Cleveland and Midwest roots, surrogacy research, trust symbolized by a pinky promise, and how secrets and small‑town rules drive betrayal and redemption.

Annahid Dashtgard, CEO of Anima Leadership and racial justice consultant, combines activism and executive coaching. She discusses the book’s origins, blending memoir with practical leadership tools. Conversations cover compassion over blame, balancing rage with strategy, using power well as leaders of color, and building inclusive, nonpunitive learning spaces.

David Potter, a leading scholar of Greek and Roman history, offers a fresh look at Julius Caesar. He focuses on Caesar’s own writings and public image. Topics include Caesar’s family myth and political identity. He traces the violence that shaped his youth, his rhetorical training, the pragmatic politics of the First Triumvirate, his managerial innovations in Gaul, and the limits of military rule in Rome.

Mia Bennett, an associate professor of geography who maps Arctic frontier-making, discusses rapidly changing Arctic geographies. She talks about melting sea ice, thawing permafrost, and new shipping routes. She covers rising geopolitical competition, strategic flashpoints like the Bering Strait, and Indigenous governance experiments.

Thea Riofrancos, Associate Professor of Political Science and expert on climate politics and resource extraction. She discusses why lithium is vital for decarbonization and the geopolitical maps of where it is produced. She explores social and environmental harms in places like Chile, European onshoring conflicts, and how communities organize resistance. Conversations end with governance fixes and demand-reduction strategies.

Jan Yager, sociologist and prolific author on productivity and relationships, presents eleven memorable principles for mastering time. She discusses research-driven methods, practical exercises, using AI and delegation, crafting routines that enable spontaneity, honoring relationships and pets, and the role of endings and stillness in making time work for a fulfilling life.