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Books 

In his letter "On the Role of Literature in Formation" Pope Francis wrote how important it is to devote time to reading novels and poetry. Literature is "listening to another person's voice."
So, what are you reading?
 
Here’s what I’ve read.
Spiritual Friendship Distilled

St. Aelred of Rievaulx

Israel - What Went Wrong?

Omer Bartov [Israeli author]

The Destruction of Palestine Is the Destruction of the Earth

Andreas Malm [Swedish journalist]

A Place at the Table

Bruce Bawer

What Does Israel Fear From Palestine?

Raja Shehadeh [Palestininan author]

Reinventing Bach: The Search for Transcendence in Sound

Paul Elie

Aside From My Heart All Is Well

Hector Abad

The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering

Norman G. Finkelstein [American / Jewish]

Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music

Alex Ross

America, America

Greg Grandin

A Day in the Life of Abed Salama

Nathan Thrall [American / Jewish]

The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex and Controversy in the 1980s

Paul Elie

More Books... 

On Sex And Gender: A Common Sense Approach by Doriane Lambelet Coleman, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2024. 

I read this book to try and understand the diiference between sex and gender and the issue of transgender. Equal parts scientific explanation, historical examination, and personal reflection, Coleman argues that denying biological sex and focusing only on gender would have detrimental effects on women’s equal opportunity, on men’s future prospects, and on the health and welfare of society.

Five Weeks in the Country: A Novel by Francine Prose, HarperCollins Publishers, 2026. 

In the summer of 1857, when British newspapers warned of an approaching comet about to destroy the earth, an unusual-looking stranger arrived at Charles Dickens's home. Dickens had met Hans Christian Andersen at a dinner party, a decade before, and, in a moment of desperation, had invited him to visit. The visit did not go well. An intgeresting read of an event from different perspective, the children of Dickens, Charles, and Hans Christian Anderson.

How To Know A Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks, Random House, New York, 2023.

A practical, heartfelt guide to the art of truly knowing another person and fostering deeper connections at home, at work, and throughout our lives—from the author of The Road to Character and The Second Mountain. As David Brooks observes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.”

The Third Temple: A Novel  by Yishai Sarid, Restless Books, Amhersy MA, [translation] 2024. 

Reading various books and perspectives in regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gaza, and genocide, this  novel, "in a near-future Jerusalem," offers a dark response to Who will rule the Holy Land, and at what cost? 

Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult by Bruce Handy, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2017. 

Take a romp through children’s literature; Dr Seuss, Beatrix Potter, Maurice Sendak, C.S. Lewis, The Cat in the Hat, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Charlotte’s Web, The Little House on the Prairie and much more.  Learn about the authors, the themes and what you as an adult can garner. A delightful book.

© 2026 David WM. Mickiewicz | On the Margins

All rights reserved.

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