The imposing Beaux-Arts mansion at the Huntington in San Marino, designed at the start of the 20th century by architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey, first opened to the public in 1928, just for a few weekday afternoon hours, following the deaths of founders Arabella and Henry E. Huntington. (They’re buried out on the lawn.) The railroad, shipbuilding and real estate tycoon (1850-1927) and his wife (1850-1924) were sometimes said to be America’s wealthiest couple, equivalent to billionaires today when their fortune is adjusted for inflation, and they had been spending lavishly on art for two decades. Their nonprofit was founded in 1919, partly to take advantage of brand new income tax deductions for charities, a government novelty lessening what was surely a hefty annual federal assessment, plus eventual estate taxes. For more than 30 years after it opened, their grand house-museum held the best art collection — by far — that the suburban Los Angeles public could see.
The Huntington’s Art Museum, once home to Henry and Arabella Huntington, boasts a large collection of European, American and East Asian art.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. has seen various major art museums blossom since the 1960s, but the Huntington collection is still enormously impressive. The centerpiece is European paintings, sculptures and decorative arts — especially 18th century British and, secondarily, French — while American art claims maturing depth. (Chinese and Japanese art holdings are modest.) A 2021 acquisitions partnership with the Ahmanson Foundation is bringing major additions, so far including exceptional paintings by Francisco Goya and Thomas Cole.
What follows is a selection of 22 works, chosen from the mansion and the Virginia Scott Steele Galleries for American Art, a short walk away. (The art’s locations are noted as “M1” or “M2” for the mansion’s two floors, or “S” for the Steele.) Note, however, that this is most definitely not a “best of” list. Some works would surely turn up on such a selection, but the aim here is instead to give an idea of the diverse pleasures that will be found throughout the place. The list is in chronological order.
1. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Crown: $28) A lifelong letter writer reckons with a painful past.
2. Brimstone by Callie Hart (Forever: $33) The deluxe limited edition continues the fantasy adventure begun in “Quicksilver.”
3. Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press: $28) A woman reflects on a youthful love triangle and its consequences.
4. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (Knopf: $30) A genre-bending love story about people and the words they leave behind.
5. Queen Esther by John Irving (Simon & Schuster: $30) The novelist revisits his bestselling “The Cider House Rules.”
6. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth: $32) The fates of two young people intersect and diverge across continents and years.
7. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books: $28) An accomplished actor grapples with the varied roles she plays in her personal life.
8. Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon (Penguin Press: $30) A private eye in 1932 Milwaukee is hired to find a missing dairy heiress.
9. The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books: $30) The latest mystery in the Armand Gamache series.
10. Dog Show by Billy Collins, Pamela Sztybel (illustrator) (Random House: $20) The former U.S. poet laureate captures the essence of dogs in a collection of poems that includes watercolor canine portraits.
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Hardcover nonfiction
1. 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Viking: $35) An exploration of the most infamous stock market crash in history.
2. Bread of Angels by Patti Smith (Random House: $30) A new memoir from the legendary writer and artist.
3. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Knopf: $35) A posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim.
4. Something From Nothing by Alison Roman (Clarkson Potter: $38) More than 100 recipes that make the most of a well-stocked pantry.
5. The Uncool by Cameron Crowe (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $35) The filmmaker recounts his experiences as a teenage music journalist.
6. Lessons From Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds (Grand Central Publishing: $13) A guide to channeling feline wisdom in the face of authoritarian nonsense.
7. Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy (Penguin Life: $27) Revisiting the world of “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.”
8. Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood (Doubleday: $35) The author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” tells her story.
9. Good Things by Samin Nosrat (Random House: $45) The celebrated chef shares 125 meticulously tested recipes.
10. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control.
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Paperback fiction
1. On the Calculation of Volume (Book III) by Solvej Balle (New Directions: $16)
2. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $22)
3. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (Vintage: $19)
4. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
5. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17)
6. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
7. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20)
8. On the Calculation of Volume (Book I) by Solvej Balle, Barbara J. Haveland (translator) (New Directions: $16)
9. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (Harper Perennial: $22)
10. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19)
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Paperback nonfiction
1. Fight Oligarchy by Sen. Bernie Sanders (Crown: $15)
2. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $24)
3. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18)
4. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22)
5. Just Kids by Patti Smith (Ecco: $19)
6. The Most Human by Adam Nimoy (Chicago Review Press: $20)
7. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
8. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)
9. The Best American Essays 2025 by Jia Tolentino and Kim Dana Kupperman (editors) (Mariner Books: $19)
10. Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (Picador: $19)
Not that it’s a contest, but Santa Clarita did it first.
It was Hollywood before Hollywood. It had its own gold rush years before riches were found at Sutter’s Mill. And men were pulling oil from the ground there two decades before Texas dug its first well.
Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.
Yet the rugged Santa Clarita Valley and the four communities it comprises — Newhall, Valencia, Canyon County and Saugus — are still something of a mystery to many who don’t live there. Or worse, the area remains misunderstood thanks to “The Santa Clarita Diet” and other pop culture portrayals.
The truth is far more interesting, if evasive. For decades, the Newhall Pass formed a natural barrier separating the valley from the Los Angeles Basin, allowing Santa Clarita to cultivate its own unique culture, one that’s woven into the fabric of Southern California.
“This was truly the Old Wild West out here,” said Alan Pollack, a doctor of internal medicine who moved to the valley in 1991 and quickly became steeped in its history. “There were gunfights, there were stagecoaches, all that sort of stuff.”
Santa Clarita was where many of the early westerns were shot, with real cowboys driving herds of cattle down the town’s dusty main street. Since then, the valley has become home to more than a dozen movie ranches, from the 22-acre Melody Ranch to the 400-acre Rancho Maria and Sable Ranch, as well as dozens of soundstages, earning the city the title “Hollywood North.”
“You can get any kind of look in Santa Clarita,” says Carol Rock, marketing director for the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. “Just drive around. You’re looking at the Amazon. You’re looking at the forest in different kinds of trees. And then you’ve got palm trees.” Pay attention and you’ll notice that the hills and canyons have provided the backdrop for everything from “The Lone Ranger” and “Gunsmoke” to “Oppenheimer,” “Star Trek” and “The Office.”
The city is also home to the sprawling Magic Mountain theme park, whose 19 roller coasters are the most in a single amusement park in the world. It holds more than 80 miles of some of Southern California’s best public hiking trails, fed by a 30-mile system of biking paths, walkways and bridges. (On one of those trails, you can view the site of the St. Francis Dam built by William Mulholland, whose aqueduct made Southern California’s suburban sprawl possible. The dam’s 1928 collapse that killed hundreds is still remembered as one of the worst U.S. civil engineering disasters of the 20th century.)
And then there’s CalArts, a private visual and performing school whose graduates — including filmmaker Tim Burton, Pixar’s John Lasseter and jazz musician Ravi Coltrane — have had an outsized influence on modern animation and pop music.
Through it all, Old Town Newhall, the core of what once was a railroad and ranching hub, remains the beating heart and soul of the area. You’ll find echos of the past on Main Street — the historic district is still lined with hitching posts, though they’re mainly decorative nowadays, and embedded with bronze stars and terrazzo tiles honoring the legends of western film, television and radio. And all over the community, the legacy of William S. Hart, Newhall’s original silent screen cowboy, lives on in the streets, schools, museums and parks that bear his name.
To see where it all began, spend a day in Santa Clarita, a place where you can discover cowboy history and sip a sophisticated Chardonnay at a wine bar all on an afternoon stroll.
What’s included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we may include gems that linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What L.A. neighborhood should we check out next? Send ideas to [email protected].
Drakes, Brighton Keep an eye out for deals at this glamorous Regency seafront hotel (a November 30% discount won’t be a one-off). A sea-view balcony room, of course, will cost a bit, but even the snuggest, city-facing bedrooms have air conditioning, a king-size bed, wet room, bathtub and Green & Spring toiletries. For somewhere so fun and stylish, Drakes offers real value, including the shorter tasting menus in Dilsk restaurant. Or just treat yourself to a sundowner in the bar, then head out to dine. This is Brighton; the world is your oyster. Doubles from £143.50 B&B, drakeshotel.com
The Queensberry, Bath
Bath is notoriously expensive, but box clever and you can secure a chic double with bath or shower for a knock-down price at Laurence and Helen Beere’s pugilism-themed boutique hotel spread across four Georgian townhouses. Junior suites and a four-poster suite are pricier; all are beautiful. The ambience is both playful and cossetting. Complimentary tea and espresso coffee are available at all hours in the drawing room. You can opt for fine dining in their Olive Tree restaurant, the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, but the “relaxed dining” bar and lounge menu is not just affordable but enticing. Real luxury for less. Doubles from £110 room-only, cooked breakfast from £11.95, thequeensberry.co.uk
The Boot Factory at Artist Residence, Bristol
In a garden square that was once a hive of industrious boot, corset and cardboard-box makers, Justin and Charlotte Salisbury’s fifth hotel occupies a handsome Grade I-listed Georgian terrace. The formula is one of boho chic, mixing vintage, distressed and upcycled furniture with witty and wacky modern art. The Crash Pad, Shoebox and Broom Cupboard rooms are the most budget-friendly, the Artist Suite the most desirable. There is a drop-in bar, with dining from a menu of modern European small and sharing plates and pizzette, to be enjoyed under an artwork exhorting you to “Party Like It’s 1999”. Doublesfrom £136, room-only (early bird price), cooked breakfast from £9, artistresidence.co.uk/the-boot-factory
The Castle Hotel, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire
This Georgian coaching inn occupies a hilltop position on the bailey of a medieval castle in a market town on the Welsh border. The welcome is warm, the staff friendly and engaged. Comfortable bedrooms, some for a family, are more traditional than boutique. Two, with a self-catering option, occupy the Gate House (former stables). This is an ideal base for walkers, who return to hearty gastropub fare, best enjoyed with the views from the terrace. Doubles from £112 B&B, thecastlehotelbishopscastle.co.uk
William Cecil, Stamford, Lincolnshire
On the edge of the Burghley estate, this inviting hotel, set across three Georgian houses, reopened in 2024 after a £500,000 refurbishment. The look is “Burghley above stairs”, drawing inspiration from Elizabethan Burghley House. The cheapest rooms are on the attic floor; the best suite has a lounge and private terrace. All have a coffee machine, fresh milk, handmade treats and Bramley toiletries. You can take tea by the fire in the lounge, dine from a weekly changing menu in Milly’s Bistro – perhaps a ribeye steak or red onion tarte tatin with whipped goat’s cheese and lentil dressing. Doubles from £139 B&B, thewilliamcecil.co.uk
Lake Isle, Uppingham, Rutland
When a small hotel styles itself a “restaurant with rooms”, it usually signals high charges – but not here. Richard and Janine Burton’s 18th-century house behind an Edwardian shopfront is rated highly for food, service and modest pricing. Bedrooms are smart and contemporary. The smallest are quite snug, but with king-size beds; larger ones have a super-king bed, maybe a lounge area, and most have a tea/coffee maker. Beautifully presented dishes might include lobster and crab mac and cheese. Breakfast is good, too. Doubles from £140 B&B, lakeisle.co.uk
The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
In a historic town with a weekly market and vibrant high street, Iain and Jenny Black’s whitewashed 16th-century inn is a cosy, dog-friendly base from which to explore the Lakes and Dales. It has a nice, rustic feel, with beams, exposed stone and blazing log-burners. From a snug room under the eaves to a deluxe super-king with double-ended bath and walk-in shower, all have contemporary furnishings, local artworks and Bath House toiletries. In the restaurant and bar, the menu mixes pub classics (Cumberland sausage and mash) with more imaginative dishes such as stone bass with leeks, mussel cream sauce and lovage. Doubles from £115 B&B, sun-inn.info
Brocco on the Park, Sheffield
When Picasso visited Sheffield in 1950 to address the World Peace Conference, he stayed at this Edwardian park-side villa, where bird-themed Scandi-chic bedrooms draw inspiration from his Dove of Peace. All of them, from Pigeon’s Loft with walk-in monsoon shower, to The Dovecote, with copper roll-top bath and park views from a Juliet balcony, have lamb’s wool blankets, LED mood lighting, an espresso machine, mini fridge, air conditioning, smart TV, home-baked cakes or biscuits, and Bramley toiletries. Dine from a small-plates menu of dishes such as heritage beetroot mosaic; beef carpaccio; pan-fried prawns with mango and pineapple salsa. Doubles from £150 room-only. Cooked breakfast from £12.50, brocco.co.uk
Darwin’s Townhouse, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
In a town nominated by the Guardian as one of the UK’s happiest places to live, this Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse B&B is named in honour of Shrewsbury’s famous son. Interiors are adorned with plant and animal fabrics and objets, maps and memorabilia. Bedrooms – some on the ground floor in a modern garden annexe – are individually designed and quirky. There is an honesty bar in the lounge, with its spectacular original plaster Zodiac ceiling, while a locally sourced breakfast in the conservatory includes artisan jams, Shropshire honey, Wenlock Edge sausages. Doubles from £140, darwinstownhouse.com
The Bailiffgate, Alnwick, Northumberland
A Georgian house and former school with a modern, purpose-built extension combine as a luxury hotel, a new venture for the Duchy of Northumberland, with stunning views of Harry Hotspur’s medieval castle. The best bedrooms have a balcony or terrace. Courtyard rooms in the new building have floor-to-ceiling windows and countryside views. You need to book ahead to secure a room below £150, and breakfast is extra, but that’s still impressive value for five-star luxury. There is “top-notch” bistro cooking in the Motte and Bailey restaurant, with menus for children and vegans, and Craster kippers for breakfast. Doubles from £143 room-only or £173 B&B, bailiffgatehotel.com
Country retreats
Biggin Hall, Biggin-by-Hartington, Derbyshire
Complimentary packed lunches are a mark of the generous spirit at James Moffett’s Grade II-listed 17th-century country-house hotel with Peak District walks from the doorstep. The hotel blends luxury and homely warmth. Bedrooms, in the main house and dog-friendly garden annexes, have individuality and charm. All have a silent mini-fridge. There is a bar with real ales on tap and an open fire. In the restaurant, conservatory and glass dining pods for dog-owners, a nightly changing, fixed-price menu might include such hearty dishes as slow-cooked feather blade of beef with red wine jus, chive mash and spiced carrot puree. Doubles from £150 B&B, bigginhall.co.uk
The Traddock, Austwick, North Yorkshire
At the foot of Ingleborough in the rolling Dales countryside, the Reynolds family’s small country house is loved for its warm ambience and friendly staff. Bedrooms are traditionally styled, with antique pieces, fresh fruit, homemade biscuits and Molton Brown bath products. A choice of locally sourced bar lunch, brasserie and tasting menus means you can opt for casual or more formal dining. If you plan to walk in the morning, order a packed lunch before you go to bed; return for tea by the fire in one of the lounges or in the sunshine in the walled garden. Doubles from £135 B&B, thetraddock.co.uk
The Beckford Arms, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Dan Brod, Charlie Luxton and Matt Greenlees created a very special brand with this dining pub with rooms on the edge of the Fonthill estate, their first venture in a burgeoning portfolio. The whole operation is about deceptive simplicity – chic bedrooms with a stripped-back aesthetic, handmade treats and Bramley bath products. And it has a proper country pub ambience with blazing fires. The menu mixes bar snacks, pub classics and such dishes as whole plaice with clams and curry butter. There’s homemade ginger beer for the designated driver, but stay over if you can because it’s great. Doubles from £106 B&B (two nights minimum at weekends), beckfordarms.com
Tudor Farmhouse, Clearwell, Gloucestershire
At the heart of the Forest of Dean, Colin and Hari Fell’s hotel is the very model of rustic chic with rooms spread across the farmhouse, cider house and barn. The cheapest, Hatchling, may be bijou but it has a walk-in shower, minibar fridge, espresso machine and Bramley toiletries. For more space, trade up to Hen, Cockerel or a suite. They’re all beautifully presented, but the great draw is the food, with such sophisticated dishes as poached cod, saffron-braised fennel, salt cod croquette and bisque butter. Doubles from £149 B&B, tudorfarmhousehotel.co.uk
Bridleway Bed & Breakfast, Lincolnshire
A small flock of Southdown sheep, free-range hens and artist owner Jane Haigh await new arrivals at this B&B, down a farm track three miles from central Lincoln. The four farmhouse-chic ground-floor bedrooms in outbuildings have been decorated with wit and flair. The most expensive (least cheap) Garden Room has a private patio and wood-fired hot tub. The cheapest, twin Old Kennels, has a furnished patio. All have fresh flowers, an espresso machine, mini fridge and Bath House toiletries. Book directly for a complimentary cream tea. A continental breakfast is delivered to your door. Doubles from £100 B&B, bridlewaybandb.co.uk
The Coach & Horses, Bolton by Bowland, Lancashire
After a day hiking the fells and moorlands of the Forest of Bowland, it is a joy to return to this former coaching inn with microbrewery, locals bar and highly rated restaurant. The cheapest of the bedrooms, Blue, is snug. The dearest, such as Rose, come with in-room copper bath and chandelier, but they are all stylish, with Italian coffee makers and Molton Brown toiletries. This is deservedly a foodie destination, with tasting, à la carte, bar snacks and children’s menus, with everything from haddock goujons and chips to venison and potato terrine to keep everyone happy. Doubles from £130 B&B, coachandhorsesribblevalley.co.uk
Widbrook Grange, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
A vintage milk float parked outside this Georgian farmhouse gives a clue to the fun within Nick and Charlotte Dent’s hotel. It is filled with vintage, upcycled objects, repurposed seed trays, churns and handcarts and jokey artworks. While dog-friendly (they even offer a canine afternoon tea) and glorying in eccentricity, this is a hotel with style. Bedrooms mix exposed brick with restful paint shades. There is a pool, a gym, a bar with 160 gins, and an unpretentious restaurant serving bistro favourites with little gastro flourishes. Doubles from £85 B&B, widbrookgrange.co.uk
The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale, Cumbria
Peacefully located at the foot of Howgill Fells, between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, this child- and dog-friendly gastropub has ardent fans. Bedrooms in various sizes mix contemporary and traditional styling. All are supplied with fresh milk and organic toiletries. You can dine in the bar, dining rooms or in the riverside beer garden. Across the bridge, there are yurts for hire among the free-range chickens. Typical dishes include venison hotpot with damson-braised red cabbage, wild mushroom risotto, and haddock and chips. There is limited mobile phone coverage – a signal that it’s time to switch off. Doubles from £99 B&B, blackswanhotel.com
The Meikleour Arms, Meikleour, Perth and Kinross
Sam Mercer Nairne, scion of the Marquesses of Lansdowne, and his Bordeaux-born wife, Claire, attract rave reviews for their cottage orné-style Georgian coaching inn and fishing hotel in a designed landscape on the Meikleourestate. The auld alliance is reflected in bedrooms in the main house and dog-friendly serviced cottages, with maybe a French toile-draped canopy bed and toile de Jouy wallpaper. A decanter of sherry and Arran Aromatics toiletries are nice touches. Field-to-plate franglais seasonal menus of ingredients from the estate farm, field, forest and kitchen garden might include venison burger, confit mallard cassoulet, moules frites, with vegetarian options. Doubles from £115 B&B,meikleourarms.co.uk
TŷMawr, Brechfa, Carmarthenshire
Gill Brown and David Hart’s 17th-century country house on the edge of Brechfa forest is set in an acre of well-kept grounds with the River Marlais running by. Each of the six bedrooms has its own character. Aberglasney draws inspiration from one of Wales’s finest gardens; Laugharne, from Dylan Thomas’s boathouse on the heron-priested shore of the Taf estuary. All have Myddfai toiletries. Everything possible is made in house for a set-price rotating nightly menu of dishes such as butterbean casserole, or hake, mussels and leeks in a curry coconut sauce. Doubles from £155 B&B, wales-country-hotel.co.uk
1. The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books: $30) The latest mystery in the Armand Gamache series.
2. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Crown: $28) A lifelong letter writer reckons with a painful past.
3. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (Knopf: $30) A genre-bending love story about people and the words they leave behind.
4. The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co.: $32) The Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company for its role in a girl’s killing.
5. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $38) Symbologist Robert Langdon takes on a mystery involving human consciousness and ancient mythology.
6. Alchemised by SenLinYu (Del Rey: $35) A woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy.
7. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth: $32) The fates of two young people intersect and diverge across continents and years.
8. Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press: $28) A woman reflects on a youthful love triangle and its consequences.
9. Queen Esther by John Irving (Simon & Schuster: $30) The novelist revisits the world of his bestselling “The Cider House Rules.”
10. The Widow by John Grisham (Doubleday: $32) A small-time lawyer accused of murder races to find the real killer to clear his name.
…
Hardcover nonfiction
1. Bread of Angels by Patti Smith (Random House: $30) A new memoir from the legendary writer and artist.
2. 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Viking: $35) An exploration of the most infamous stock market crash in history.
3. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Knopf: $35) A posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim.
4. Lessons From Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds (Grand Central Publishing: $13) A guide to channeling feline wisdom in the face of authoritarian nonsense.
5. Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood (Doubleday: $35) The author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” tells her story.
6. Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy (Penguin Life: $27) Revisiting the world of “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.”
7. The Uncool by Cameron Crowe (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $35) The filmmaker recounts his experiences as a teenage music journalist.
8. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, Sawyer Robbins (Hay House: $30) The podcast host explains how to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control.
9. Giving Up Is Unforgivable by Joyce Vance (Dutton: $28) A rallying cry for citizen engagement to preserve American democracy.
10. Notes on Being a Man by Scott Galloway (Simon & Schuster: $29) The NYU professor and podcaster explores what it means to be a man in modern America.
…
Paperback fiction
1. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $19)
2. How About Now by Kate Baer (Harper Perennial: $18)
3. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
4. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $22)
5. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17)
6. The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami (Vintage: $19)
7. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
8. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20)
9. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (Grand Central: $19)
10. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Harper Perennial Modern Classics: $18)
…
Paperback nonfiction
1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12)
2. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21)
3. Fight Oligarchy by Sen. Bernie Sanders (Crown: $15)
4. How to Know a Person by David Brooks (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $20)
5. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22)
6. Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (Picador: $19)
7. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
8. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)
9. Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson (Dial Press Trade Paperback: $22)
10. The Best American Essays 2025 by Jia Tolentino and Kim Dana Kupperman (editors) (Mariner Books: $19)
