A great read I'd been saving for an emergency, the best winter boots, and my favorite chocolates

Plus a great French moisturizer and a chic way to patch a down jacket

This week, as my youngest son turned 7, I found myself thinking about the stories that shaped my understanding of the world. I wrote a short essay about one particular story — of my grandfather’s experience as a POW in WWII — that shaped my childhood and my understanding of our obligations to each other (spoiler: I believe we owe each other a lot!). Given the seriousness of the topic, I’ve posted it separately from this newsletter, but I hope you’ll click over and read it, if you like. 

What I Read
For a few months, I’ve been saving The Ministry of Time for that preverbal rainy day when I would yearn to be taken away by a story and immersed in a different reality. Well, this week was that rainy day. And boy, what a novel! I loved it. It’s speculative fiction about an alternative London; there’s time travel, romance, and political commentary. It’s a rare novel that seamlessly combines beautiful prose and immersive action. My guess is many of you have already enjoyed it, but if not, I hi…