Gretchen Lida
Gretchen Lida is an essayist and an equestrian. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Brevity, the Rumpus, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and many other publications. She is also a contributing writer to Book Riot and the Washington Independent Review of Books. She teaches composition in Illinois, lives in Chicago, sometimes resides on Nantucket Island, and is still a Colorado native. Find her on Twitter at @GC_Lida.
42 entries by Gretchen Lida
The Last American Road Trip: A Memoir
By Sarah Kendzior
Seen up close, is the U.S. worth saving?
It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me
By Rex Chapman with Seth Davis
A frank, razor-sharp reflection on fame and a spectacular fall.
Unfinished Woman
By Robyn Davidson
This challenging, rich reflection rewards patient readers.
Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures
By Katherine Rundell
An enchanting, erudite ode to the imperiled animals around us.
Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans
By Bill Schutt
Those pearly whites do more than just shine.
Eight Bears
By Gloria Dickie
What Goldilocks got wrong about the world’s fiercest land predator.
Sociopath: A Memoir
By Patric Gagne
What does it feel like to be unfeeling?
Who Gets Believed?
By Dina Nayeri
Why so much hinges on “selling” our stories.
It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me: A Memoir
By Rex Chapman with Seth Davis
A frank, razor-sharp reflection on fame and a spectacular fall.
Unfinished Woman: A Memoir
By Robyn Davidson
This challenging, rich reflection rewards patient readers.
Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy
By Charles Busch
A playful, poignant look at the life of a renowned drag queen.
Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future
By Gloria Dickie
What Goldilocks got wrong about the world’s fiercest land predator.
Who Gets Believed?: When the Truth Isn’t Enough
By Dina Nayeri
Why so much hinges on “selling” our stories.
A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing: A Memoir Across Three Continents
By Mary-Alice Daniel
A lyrical reflection on growing up a “third culture” kid.
Mothertrucker
By Amy Butcher
A bittersweet exploration of God, violence, and the power of friendship.
Sinkhole: A Legacy of Suicide
By Juliet Patterson
An intelligent, deeply researched reflection on the ultimate form of self-harm.
Fuzz
By Mary Roach
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This book’s laugh-out-loud delivery belies its sober underlying message.
War and Me: A Memoir
By Faleeha Hassan; translated by William Hutchins
A heartfelt if impersonal recollection of life in Iraq.
The Sound of the Sea
By Cynthia Barnett
What can the beachy treasures tell us about the health of our planet?
The Window Seat
By Aminatta Forna
This timely essay collection reminds us that we’re all citizens of the world.
Thin Places: A Natural History of Healing and Home
By Kerri ní Dochartaigh
A lyrical recollection of growing up amid the Troubles.
Winter Pasture
By Li Juan; translated by Jack Hargreaves and Yan Yan
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This newly translated memoir has long been loved in the author’s native land.
Mothertrucker: Finding Joy on the Loneliest Road in America
By Amy Butcher
A bittersweet exploration of God, violence, and the power of friendship.
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law
By Mary Roach
This book’s laugh-out-loud delivery belies its sober underlying message.
The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans
By Cynthia Barnett
What can the beachy treasures tell us about the health of our planet?
The Window Seat: Notes from a Life in Motion
By Aminatta Forna
This timely essay collection reminds us that we’re all citizens of the world.
The Story of More
By Hope Jahren
A perfect, pocket-size primer on environmental problems and solutions.
Winter Pasture: One Woman’s Journey with China’s Kazakh Herders
By Li Juan; translated by Jack Hargreaves and Yan Yan
This newly translated memoir has long been loved in the author’s native land.
Dark, Salt, Clear: Life in a Fishing Village
By Lamorna Ash
Compassionate realism illuminates this account of a working-class seaside town in England.
Waters of the World
By Sarah Dry
The author flexes her skills as an historian but unfortunately goes slack in her prose.
Having and Being Had
By Eula Biss
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An occasionally uncomfortable — and long overdue — exploration of power and privilege.
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This new work combining science and social justice makes a strong case for coming and going.
Underland
By Robert Macfarlane
A poetic, entrancing exploration of the spaces that lie beneath.
A perfect, pocket-size primer on environmental problems and solutions.
Half Broke: A Memoir
By Ginger Gaffney
An outstanding reflection from a horse trainer attempting to reach both animals and inmates.
The author flexes her skills as an historian but unfortunately goes slack in her prose.
Ghost Riders
By Mark Felton
How an unlikely team-up rescued the Spanish Riding School’s prized steeds.
A Dream Called Home
By Reyna Grande
An American tale of love, family, writing, and immigration for the next generation.
Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss
By Margaret Renkl
A lyrical reflection on life that blends observations of the natural world with family memories.
Underland: A Deep Time Journey
By Robert Macfarlane
A poetic, entrancing exploration of the spaces that lie beneath.
Savage News: A Novel
By Jessica Yellin
This uneven media critique sadly proves that good politics doesn’t always make for good writing.
White Dancing Elephants
By Chaya Bhuvaneswar
This award-winning debut boasts virtuoso range and depth.