New Books In Literature

Writers often evoke the famous que sais-je (“What do I know?”) of Michel de Montaigne, father of the literary essay. Montaigne was known for his deeply exploratory writing about the many overlapping and often conflicting aspects of selfhood. His Essais in the 16th century laid the foundation for the genre by focusing on questions—some ephemeral, some perennial—about things such as disability, death, education, friendship, religion, and thumbs. Today, essayists continue to write from this ancient tradition, but for a new century. The big topics in today’s discourse about who we are include questions about gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, citizenship, political affiliation, and more. Enter the inimitable Melissa Faliveno. In her debut essay collection, Tomboyland: Essays (Topple Books & Little A), author Melissa Faliveno examines a vast array of intersecting (and intersectional!) human experiences. These thoughtful essays explore Faliveno’s relationship to scores of personal identities, including her midw