It’s an amazing privilege to be able to introduce you in various media to this country I’ve come to love; perhaps you’ll be inspired to visit, although I know the cost and time involved with that make it difficult. Armchair travelers are most welcome here; there’s no place like where you are right this minute. Truth be told, what’s most remarkable about being able to visit and learn about another land is that ultimately, in the end, we all want the same things: safe shelter, clean clothing, good things for our family, love.

Are you reading a book and loving it? Film a short video book review and send it to us so we can share it with the Read It Forward community! If we feature your review, we’ll send you a great read with our thanks! Watch my video review of Radio Shangri-La to find out why I can’t wait to tell all my friends who loved Eat, Pray, Love about Lisa Napoli’s memoir. It’s got that sense of adventure and personal discovery, and Lisa’s writing is just beautiful.

As someone who knew Bobby Fischer from the time he was quite young, I’ve been asked hundreds of times, “What was Bobby Fischer really like?” This book is an attempt to answer that question. But a warning to those who turn these pages: Paradoxes abound. Bobby was secretive, yet candid; generous, yet parsimonious; naive, yet well informed; cruel, yet kind; religious, yet heretical. His games were filled with charm and beauty and significance. His outrageous pronouncements were filled with cruelty and prejudice and hate. And though for a period of decades he poured most of his energy and passion into a quest for chess excellence, he was not the idiot savant often portrayed by the press.

I think the fascination with Madame Tussaud comes from the fact that the life she created was as intricate and mystifying as her artistry itself. Here was a woman who was asked to tutor the king’s sister, yet she managed to keep her head during the Reign of Terror when women were being imprisoned for nothing more than wearing the wrong color. She navigated two very different worlds – the court of Versailles and the streets of Paris – and against all odds, lived to tell the tale. And through it all, it was her artistry that saved her.

Calling all Erik Larson fans! A very special offer for you and your book group: we’re giving away advance copies of Erik’s new book – In the Garden of Beasts, coming out in May – to 10 book groups. One lucky book group will win the grand prize: Erik will call or video chat with your group, sure to make for a one-of-a-kind discussion. To enter for the chance to win, leave a comment telling us a bit about your book group!

I’m often asked if a reader needs to be an expert on opera to enjoy The Metropolis Case, and I always say that to the contrary, I want to help introduce opera to people – and especially music lovers, which I think includes just about everyone – who have never experienced it. While those who know opera will undoubtedly find clues in the unfolding story that others will miss, my hope is that everyone will find much to enjoy, in the same way people attend the same opera repeatedly despite knowing every twist and turn.