Books

New & Noteworthy Fiction

Chosen by Amanda Dykes, author of “All the Lost Places,” “Yours Is the Night,” and other novels.

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

Sarah Sundin (Revell)

Historical novelist Sarah Sundin marries sweeping story to impeccable research in this captivating World War II tale of personal sacrifice and costly courage. We follow the journey of ballerina-turned-bookshop-owner Lucie Girard as she navigates the complex world of occupied Paris, discovering the hidden gifts of challenged perceptions, seemingly impossible adversity, and a question so many face: What can we do to help, each in our own unique spheres, when the troubles of the day are daunting in scope? Heart-filling and inspirational, Until Leaves Fall in Paris skillfully weaves together charm and grit.

A Midnight Dance

Joanna Davidson Politano (Revell)

Politano’s latest masterpiece introduces Craven Street Theater, a world of lore that haunts not only the hidden corners of the theater’s ballet company, but also its newest dancer, Ella Blythe. With mysterious fires, legendary figures, and an uncertain future intricately tied to the secrets of the past, Politano deftly weaves together beloved gothic literature tropes and original ideas, with a generous sprinkling of luminous story magic. She plumbs depths that invite readers to ponder such questions as: Does art only have value when it has an audience? To what extent do our pasts define us? And how does forgiveness reshape our lives?

A Gentleman in Moscow

Amor Towles (Penguin)

This book has swept the world with its lush language, keen insight, and enduring poignancy. When Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to a lifetime of confinement inside a luxury hotel, we see his worldly riches decline alongside a growth in other forms of riches, like unlikely friendship, found family, and hard-won beauty during a dark time in history. Though written for a secular market (and containing elements that might trouble some readers), the book features valuable themes and exquisite turns of phrase. With quick wit and delight-filled language reminiscent of P. G. Wodehouse, and vibrant character interweaving to rival Charles Dickens, this is a modern classic.

Also in this issue

Our cover story this month follows a handful of Ukrainians who left their country on the eve of war—or in some cases, years earlier—and who sensed they were in exile “for such a time as this.” Plus: laundromat ministries, sermon lengths, fighting compassion fatigue, Jesus and jazz, and more.

Cover Story

They Fled Ukraine, and Ukraine Followed

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News

Counting the Cost of Paying Ransoms for Missionaries

Can We Resurrect Expertise?

Why We Preach for Proper Names

Learning to Love Our Neighbor’s Fears

Testimony

God Wanted Me When the Foster-Care System Didn’t

Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain Without Swearing

News

Germany’s Nuclear Power Plants Are Closing. But Their Moral Questions Have a Long Half-Life.

News

Anglicans Lose 14 Properties in South Carolina Court Battle

Editorial

How to Greet the End of ‘Roe’

News

Long Sermons Seem Longer in the Pews, Study Finds

News

Preach the Gospel Everywhere. When Necessary, Use Laundromats.

5 Books for Getting to Know the Desert Fathers and Mothers

Who Will Pay Africa’s Medical Bills?

Our July/August Issue: War Stories

Cultural Diversity Isn’t a Problem to Be Solved

The Gospel and All That Jazz

What Should We Do If Our Compassion Runs Out?

Disasters Often Bring Revelation Rather than Punishment

The Unexpected Parenting Comfort of Ecclesiastes

The Christian Case for Reading Black Classics

View issue

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The Book Screwtape Feared Most

Once a bedrock Christian classic, Boethius’s “Consolation of Philosophy” has been neglected for decades. It’s time for a revival.

Being Human

Airport Anxiety and Purposeful Publishing with Joy Allmond

CT’s executive editor learned to care for people as a 9/11-era flight attendant.

The Song of Mary Still Echoes Today

How the Magnificat speaks to God’s care for the lowly.

How Insecurity Thwarts a Kingdom

Herod’s violence reveals the futility of earthly power.

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