It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to! In this short vignette, author Sandra Cisneros explores what it’s like to have a bad day on your birthday. Sure, you’re eleven, but what if someone makes you feel like you’re three? 

In this classic story by Ernest Hemingway, an old man attempts to find community and solace in a small cafe. 

In this introduction to Ellison’s book, he contemplates the advantages of being seen but not noticed. 

In 1869, Sarah Hopkins Bradford published an authorized biography called Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman. Tubman was an abolitionist, Union Army scout, nurse, and "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, risking her own life more than a dozen times to lead enslaved people to freedom. Tubman reached out to fellow abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a famous public speaker and author, requesting that he write a letter about her accomplishments to be included in her biography. 

This excerpt is from Michelle Zauner’s best-selling memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American. Note: the audio, read by the author, is included.