Jess Zimmerman

Jess Zimmerman discusses debut essay collection ‘Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology’ (Beacon Press, March 9), “a sparkling and perceptive critique of ancient ideas that still hold women back” (starred review). Then our editors offer reading recommendations for the week, with books by María José Ferrada and María Elena Valdez (trans. by Lawrence Schimel), Margarita Engle, Mark Kurlansky, and Andrea Lee.