This atmospheric debut from a young Italian writer is drawing raves. After her father dies, Mina, a 30-year-old living in London, returns home to Calabria to help her sister run her late dad’s bar.

Yesterday I saw a friend, Bridget, whom I had not seen for a full year. “How have you been?” she asked. “I have learned a lot about myself this year,” I told her. But at the time it was hard to say ...

I know there are a lot of opinions about the right way to do Christmas. My husband, Peter, feels the holidays are too commercial—too much time spent in preparation, too much added stress buying ...