Coming December 8, 2026
Shining Darkness

"The stories are shimmering, and the wisdom is real. A gift to the world." --Valarie Kaur

"Vivid and powerfully told...takes the reader on an arduous and courageous journey, from violence and addiction to spiritual awakening and love." --Elaine Pagels

Starting with a profound question about violence, Shining Darkness moves through addiction and trauma, Buddhist study and practice, in widening arcs that touch on religion, literature, war, abuse, and social action. Vivid stories unfold across New York, San Francisco, and India. In this memoir in essays, acclaimed writer, translator, and scholar Linda Hess journeys with readers from the intimately personal through the public and political.