Should you tip for takeout? Should you let someone cut in line? And if you're worried a politician you dislike will win, should you bet on them—and profit if they do? Ward Farnsworth and Saul Levmore explore these everyday dilemmas with humor, curiosity, and a healthy dose of logic. Their point isn't necessarily to give you the "right" answer, but to show that how you think through a problem matters just as much as the conclusion.Drawing on economics, law, philosophy, and sports, they introduce ideas like Bayesian analysis, optimal stopping, and zero-sum games in surprisingly relatable ways.It's a fascinating look at the hidden logic behind ordinary decisions—and a reminder that everyday life gets much more interesting when you stop taking things for granted. Farnsworth is Professor and W. Page Keeton Chair at the University of Texas School of Law.

AI can offer career advice in seconds, but should technology have a say in decisions that can shape an entire life? Charisse Lillie explores where AI-assisted guidance ends and human judgment begins—and why trusted mentors, meaningful relationships, and experienced advisors still matter. Drawing on her new book, Upon a Turning Stage, Lillie shares lessons from a remarkable five-decade career spanning civil rights law, government, corporate leadership, philanthropy, the Federal Reserve, and major corporate boards. Her journey—from growing up in segregated Houston to becoming Philadelphia City Solicitor, a senior Comcast executive, and Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia—offers a unique perspective on how careers and leaders are built.

After her mother's death, theater director Gwen Rivlin is determined to keep the large, shabby turreted house where they grew up. But the cost, suburban setting, single-family zoning laws, and skeptical neighbors all seem determined to drive her out. Seeking both a way forward for the changing community and an escape from her grief, Gwen stages Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard inside her home—a play about a family fighting to save its own estate. She casts friends, coffee-shop coworkers, and local residents, transforming the house into a temporary theater and gathering place. As the production unfolds, Gwen begins repairing old relationships, confronting her complicated feelings about her mother, and discovering a new sense of belonging. Through art, community, and loss, she ultimately creates an unconventional family of her own. Rachel Pastan is the author of the acclaimed novels Alena, a NY Times Book Review "Editors' Choice" and has taught at Bennington, Swarthmore, Temple and Drexel Universities.