HOUSTON—Before Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast on Aug. 25, a fleet of trucks from evangelical nonprofit Convoy of Hope (Springfield, Mo.) was on the road loaded with water, food, and hygiene kits. Two disaster teams from Samaritan’s Purse (Boone, N.C.) headed out on Aug. 26. Southern Baptists, with churches scattered throughout the affected area, quickly activated chainsaw teams that cleared roads and removed fallen trees.

The Hemingway Files

H.K. Bush

Giant Squid 

Candace Fleming

AUSTIN, Texas—When Amber Moon wanted a dog for a hiking partner, she strolled into the Austin Animal Center, a shelter with a bright, cavernous lobby and “suites” or “studios,” some as large as 50 feet square, for the animals.

Coat of Many Colors 

Dolly Parton

Although publishers put out a steady stream of new mystery titles, finding stories that are clean and well-written can be difficult, especially if you don’t want to read about deranged serial killers or rapists. The mystery website “Stop, You’re Killing Me!” is a good place to find new writers and oldies that you may have missed. Here are a few older series worth checking out:

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Anne Fadiman