It’s a familiar question, one that I’m asked and that I ask a lot, too: What are you reading? Given that we’re all digital junkies now, it can be both illuminating and entertaining to find the right book (or books) to create unexpected perspective on what’s happening now.

This is a new experiment at Random House, an effort to explore whether we can hold an engaging conversation online about different books that we think may shed light on what’s going on in the world right now. The suggestions and the essays will not be limited to Random House books, or to new books, but to any title that strikes us as relevant and worthwhile.

So, Marcus Aurelius may come up in a particularly rough political moment—read his “Meditations,” and calm down—or Trollope’s “The Way We Live Now” may be the best thing to pick up the midst of a big business scandal. Or, appropriately for this week, it would be worthwhile to read Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan’s newly published book, “The Eleventh Day,” for the anniversary of 9/11.

There will be contributors from all over the place—our authors and editors, and of course our readers.

To begin, I am recommending three books, in addition to “The Eleventh Day,” on the attacks and the aftermath of September 11. Join us here, on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!