A rearming of the European continent is underway as officials there conclude that, despite some recent improvement in U.S.-NATO relations, they might want to lean less on the United States for defense. Finland offers a model for no-nonsense self-sufficiency that has a lot to do with its history. A capable military matters, but Finnish security is grounded by a mindset captured in a phrase perhaps best translated as “spiritual national defense.” The idea: Defense is a responsibility for all – from businesses stockpiling fuel and grain to office workers learning how to shoot a sniper rifle on weekends.

What role does the price of rice have in Japanese politics? The country’s ongoing shortage of the staple is bringing greater awareness to farmers’ issues, and greater scrutiny to the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party, ahead of parliamentary elections. Party leaders are trying to smooth things over, slashing the price of stockpiled reserves and vowing to overhaul policies. Yet frustrated farmers and longtime policy critics want greater accountability. And the moves may not be enough to draw back voters.

Beep baseball is a modified version of the national pastime, offering players who are blind the opportunity to hit, field, and build community. The 16-inch ball beeps its location. A sighted volunteer pitches. There are two bases, 4-foot-tall padded cylinders, and rules that govern games with the same varied pace and moments of triumph as traditional baseball. As beep baseball’s championship series nears, with a July 20 start, we go inside a game that’s decades old and newly on the upswing.

Mysteries follow a reassuring pattern, with the perpetrators eventually brought to justice. Throw in quirky characters and well-designed plots, and you’ve got some diverting summer reads. Meet an “old sweetheart” of a barrister-turned-investigator and a Maori crime fighter, among others, in our summer roundup. (And pick up some BritBox viewing recommendations, too.)

When our essayist wanted a backyard birdhouse, her husband obliged, and one went up in a big oak tree. It sat empty. “It turns out that birds, like humans, are picky about where they live,” she writes. “You can’t just throw up a tiny A-frame and think they’ll come flying in. They crave ambience. They need to be dazzled.” Work was done. Books were consulted. In the end, our essayist learned that small failures spark exploration, and yield more satisfaction than any quick success.