11 best books of December, according to Amazon's editors

Looking for a holiday read for yourself or a gift for a voracious reader? These are the best new titles this month, hand-picked by Amazon's editors. Amazon’s editorial director of books and Kindle Sara Nelson tells us why they were chosen.

3. 'Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956,' by Anne Applebaum

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Gulag” comes this National Book Award nominee about life behind the Iron Curtain. Drawing on never-before-seen East European archives, interviews, and personal accounts, Applebaum goes beyond the history books to sketch out what daily life was like for millions of individuals caught on the wrong side of the Curtain. “We all know the big picture history of events during this period,” says Nelson. “This is a more human [account]. You really get a sense of what it would have been like to live there.”

3 of 11
You've read 3 of 3 free articles. Subscribe to continue.
CSM logo

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us