Books | Book Reviews
Makers of the world’s rarest pasta and soy sauce inspire aweIn “Custodians of Wonder,” Eliot Stein takes readers on a tour from Japan to Peru to meet the artisans keeping ancient crafts alive.
‘I Am Nobody’s Slave’ charts a course toward intergenerational healingIn “I Am Nobody’s Slave,” memoirist Lee Hawkins reaches deep into his family history and finds redemption in understanding his roots.
A humble berry at the heart of a virtuous cycleRobin Wall Kimmerer reflects on the cooperation among plants and draws inspiration for human societies in “The Serviceberry.”
Raise the curtain on the 10 best books of JanuaryThe 10 best books of January 2025 embrace living on the edge, escaping convention, and confronting racism.
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Music unlocks secrets about the design of the universeDaniel K.L. Chua’s expansive, eye-opening book documents how music from China to Greece has underpinned humanity’s search for joy.
End the year on a high note with the 10 best books of DecemberThe 10 best books of December include a spy novel, essays by physicist Alan Lightman, and a group biography of four women scientists in Nazi Germany.
Woodrow Wilson stood on the wrong side of historyIn “Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn,” former U.S. Rep. Christopher Cox examines how the president undermined rights for women and Black people.
How Handel brought ‘The Messiah’ to life in bleak timesIn ”Every Valley,” Charles King compellingly recounts how the composer, in a mere three weeks, wrote the soaring music for which he is best known today.
A year of plentiful prose: The best books of 2024The year’s best books include the novel “James” by Percival Everett and a memoir by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Five glorious art books bring the gallery to your couchFrom Japanese printmaker Hokusai to women pioneers of the arts and crafts movement, the images in these volumes offer light and joy to art lovers.
The 10 best books of November set a bountiful table for readersDig in to the 10 best books of November, from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s nature essays to a biography of Johnny Carson.
‘Time of the Child’ gently pulls back the layers of an Irish villageIn Irish novelist Niall Williams’ “Time of the Child,” an abandoned baby changes the lives of the village doctor, his daughter, and the townspeople.
Five children’s picture books bring beauty and delight to story timeGorgeously illustrated children’s books provide visual worlds to explore, while the books’ hopeful messages will cheer young and old alike.
Raising hens: A nature writer celebrates the humble chickenSy Montgomery fell in love with the chickens she raised. In “What the Chicken Knows,” she reflects on their sociability and barnyard smarts.
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