All Book Reviews
In the White House, Winston Churchill found a home away from homeWith a new biography, Robert Schmuhl walks readers through Winston Churchill’s frequent stays at the White House – and the strong bonds those sojourns forged.
What do scientists have to learn from wildlife? The value of diversity.Jasmin Graham’s fresh and innovative memoir details how her work as a “rogue” shark scientist pushes science to include more diverse perspectives.
The 10 best books of July 2024 to tuck in your beach bagOur picks for the best reads of July include novels about a comet, navigating love, and adapting to a new culture.
A Holocaust survivor’s music inspires his granddaughter’s memoirIn “The Piano Player of Budapest,” musician Roxanne de Bastion inherits not only her grandfather’s cherished piano, but also his courageous history.
A missing artist sets a twisty mystery in motionIn Ellery Lloyd’s “The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby,” an art historian unravels the disappearance of a 1930s surrealist painter and her self-portrait.
No woman is an island. Especially if she lives on one.In “Welcome to Glorious Tuga,” a woman veterinarian travels to a remote island and becomes enmeshed in the lives of residents – particularly that of the local doctor.
Claire Lombardo’s ‘Same As It Ever Was’ delves into a longtime marriageIn “Same As It Ever Was,” novelist Claire Lombardo explores the restlessness, silences, and comforts that mark one woman’s decades-long relationship.
Check out the Monitor’s 10 best books of JuneFor June 2024, the Monitor’s best books include stirring mysteries and moving family tales, including novels based on famous lives.
How the Civil War spurred the animal welfare movement“Our Kindred Creatures” tells the story of American abolitionists who, after Emancipation, pivoted from antislavery campaigns to animal welfare advocacy.
How George Marshall’s quiet genius for planning helped the US win world warsIn a new biography, Josiah Bunting III paints a revealing picture of the quiet man who grew into a titanic military leader.
So you want to win the New Yorker caption contest? Here’s how in 6 steps.Lawrence Wood has won The New Yorker’s caption contest eight times. In this witty volume, he explains how he did it.
In ‘Sipsworth,’ a mouse helps a widow conquer lonelinessIn Simon Van Booy’s charming novel “Sipsworth,” a woman’s closed world is opened up by the unexpected arrival of a mouse.
Today’s immigration was set in motion by past US actions, a journalist arguesIn “Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here,” Jonathan Blitzer examines the U.S. government’s role in Central America as a factor in the rising numbers of asylum-seekers today.
The secret to Chinese civilization’s longevity? Exams and bureaucracy.China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization, and in ancient times was a leader in technology. “In The Rise and Fall of the EAST,” Yasheng Huang probes why.
Lithium is key to green technology. Where will the US source it?“The War Below” examines the global competition for metals like lithium and nickel, which are needed for electric cars, solar panels, and wind turbines.
Audubon’s exquisite bird paintings owe a debt to classical European art“Audubon as Artist” plunges into John James Audubon’s fascination with classical European art, which influenced his celebrated bird paintings.
‘Real Americans’ explores the pressure to be exceptionalRachel Khong’s second novel, a multi-generational tale of two intertwined families, flags problematic attempts to shape and control identity.
Slavery isn’t just a Southern story. The North benefited from stolen labor.“The Stolen Wealth of Slavery” traces the financial profits from enslaved labor, which fueled the rise of Northern banking institutions – some of which still exist.
A primer on climate change that tackles both hope and despairClimate change is a complicated subject. Science writer Elizabeth Kolbert breaks it down in “H Is for Hope,” an illustrated ABC book for adults.
Anne Lamott preaches to her choir in ‘Somehow: Thoughts on Love’Anne Lamott’s “Somehow: Thoughts on Love” riffs on themes familiar from her other books, including self-doubt, self-criticism, and the need for grace.
