All Book Reviews
How drones change the risks that nations are willing to takeIn “The Drone Age,” Michael J. Boyle provides moral clarity on the question of drone technology, and tops it off with a word of warning.
For the love of language: ‘Our Riches’ celebrates readingKaouther Adimi’s newly translated novel weaves together fact and fiction in a story about a famous Algerian bookstore and its fiercely loyal patrons.
The shadow economy that lets the ultra rich enjoy ‘friction free lives’Nelson D. Schwartz explores the perils of a financial system that enables one percenters to move to the head of the line in ‘The Velvet Rope Economy.’
The internet as it is: ‘Lurking’ shows the web’s wins and lossesUnlike other books on the subject, Joanne McNeil’s shrewd history of the internet doesn’t pretend there was ever an online golden age.
Edward Snowden arouses little sympathy in ‘Dark Mirror’Barton Gellman’s biography paints an unflinching picture of the man some consider a spy, and others a hero, for revealing widespread surveillance.
What are birds doing? David Allen Sibley knows.David Allen Sibley’s lavishly illustrated “What It’s Like to Be a Bird” is more for perusing indoors - it’s too big to fit in your pocket.
What if Hillary had never married Bill? ‘Rodham’ answers that question.Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel – part fan fiction, part thought experiment – offers an uneven but fascinating exploration of an alternate path.
In ‘Afterlife,’ a woman forges a path through griefJulia Alvarez’s latest novel demonstrates that even in times of loss there is a person, an opportunity, or a perspective, waiting to shake things up.
What really happened at the O.K. CorralThe most famous gunfight of the old West lives on in movies and in our imagination. “Tombstone” separates the truth from the myth.
‘Pelosi’ tracks the career of a powerful, driven politicianAs the first woman speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, she’s honed a formidable legislative record and staved off challengers.
Chekhov’s unequaled mastery of the short story“Fifty-Two Stories” reminds our reviewer of the Russian writer’s brilliance, even if this collection doesn’t quite live up to his best work.
Amid a pandemic, it’s nice to read novels about people who care“The Big Finish” and “The Love Story of Missy Carmichael” each feature older characters who go beyond themselves to help others.
Degas painted dancers and musicians with deftness and authority“Degas at the Opéra” offers a backstage tour of the artist’s favorite haunt – as well as intimations of the dark underside of dancers’ lives.
‘In Deep’ disputes the notion of a ‘deep state’ conspiracyNew Yorker writer David Rohde traces the rise of distrust in government agencies, along with the expansion of presidential powers, over 40 years.
‘Amnesty’ sets up a moral dilemma for an immigrant living in the shadowsAravind Adiga’s novel follows a man living illegally in Australia as he weighs an impossible decision: Solve a murder, or stay in the country?
Imagining the life of Jesus’ wifeSue Monk Kidd’s novel brings to life a spirited young woman who must come to terms with her own heartfelt desires and ambitions.
Madeleine L’Engle’s early short stories presage ‘A Wrinkle in Time’A reviewer reflects on reading “The Moment of Tenderness,” a collection of short stories, and then returning to the 1963 novel she loved growing up.
From house of horrors to family homeErica Bauermeister’s latest book is a thoughtful, entertaining memoir of the time she and her family spent renovating the mother of all fixer-uppers.
Alexander Calder upended the seriousness of artHis sculpture and mobiles played with space and form, but some critics were not amused. Part 2 of Jed Perl’s biography illumines Calder’s skill.
‘Love, Unscripted’ is a rom-com homage, but transcends the genreOwen Nicholls’ debut novel is chock-full of movie references, but he delves deeply into the intricacies of maintaining a relationship.
