All Book Reviews
‘The Enemies of Rome’ shows the underdogs’ view of the empireStephen P. Kershaw tells of a thousand years of resistance to Rome, with portraits of the most celebrated adversaries from across the known world.
‘The German House’ unfolds wartime complicityAnnette Hess’ novel “The German House” holds all of society accountable for the atrocities of Auschwitz.
‘Tightrope’ argues for greater compassion and social responsibilityNicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn take an unsparing but empathetic look at the factors exerting a downward pull on working-class communities.
‘Stories of the Sahara’ celebrates a singular voice in travel writingSanmao electrified Chinese readers when her travelogue “Stories of the Sahara” was published in 1976 – now it has been translated into English.
‘Land of Tears’ offers a chilling look at European colonization of AfricaYale University history professor Robert Harms expertly weaves together the strands of history in “Land of Tears.”
Bella Abzug: Liberal trailblazer in a broad-brimmed hatLeandra Ruth Zarnow’s “Battling Bella” traces Abzug’s activism in the 1970s and forecasts the arrival of greater numbers of women in politics.
‘Our Wild Calling’ argues for emotional connection with animalsRichard Louv makes the case that animals not only have emotions, but that humans are enriched by interspecies contact.
‘Celestial Bodies’ reveals cracks in the patriarchyOmani novelist Jokha Alharthi follows three generations of a family trying to make their way as traditional roles and expectations crumble.
‘Disney’s Land’: The amusement park that changed everythingRichard Snow embarks on an entertaining biography of Disneyland in all its pixie-dust-coated, nostalgia-tinged majesty.
Copernicus blazed a trail for early astronomers to followBrahe, Kepler, and Galileo each played a role in furthering the study of the heavens, as L.S. Fauber amply demonstrates in “Heaven on Earth.”
Empire builder: Walter Ralegh conquered in the name of his queenAlan Gallay’s biography examines not only the colorful life of Sir Walter Ralegh but also his role in colonization.
One was killed by a volcano. The other lived to tell the tale.Daisy Dunn's "The Shadow of Vesuvius" is a vivid history of Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, and the volcanic eruption that defined them.
‘The Impeachers’ minutely recounts the first presidential reckoningBrenda Wineapple’s deep dive into President Andrew Johnson’s impeachment and the landscape of Reconstruction politics is an essential Civil War read.
‘The Quarter’ shows masterly hand of Nobel laureate Naguib MahfouzThe collection of short stories, published posthumously, gently lays bare the foibles of the denizens of a neighborhood in old Cairo.
Eileen Gray: The modernist designer you’ve never heard ofIrish-born and Paris-ensconced, Gray created iconic furnishings and homes that are now sought by the likes of Yves Saint Laurent.
‘My Penguin Year’ tells a compelling tale of an extreme adventureLindsay McCrae missed the birth of his son to film in Antarctica. It made him appreciate the role that male penguins play in raising the chicks.
The unthinkable sinkable Titanic marked the end of a gilded eraIn “The Ship of Dreams,” Gareth Russell explores the excess and hubris that characterized the Edwardian age through the lives of six passengers.
‘The Movie Musical!’ dances through the heyday of Hollywood ‘tuners’Jeanine Basinger‘s sweeping history casts an insightful, and affectionate, eye over decades of films that defined their eras.
The unheralded women of the Disney StudiosIn “The Queens of Animation,” Nathalia Holt takes a fascinating look at the women behind Disney classics like “Cinderella” and “Bambi.”
‘The Boundless Sea’ explores centuries of ocean voyagingDavid Abulafia’s sweeping history “The Boundless Sea” touches on great explorers as well as war, trade, and migration.
