All Book Reviews
'If Only' explores an adopted child's sense of a kaleidoscope of possibilitiesSixteen-year-old Ivy is seeking her biological mother, even as she struggles to process the multiple images of what her life could have been.
'The Mere Wife' brings new life to a classic in this reimagining of 'Beowulf'Novelist Maria Dahvana Headley plays with language as much as she plays with the plot of the epic poem.
'De Gaulle' paints an excellently clear portrait of a 20th-century mythBiographer Julian Jackson manages to be always thorough but never pedantic, always clarifying but never simplifying.
- 'The Fighters' takes chilling account of the human toll of the Afghan war
Chivers, a former Marine, spent years talking with, traveling with, and studying six US fighters who served in Afghanistan.
'She Begat This' explores the revolutionary black womanhood of Lauryn Hill
'A Life of My Own' is biographer Claire Tomalin's chance to turn inwardTomalin also sounds a subtly feminist note, revealing how a woman who’s been a daughter, wife, and mother slowly found a life of her own in the reading and writing of books.
'The Chosen Wars' tells how Judaism redefined itself in AmericaToday’s Jewish community continues to be divided over issues related to assimilation and secularization.
'The Middleman' is the latest smart, entertaining thriller from Olen SteinhauerLoyal readers will be rewarded with an extended cameo from the star of Steinhauer’s 'Tourist' trilogy.
'Fly Girls' tells the early history of women in aviationNPR contributor Keith O’Brien profiles women who were brave and determined although not always victorious.
'Chopin's Piano' profiles an instrument linked to much transcendent musicIn graceful prose, Australian conductor and author Paul Kildea explores developments in the history of piano-making, changes in the way pianists have approached their craft, and, most luminously, the music of Chopin.
Antonia Fraser profiles a mighty battle over religious freedomPrejudice against Catholics in Britain seems to have been centered around the idea that a society must limit its freedoms in order to protect its freedoms.
'Travelers in the Third Reich' examines outsiders' views of Hitler's GermanySimilar books have been attempted before, but this one stands out due to both its the breadth of its investigation and the palpable tone of frustration that runs through it.
'The Billionaire Raj' explores India's new wealth – and the corruption it breedsNational University of Singapore professor James Crabtree succeeds in making India's economy – potentially the world's largest by mid-century – a deeply engaging topic and a fascinating read.
'Chesapeake Requiem' explores a cherished site perhaps doomed by climate changeJournalist Earl Swift weaves a masterful narrative of place, people, and nature, supported by the best sort of on-the-ground journalism.
'Eager' is a passionate, captivating love letter to the beaverThe subject of environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb's enthusiasm is Castor canadensis, the North American beaver.
'Just a Shot Away' redefines the 1969 Altamont tragedy as a racial crimeWriter Saul Austerlitz revisits the fatal stabbing at a disastrous late '60s rock concert to focus on the nearly forgotten victim.
'The Quiet Side of Passion' is another McCall Smith tale of the triumph of good
'City of Devils' tells the story of two Westerners who reigned in old ShanghaiFrench, author of 2012's bestselling 'Midnight in Peking,' has lived and worked in Shanghai, and tells a fascinating story of two of the central characters of the demimonde of old Shanghai.
'Three Not-So-Ordinary Joes' wonderfully explores the links of literary influenceHow witty British literati Addison and Steele left their mark on America's Southern literature, via Uncle Remus.
'Not the Girls You're Looking For' follows a rudderless Iraqi AmericanThis dark but clever YA novel confronts topics that are not tidy – because, as Safi reminds us, these are not tidy times.
