All Book Reviews
'The Extra Woman' is the smart, enjoyable story of the 1930s maverick who embraced singledomAuthor Joanna Scutts elegantly argues that Marjorie Hillis was a trailblazer, calling her sharp, witty writing 'a beacon of social change.'
'I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter' lays out a real and raw worldAt times, this blistering YA book is as messy and unlikable as its protagonist. But it’s also authentic and deeply moving.
'Renoir: An Intimate Biography' shows an artist scarcely hinted at in the sunny swirl of his paintingsBarbara Ehrlich White's new book goes far beyond her earlier work on Renoir.
'A Hundred Small Lessons' explores the question of home ownership through the lives of two women'Lessons' is an engaging look at the lives of two women who are centered around the home, physically and figuratively.
'Latif Al Ani' portrays Iraq in an era of optimismAfter Ottoman and later British rule, the Iraqi republic was formed in 1958, at a time of great hope.
'No Time to Spare' is an enjoyable visit with literary giant Ursula Le Guin (and her cat)Le Guin reflects on the value of time, when simply living life, visiting with friends and family, grocery shopping, and writing, fills each and every day.
'The Revolution of Marina M.' grounds readers in the sweep of Russian historyThis is 'White Oleander' author Janet Fitch's most powerful narrative, dense with atmosphere and poetics.
'The Last Man Who Knew Everything' is a detailed and sympathetic biography of Enrico Fermi'The Last Man Who Knew Everything' manages the neat double trick of making both Fermi and his abstruse work accessible
'Feast for the Eyes' is a delightful history of food in photographyWhat we eat, and how we consume it, is directly linked to photography’s evolution.
'Rooster Bar' author John Grisham sinks his teeth into a juicy target: privately owned, for-profit law schoolsGrisham details the dismal mediocrity and hopelessness engulfing the school and its students.
'Playing with Fire' chronicles 1968 in America, eschewing easy answers to complex questionsThe aftermath of 1968 – seven more years of war, continued social unrest, Watergate, Nixon's resignation, Gerald Ford's pardon – combined to alter forever the trajectory of American public life.
'The Saboteur' combines heroic World War II history with thriller dramaticsRobert de La Rochefoucauld and his Resistance comrades were guided by an unspoken code of bravery.
'Modern Color' shows how Fred Herzog captured an era in living colorHerzog offers up a body of street photography created before it was a recognized genre.
'La Belle Sauvage' will be like coming home for Philip Pullman fansFor fans of the writer or the series, 'La Belle Sauvage' is essential.
'Nomadland' chronicles Americans on the move with heaps of reportorial detail, narrative flairJournalist Jessica Bruder rents an RV and hits the road to gain access to a new class of Americans on the move.
'Balancing Acts' author Nicholas Hytner looks back at a successful career at London’s National TheatreBetween the color commentary and all the humorous cameos, this book is a master class in the anatomy of artistic directing.
5 great book picks for gift-giving this holiday season'Inside Animal Hearts and Minds' by Belinda Recio and 'Shahnameh' by A. Ferdowsi are two books that would make ideal gifts this year.
'Afghanistan' is a collection of the best of Steve McCurry's images of this rugged, beautiful, tragic landSteve McCurry has been documenting Afghanistan and its story for almost 40 years.
30 best books of 2017The 2017 books listed below are the top choices of the Monitor’s book critics – the 30 books that moved, informed, or delighted us most.
'I Can’t Breathe' is clear-eyed, hard-hitting account of Eric Garner's deathAs a profile of the people closest to Garner, the book proves both empathic and moving.
