All Books
- ‘My Penguin Year’ tells a compelling tale of an extreme adventure
Lindsay 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 era
In “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 Studios
In “The Queens of Animation,” Nathalia Holt takes a fascinating look at the women behind Disney classics like “Cinderella” and “Bambi.”
- A bounty of books to spark adventures for young readers
Friendship, culture, and travel enliven the best picture books of 2019. And tweens will be pulled into our entertaining middle-grade picks.
- Scripture as an art form? Q&A with Karen Armstrong.
Former Roman Catholic nun and religion scholar Karen Armstrong discusses the practical side of faith in her latest book, “The Lost Art of Scripture.”
- National Book Awards 2019 celebrate the vitality of books in our culture
A diverse group of writers was recognized by the National Book Foundation for shaping the literary landscape over the past year.
- The new canon of #MeToo
Several new books seek to define the values of #MeToo. Will they change popular consciousness, or turn suffering into forgettable entertainment?
- Four audiobooks to keep you company
Turn up the volume (and the heat) with this month’s selections, including a spine-tingling thriller and a complicated mystery.
- 10 books to get you feeling grateful for Thanksgiving
Winter is a time to look back on the year and prepare for the future. Get in a thoughtful mood with the 10 best books of November 2019.
- ‘The Boundless Sea’ explores centuries of ocean voyaging
David Abulafia’s sweeping history “The Boundless Sea” touches on great explorers as well as war, trade, and migration.
- ‘Winterlust’ renders the ‘meanest season’ in benign and poetic terms
Bernd Brunner shapes a cultural history of the season, showing that even at its bleakest, winter can be redemptive.
- Flannery O’Connor’s letters offer sharp insights into her writing
“Good Things Out of Nazareth” collects the thoughts of the Georgia-born author as she confided in mentors, colleagues, and friends.
- Two Hitler biographies draw eerie parallels to contemporary politics
Peter Longerich and Brendan Simms each shed light on the dictator’s role in not only Germany but also on the world stage.
- Q&A with Darryl Pinckney: The paradox of black visibility
Darryl Pinckney, author of “Busted in New York and Other Essays,” discusses the mainstreaming of black culture with Monitor writer Candace McDuffie.
- Q&A with Erin Morgenstern, author of ‘The Starless Sea’
Erin Morgenstern, bestselling author of "The Night Circus," answers questions about her latest novel, including where she finds inspiration.
- Q&A with revised ‘Joy of Cooking’ authors
John Becker and Megan Scott, authors of the ninth edition of “Joy of Cooking,” answer questions about family legacy, cooking technique, and more.
- A cornucopia of cookbooks to savor and share
Whether you use them as a guidebooks or as inspiration, or both, the best cookbooks of 2019 offer delectable recipes and a sense of place.
- Janis Joplin gave a little piece of her heart to every song she sang
A biography follows the singer from her upbringing in a conservative Texas town to her (too brief) career as a raw-voiced blues and rock superstar.
- A decorated Marine recalls lessons of a 19-year war (audio)
Award-winning writer and decorated Marine Elliot Ackerman discusses his book, "Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning" during an hour-long interview with the Monitor's Martin Kuz at the Boston Book Festival.