All Books
- '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 myth
Biographer Julian Jackson manages to be always thorough but never pedantic, always clarifying but never simplifying.
- Remembering John McCain, a world-class reader
Like his role model, Teddy Roosevelt, McCain drew on books as a source of intellectual and spiritual sustenance.
- '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
- When US Congressmen turned to violence
Yale University historian and author Joanne B. Freeman talks about the stunning extent to which US Congressmen treated each other with violence in the years before the Civil War.
- 'A Life of My Own' is biographer Claire Tomalin's chance to turn inward
Tomalin 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 America
Today’s Jewish community continues to be divided over issues related to assimilation and secularization.
- 'The Middleman' is the latest smart, entertaining thriller from Olen Steinhauer
Loyal 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 aviation
NPR 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 music
In 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 freedom
Prejudice 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 Germany
Similar 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.
- V.S. Naipaul found rich literary material in places where colonizers once ruled
A complex man himself, Naipaul had a gift for revealing in his writing dimensions other observers might have missed.
- 'The Billionaire Raj' explores India's new wealth – and the corruption it breeds
National 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.
- 'Dopesick' brings the opioid epidemic to heart-breaking life
In heart of the crisis, author Beth Macy finds perseverance amid tragedy.
- 'Chesapeake Requiem' explores a cherished site perhaps doomed by climate change
Journalist Earl Swift weaves a masterful narrative of place, people, and nature, supported by the best sort of on-the-ground journalism.
- Vermont libraries provide community, not just books
In an era when memberships in social clubs and church attendance are down, and critics say social media appears to be fracturing rather than knitting society together, libraries are stepping in as so-called third places where people can meet and socialize.
- 10 best books of August: the Monitor's picks
The Silk Road from a bicycle seat. A satirical novel with Shakespeare as a character. Iraq and Afghanistan through the experiences of six service members. The genius of Chopin. All are among our picks for the best books of August.
- 'Eager' is a passionate, captivating love letter to the beaver
The subject of environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb's enthusiasm is Castor canadensis, the North American beaver.