All Books
- 'The Perfectionists' manages to make precision engineering fascinating
Simon Winchester writes about the raw engineering and precision manufacturing that makes the dreams of scientists possible.
- TV’s ‘Little Women’: ‘A very current story about things that haven’t changed’
The March sisters are still beloved 150 years on, but none more so than Jo, a “magnificent original” whom Louisa May Alcott modeled on herself. A female character who defined her happy ending through her work – not by marrying the boy next door – was revelatory (and inspired many heartbroken letters to Alcott from young readers).
- 'The Soul of America' reminds us that living up to our highest ideals has always been tricky
Meacham’s latest book serves as a sobering reminder that protest, divisive politics, and partisan rancor have been near-constants in the United States.
- 10 best books of May: the Monitor's picks
From a bestselling Chinese memoir to a study of precision engineering, here are the 10 May titles that most impressed the Monitor's book critics.
- 'From Cold War to Hot Peace' offers a US ambassador's up-close view of Russia
Michael McFaul served as the United States Ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014.
- 'The Ideal of Culture' showcases Joseph Epstein’s familiar ease with the treasures of Western culture
It is Epstein’s gift to be able to take a reader by the sleeve and gently tug him into a topic he had no idea he’d be interested in.
- First LookIn the face of scandals, no Nobel literature prize will be awarded this year
The Swedish Academy has announced the 2018 literature prize will be given in 2019, the first time since 1943 that the prize has been delayed. Allegations of sexual assault against the husband of one of its former members has created a rift within the secret academy.
- Karl Marx turns 200: Are his ideas still relevant?
May 5 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx, the 19th-century political economist. Soviet-style communism has settled into the ash heap of history, and yet, for many, the Great Recession and its aftermath have meant that capitalism’s victory has been less than decisive.
- 'The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs' covers millennia of dinosaur dominance
University of Edinburgh paleontologist Steve Brusatte transforms great piles of geological and paleontological data into an absorbing historical saga.
- When your first-grade homework becomes a bestseller
As a child's talent for writing vaults her to the top as published author, her parents manage demands on her time. The Reeses balance family, church, and helping Nia Mya be a normal third-grader.
- '1983' chronicles a Cold War-era narrow escape from nuclear war
The incident was sparked by a routine NATO military exercise and occurred when mistrust and suspicion between superpowers America and the USSR was sky-high.
- Three compelling biographies of remarkable women
Spanning 500 years in history, these bios profile women who made their marks in the fields of art, astronomy, and philanthropy.
- 'Buttermilk Graffiti' is a road trip in search of contemporary American cuisine
Star chef Edward Lee drives across the United States as he explores a mind-meltingly diverse world of food.
- 'Beneath a Ruthless Sun' is a wrenching story of bigotry – and an inspiring tale of heroes
This kind of narrative is familiar territory for Gilbert King, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his remarkable 2012 bestseller "Devil in the Grove," another look at violence, injustice, and heroic opposition.
- 'The Best Cook in the World' is Rick Bragg's tribute to his mother and her somewhat exotic culinary skills
The book includes 75 recipes, which read like oral tradition.
- 'The Moralist': What drove the 'tragic figure' of Woodrow Wilson?
A century after his term in office, many of Wilson's ideals remain deeply divisive.
- 'You Think It, I’ll Say It' shows Curtis Sittenfeld at her best, where gender meets class
Sittenfeld trafficks in the minor humiliations of fictional women who often self-sabotage, or at least overthink.
- 'Dread Nation' is a rollicking 'Gone With the Wind + Zombies' adventure
But don't underestimate the latest YA novel by activist Justina Ireland – it's also a biting commentary on contemporary race relations in America.
- 'God Save Texas' is Lawrence Wright’s affectionate, eye-opening, slightly rueful love letter to his native state
Intended to be part travelogue, part reportage, and part memoir, 'God Save Texas' reads less like a coherent narrative and more like a collection of essays.
- 'Varina' imagines the life of Jefferson Davis's widow in the aftermath of the Civil War
'Varina' can be seen as a reminder that a national reckoning over the legacy of slavery has yet to take place.