All Book Reviews
The day that Unite the Right marched in CharlottesvilleJournalist Deborah Baker follows the trail of far-right agitators, city officials, and church leaders in 鈥滳harlottesville: An American Story.鈥�
Cool midsummer reads to help you get by in JulyThe Monitor鈥檚 10 best books for July take you on a spin through humor, history, true crime, and nature.聽
Test your killer instincts: Here are 4 summer mysteries to solveA cavalcade of crime stoppers is hot on the trail of murderers and miscreants in this quartet of entertaining mystery novels.聽
Charity begins at home for a privileged family in 鈥楾he Greatest Possible Good鈥�Ben Brooks pokes gentle fun at a wealthy do-gooder and his materialistic family in this morality tale that asks: How far would you go to help others?聽
4 picture books that roar with stories of courage and friendshipEven the smallest among us can lead change. That鈥檚 the message of this charming quartet of children鈥檚 picture books.
The vanilla orchid gave up its secrets to an enslaved Black botanist鈥淭he Rarest Fruit鈥� depicts how Edmond Albius, a 19th-century Black wunderkind, solved a pollination puzzle.
Dip into the pool of the 10 best books of JuneThe 10 best books of June are perfect for al fresco reading, whether hammock, park bench, or beach blanket.聽
A burned-out nature writer gets a radical reset breeding ducksBeloved author James Rebanks takes a hiatus from his farm in the Lake District for a sojourn on a far-flung island among the 鈥渄uck women.鈥�
The man who helped shape the modern Republican Party 鈥� before TrumpColumnist William F. Buckley Jr. articulated a vision of American conservatism that guided politicians from Goldwater to Nixon to Reagan.
Democratic ideals and the rule of law have persisted across nations and erasAmitav Acharya鈥檚 鈥淭he Once and Future World Order: Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of the West鈥� examines roots of self-government.
Mollusks and matchmaking combine in this zany mashup of a novelMaria Reva鈥檚 novel involves the Ukraine war, matchmaking, nearly extinct gastropods, and a malacologist trying to save them.
鈥楾he Spinach King鈥� tosses together a tale of greed and greensNew Yorker staff writer John Seabrook recounts his family鈥檚 history of innovation and exploitation, creativity and excess, in 鈥淭he Spinach King.鈥�
This thriller about a musical prodigy delivers a virtuoso performanceIn witness protection, a budding cellist and his family must develop new talents in Brendan Slocumb鈥檚 鈥淭he Dark Maestro.鈥�
Blowing their cover: A dossier on the Russian spies who lived next doorShaun Walker interviewed former Soviet agents for 鈥淭he Illegals,鈥� a highly readable account of Russian operatives and their missions in the West.
Jump-start your summer reading with the 10 best books of MayThe 10 best books of May give you an early start on porch-swing, beach, and vacation reading.聽
鈥楲essons From My Teachers鈥� praises the art of learning, in school and outPlaywright Sarah Ruhl reflects on the people in her life who taught by example. She also credits her children with teaching her how to slow down.
鈥楾he Emperor of Gladness鈥� walks a tightrope between despair and hopeVietnamese American novelist and poet Ocean Vuong builds moments of tenderness and heartache that flow among his characters like a river.聽聽
Mark Twain鈥檚 legacy is not his tall tales. It鈥檚 his larger-than-life persona.Mark Twain gave us inimitable characters such as Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. He was no less creative in styling himself as America鈥檚 first celebrity.
How Eadweard Muybridge solved a riddle of movement with his cameras鈥淢uybridge,鈥� a thoughtful graphic biography of the 19th-century inventor, delves into his life and his experiments with sequential photography.
Three novels strike at the heart of devastating legaciesA trio of novels translated from Indonesian, Arabic, and French exposes the harmful effects of prejudice and corruption.聽聽
