All Book Reviews
Alexander Vindman鈥檚 faith in democracy remains intactIn the memoir 鈥淗ere, Right Matters,鈥� Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman defends his decision to report President Trump鈥檚 call with Ukraine.
Cosmic puzzle-pieces come together in masterly 鈥楥loud Cuckoo Land鈥�Anthony Doerr, author of 鈥淎ll the Light We Cannot See,鈥� plots a tale that soars across centuries in 鈥淐loud Cuckoo Land.鈥澛犅�
鈥楬ow do I love thee?鈥� A Victorian-era poet finds liberation.Fiona Sampson unfolds the story of how Elizabeth Barrett Browning freed herself from constraints and found her poetic voice in聽鈥淭wo-Way Mirror.鈥�
Warmhearted 鈥楢ll the Lonely People鈥� strikes at isolationNovelist Mike Gayle鈥檚 protagonist, an older Jamaican immigrant in England, steps out of his solitude and onto a path of friendship.聽聽
A leader of the civil rights movement that you鈥檝e never heard ofFannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi farmworker, emerged as an eloquent leader in the fight for voting rights and for integrating the Democratic Party.聽
鈥楪raceland, At Last鈥� unfolds a Southerner鈥檚 wise and hopeful essaysNew York Times columnist Margaret Renkl looks forward to the day when the South 鈥渨ill finally live up to the promise of its own good heart.鈥�
The novels have it: September sparkles with literary gemsSeptember marks the return of the literary novel, with sublime fiction from authors such as Colson Whitehead and Anthony Doerr.聽 聽
From terrorism to heroism: Books on 9/11 offer perspective, graceTwenty years on, Americans are still coming to grips with 9/11. Six books provide valuable insights on what happened, and why.
鈥楾he Magician鈥� unwraps the life of literary giant Thomas MannColm T贸ib铆n peels back Thomas Mann鈥檚 life, from his family to his closeted sexuality to Germany鈥檚 descent into Nazism in 鈥淭he Magician.鈥澛�
How the American Revolution played in British drawing roomsIn 鈥淭he Howe Dynasty,鈥� historian Julie Flavell explores the lives of two famed commanders fighting the Americans, told through the letters of their eldest sister.
Can humans and animals be friends? 鈥楩ox & I鈥� raises the question.Catherine Raven couldn鈥檛 explain why a fox started visiting her cabin every day. But she ventures to wonder if they developed a friendship.
Life in wartime: Women dominate a quartet of World War II novelsThe 4 best recent novels set during World War II show the ingenuity of women who put everything on the line to defeat the Nazis.聽聽
Carry the summer into fall with the 10 best books of AugustThe 10 best books of August provide a bridge into fall reading, with a mix of clever novels, satisfying memoirs, and two revealing biographies.
Afghanistan鈥檚 first female pilot paid a steep price for the freedom to flyNow in exile, Niloofar Rahmani writes of her journey to become the Afghanistan鈥檚 first female pilot in the memoir, 鈥淥pen Skies.鈥�
鈥楾he Outlier鈥� paints a complex portrait of Jimmy CarterKai Bird鈥檚 鈥淭he Outlier:聽The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter鈥� shows the president鈥檚 fierce intelligence, stubbornness, and decency.
Billie Jean King goes 鈥楢ll In鈥� on tennis and women鈥檚 equalityTennis legend Billie Jean King鈥檚 activism brought greater respect and higher pay to women鈥檚 sports, but she felt forced to hide her sexuality.聽
Napoleon plundered Europe鈥檚 art to bring prestige home to France鈥淧lunder鈥� digs deep into Napoleon鈥檚 theft of artworks across conquered Europe in his effort to enrich the Louvre and solidify French dominance.
Three amazing sports books showcase triumphs and progressTop sports books of summer focus on the Tour de France, women surfers, and the 1969 NBA finals in glorious detail, bringing the events to life.聽聽
A shepherd鈥檚 guide to feeding the planet and saving the EarthSheep farmer James Rebanks reimagines how to feed the planet and save the Earth in 鈥淧astoral Song: A Farmer鈥檚 Journey.鈥�
鈥楲ieutenant Dangerous鈥� uses wry humor to point out the absurdity of Vietnam WarIn his memoir about being drafted into the Vietnam War, Jeff Danziger lays bare the futility and waste, as well as his own聽naivet茅.
