All Book Reviews
Obama memoir 鈥楢 Promised Land鈥� delivers earnest self-reflectionThe 44th president of the United States does more than defend his legacy; he shares the values that have animated his life and political career.
鈥楾ecumseh and the Prophet鈥� shines a light on Native American resistanceShawnee warrior Tecumseh has been portrayed nobly, while his brother fared poorly at the hands of historians. Peter Cozzens balances the story.聽
A bear lives, hunts, and watches the Arctic melt in 鈥業ce Walker鈥�Through the eyes of a polar bear comes a beautifully-written, wrenching narrative of a warming planet and the struggle to survive.
鈥楩ossil Men鈥� explores breakthrough science 鈥� and human natureA new book tracks the discovery of a ground-shaking addition to the fossil record, and shows how science ultimately comes down to the human element.
Steve Martin brings the cartoon fun in 鈥楢 Wealth of Pigeons鈥�A collaboration with New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss yields a droll collection that pokes fun at human foibles and offers gems of comic wisdom.聽
A family history in trees and flowers: A biologist鈥檚 memoirPart memoir, part travel narrative, and part nature writing, a biologist聽visits Taiwan 鈥� her ancestral homeland 鈥� and unravels her family history.
Richard III struggled against his two brothers for the crownEnglish history recounts many tales of bloody battles, but the infighting among 鈥淭he Brothers York鈥� was legendary for its ferocity.
A star architect and his son go on a journey in search of beautyThe pursuit of the mythical Atlantis inspires Renzo Piano to review his career, which includes landmarks such as London鈥檚 The Shard skyscraper.聽
A chance to redo the past in 鈥楤efore the Coffee Gets Cold鈥�Time travel and caf茅聽culture yield a lovely, wise brew in a translation of聽Toshikazu Kawaguchi鈥檚 popular play-turned-novel.
鈥楥assius X鈥� captures the spiritual awakening of Muhammad Ali鈥淭he Greatest鈥� is most known for his stunning knockouts and his braggadocio 鈥� but a new biography focuses on his conversion to聽Islam.
The intricate inner workings of a Japanese police departmentPart procedural and part office drama, four novellas paint a portrait of the complex mechanisms of police bureaucracy聽in Japan.
鈥楾he Russian Pink鈥� offers jewels, thrills, and sneaky charactersStudded with facts about black market diamond trading, this fictional thriller has adrenaline rushes, villainous plotters, and glamorous gems galore.
Brexit brings together two lovers, both of whom are outsidersIn Xiaolu Guo鈥檚 novel 鈥淎 Lover鈥檚 Discourse鈥澛爐wo people of different backgrounds are drawn together as Britain moves to isolate itself from Europe.
Bank shot: A sports writer and a superfan bond over Knicks basketballIn 鈥淥ur Last Season:聽A Writer, A Fan, A Friendship,鈥澛燞arvey Araton pays tribute to the woman who gave him tips about the team 鈥� and about life.
Cary Grant鈥檚 charm was legendary, but his best character was actually himselfIn Scott Eyman鈥檚 thorough biography, the actor comes across as a man who hid behind his debonair persona, to the detriment of his relationships.
鈥楾he Upswing鈥�: From personal gain to common good and back againRobert D. Putnam assesses the schisms and swings in 20th-century American politics 鈥� and why there鈥檚 hope for the future.聽
鈥楾he Good American鈥�: One man struggled to make the world rightAs America stepped into conflicts across the world in the late 20th century, one bureaucrat聽took on the thankless task of tallying up the human cost.
鈥楬is Only Wife鈥� turns fairytale tropes upside downWhen a poor young woman is offered the hand of a rich young man, the marriage seems like it should solve her problems. What happens when it doesn鈥檛?
鈥楯ames Monroe鈥� is an unclouded look at a complicated legacyBiographers find themselves reckoning with the Founding Fathers鈥� complicity in slavery 鈥� and James Monroe is no exception.
鈥楽imon the Fiddler鈥� explores the redemptive power of musicA musician, conscripted聽into the Confederate Army聽in the waning days of the Civil War, finds reasons for hope.聽
