All Book Reviews
Vivian Gornick鈥檚 鈥楿nfinished Business鈥� reads deeply into memoryAcclaimed critic聽Vivian Gornick rereads the books that shaped her life and muses on reencountering the person she was at the time.聽
鈥楥SI鈥� in 1920? 鈥楢merican Sherlock鈥� tracks a pioneer in forensicsKate Winkler Dawson follows the career of Edward Oscar Heinrich, who nudged criminal investigations beyond hunches toward a more scientific approach.聽
鈥楩ight of the Century鈥� shows the strength of the ACLUEditors Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman gather essays by A-list writers about the importance of the ACLU, and the fragility of civil rights.聽
In 鈥楤ird Summons,鈥� three women go on holiday 鈥� and not the relaxing kindLeila Aboulela鈥檚 novel explores the inner lives and faith of three Muslim women who go on a pilgrimage to a Scottish gravesite together.
He raised his son to love wild places. Then his son disappeared.Explorer and biologist Roman Dial reflects on parenting in this memoir of the search for his son, who聽vanished while solo hiking in Costa Rica.
鈥楾he Contact Paradox鈥� sums up the search for extraterrestrialsKeith Cooper traces the history of humanity鈥檚 irrepressible urge to search for extraterrestrial intelligence 鈥� and the trouble it could get us into.
Egg poacher runs amok in thrilling true story 鈥楾he Falcon Thief鈥�Joshua Hammer builds a propulsive story around a rogue naturalist who supplies a global black market for wild falcon eggs.聽聽
Joan Harrison emerges from Hitchcock鈥檚 shadow in 鈥楶hantom Lady鈥�Film historian Christina Lane pays tribute to the trailblazing producer Joan Harrison, the woman behind Alfred Hitchcock.
鈥楾he Wrong Kind of Women鈥� looks at Hollywood鈥檚 pattern of excluding womenNaomi McDougall Jones condemns a lack of gender equality in the film and TV industry, but she also applauds the gains that women have made.聽
鈥楢merican Dirt鈥�: Beyond the controversy, a flawed but relevant novelJeanine Cummins鈥� book may encourage readers to see commonalities such as the universal desire to find safety and home.聽
鈥極n Swift Horses鈥� is a vibrant tale of unconventionalityShannon Pufahl鈥檚聽remarkable debut novel 鈥淥n Swift Horses鈥� tells a searing story about a forgotten side of 1950s America.
Searing and hopeful, 鈥楾hree Flames鈥� chronicles family鈥檚 lifeAlan Lightman鈥檚 novel 鈥淭hree Flames鈥� follows the conflicting desires of one Cambodian family as they navigate a changing society.
鈥楥onviction鈥� is everything you could want from a mystery bookIn 鈥淐onviction,鈥� playwright and crime writer Denise Mina pens an enthralling, intelligent mystery with madcap adventures and聽plenty of heart.
鈥楾he Enemies of Rome鈥� shows the underdogs鈥� view of the empireStephen P. Kershaw tells of a thousand years of resistance to Rome, with portraits of the most celebrated adversaries from across the known world.聽
鈥楾he German House鈥� unfolds wartime complicityAnnette Hess鈥� novel 鈥淭he German House鈥� holds all of society accountable for the atrocities of Auschwitz.
鈥楾ightrope鈥� argues for greater compassion and social responsibilityNicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn take an unsparing but empathetic look at the factors exerting a downward pull on working-class communities.
鈥楽tories of the Sahara鈥� celebrates a singular voice in travel writingSanmao electrified Chinese readers when her travelogue 鈥淪tories of the Sahara鈥� was published in 1976 鈥� now it has been translated into English.
鈥楲and of Tears鈥� offers a chilling look at European colonization of AfricaYale University history professor Robert Harms expertly weaves together the strands of history in 鈥淟and of Tears.鈥�
Bella Abzug: Liberal trailblazer in a broad-brimmed hatLeandra Ruth Zarnow鈥檚 鈥淏attling Bella鈥� traces Abzug鈥檚 activism in the 1970s and forecasts the arrival of greater numbers of women in politics.
鈥極ur Wild Calling鈥� argues for emotional connection with animalsRichard Louv makes the case that animals not only have emotions, but that humans are enriched by interspecies contact.聽聽
