All Book Reviews
'Chopin's Piano' profiles an instrument linked to much transcendent musicIn graceful prose, Australian conductor and author Paul Kildea explores developments in the history of piano-making, changes in the way pianists have approached their craft, and, most luminously, the music of Chopin.
Antonia Fraser profiles a mighty battle over religious freedomPrejudice against Catholics in Britain seems to have been centered around the idea that a society must limit its freedoms in order to protect its freedoms.
'Travelers in the Third Reich' examines outsiders' views of Hitler's GermanySimilar books have been attempted before, but this one stands out due to both its the breadth of its investigation and the palpable tone of frustration that runs through it.
'The Billionaire Raj' explores India's new wealth 鈥� and the corruption it breedsNational University of Singapore professor James Crabtree succeeds in making India's economy 鈥� potentially the world's largest by mid-century 鈥� a deeply engaging topic and a fascinating read.
'Chesapeake Requiem' explores a cherished site perhaps doomed by climate changeJournalist Earl Swift weaves a masterful narrative of place, people, and nature, supported by the best sort of on-the-ground journalism.
'Eager' is a passionate, captivating love letter to the beaverThe subject of聽environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb's enthusiasm is Castor canadensis, the North American beaver.
'Just a Shot Away' redefines the 1969 Altamont tragedy as a racial crimeWriter Saul Austerlitz revisits the fatal stabbing at a disastrous late '60s rock concert to focus on the nearly forgotten victim.
'The Quiet Side of Passion' is another McCall Smith tale of the triumph of good
'City of Devils' tells the story of two Westerners who reigned in old ShanghaiFrench, author of 2012's bestselling 'Midnight in Peking,' has lived and worked in Shanghai, and tells a fascinating story of two of the central characters of the demimonde of old Shanghai.
'Three Not-So-Ordinary Joes' wonderfully explores the links of literary influenceHow witty British literati Addison and Steele left their mark on America's Southern literature, via Uncle Remus.
'Not the Girls You're Looking For' follows a rudderless Iraqi AmericanThis dark but clever YA novel confronts topics that are not tidy 鈥� because, as Safi reminds us, these are not tidy times.
'Indianapolis' resolves a long uncertain World War II tragedyWith help from an elementary school student, a naval captain has finally been exonerated.
'A Bite-Sized History of France' delightfully combines French history with gastronomyWhatever this rollicking survey lacks in focus, it more than makes up for with its brisk, witty, imaginative voice.
'Barons of the Sea' chronicles the race to build the perfect clipper shipClipper ships are the dream floating before the eyes of all the characters in Steven Ujifusa's fast-paced and entrancing new book.
'Carbon Ideologies' examines 鈥� exhaustively 鈥� non-renewable energyThese fat volumes are full of scientific exposition, data in charts, and dozen-page interviews, all to make the point that our understanding of the perils of nonrenewable energy may be too little, too late.
'What We Were Promised' depicts post-Mao China in a deft debut novel set in ShanghaiSet against a contemporary global backdrop, Tan explores the timeless servant-master class conflict.
'The Wonderful Mr. Willughby' profiles a pioneer of ornithology and early scientistWillughby was a citizen scientist, a foot soldier in the war against ignorance.
'A Terrible Country' follows an ex-pat who returns to experience life in RussiaAn academic learns to see Russia through the eyes of his 90-year-old grandmother.聽 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
'The Poisoned City' tells the horrific story of Flint's contaminated waterAnna Clark's brutally honest book takes us from point A to point Z.
'First In Line' profiles modern vice presidents from Nixon to PenceJournalist Kate Brower interviewed all of the former living vice presidents among the 200 subjects she spoke to and her extensive reporting pays off.
