All Book Reviews
After a violent upheaval, impressionists chose beautyA war and an insurrection upended Paris in the 1800s. Then came the soothing art.聽
His father fled China. It took years for him to talk about it.In 鈥淎t the Edge of Empire: A Family鈥檚 Reckoning With China,鈥� Edward Wong traces the roots of his father鈥檚 flight from China 鈥� and the country鈥檚 evolution.
Kick off fall with the Monitor鈥檚 10 best books of SeptemberAs summer fades into fall, our picks for September鈥檚 best books offer the perfect contemplative page-turners for chilly autumn days.
Five mysteries to savor, from Kate Atkinson to Richard OsmanDeath takes a holiday, as a quintet of cozy mysteries transports readers to far-flung locales, including Italy, France, and the Himalayas.聽
鈥楾ell Me Everything鈥� listens in on the stories of the heartElizabeth Strout tenderly reminds us that each person longs to be heard, and their story is worth hearing, in 鈥淭ell Me Everything.鈥澛�
鈥榃e cannot allow the terrorists to win鈥�: Rebuilding the World Trade CenterAfter the 9/11 attacks brought down the World Trade Center towers, developer Larry Silverstein fought 20 years to restore the site. He describes the ordeal in 鈥淭he Rising.鈥�
In Matt Haig鈥檚 鈥楾he Life Impossible鈥� an island adventure in hope awaitsLike 鈥淭he Midnight Library,鈥� Matt Haig鈥檚 novel 鈥淭he Life Impossible鈥� embraces curiosity, persistence, and the possibility of change.
How bookstores became cornerstones of American cultureIn a riveting history, Evan Friss digs into how U.S. bookstores shaped everything from the American Revolution to banks being open on Saturdays.
Can plants talk and think? Some scientists say yes.鈥淭he Light Eaters鈥� gives insights into how plants communicate, while 鈥淎lien Earths鈥� explores the search for intelligent life on other planets.聽聽
A house in France becomes an American writer鈥檚 portal to historyJournalist聽T.D. Allman bought a centuries-old house in a French mountaintop village. His 鈥淚n France Profound鈥� offers an idiosyncratic take on rural life.聽聽
Jodi Picoult imagines a woman behind Shakespeare鈥檚 wordsWhat if Shakespeare paid a woman to write his plays? Jodi Picoult centers her novel on Elizabethan poet Emilia Bassano as the true author, weaving a tale of female empowerment.聽
Flip through the Monitor鈥檚 10 best books of August 2024Our picks for August are more substantial than beach reads, but not as serious as the big September releases. They鈥檙e just right for the waning days of summer.聽聽
He invented a midcentury modern chair that defies space 鈥� and timeIndustrial designer and entrepreneur David Rowland spent decades refining what became an icon of midcentury modern: the 40/4 chair.
鈥楩rederick Douglass: A Novel鈥� paints a picture of the man behind the mythFrederick Douglass, the legendary abolitionist and orator, has long shaped American thought. In this novel, readers get a deeper portrait of a complex man.聽
In the White House, Winston Churchill found a home away from homeWith a new biography, Robert Schmuhl walks readers through Winston Churchill鈥檚 frequent stays at the White House 鈥� and the strong bonds those聽sojourns聽forged.
What do scientists have to learn from wildlife? The value of diversity.Jasmin Graham鈥檚 fresh and innovative memoir details how her work as a聽鈥渞ogue鈥� shark scientist pushes science to include more diverse perspectives.
The 10 best books of July 2024 to tuck in your beach bagOur picks for the best reads of July include novels about a comet, navigating love, and adapting to a new culture.聽
A Holocaust survivor鈥檚 music inspires his granddaughter鈥檚 memoirIn 鈥淭he Piano Player of Budapest,鈥� musician Roxanne de Bastion inherits not only her grandfather鈥檚 cherished piano, but also his courageous history.聽
A missing artist sets a twisty mystery in motionIn Ellery Lloyd鈥檚 鈥淭he Final Act of Juliette Willoughby,鈥� an art historian unravels the disappearance of a 1930s surrealist painter and her self-portrait.聽
No woman is an island. Especially if she lives on one.In 鈥淲elcome to Glorious Tuga,鈥� a woman veterinarian travels to a remote island and becomes enmeshed in the lives of residents 鈥� particularly that of the local doctor.聽
