All Book Reviews
5 picture books that inspire young readers to reach highThese illustrated stories foster the hopes and dreams of readers of all ages.聽
'Women Heroes of World War II: The Pacific Theater' is grisly but inspiringIn countries occupied by Japan during World War II, many people did their best to fight back 鈥� including a number of courageous women.
'Moonglow' is a magic family epic, told with magnificent disregard for the factsPulitzer Prize-winner Michael Chabon blurs family history and fiction in his captivating new novel.
'The Marches' follows a British politician traveling his country by footRory Stewart walks the length of Hadrian's Wall, drawing some surprising conclusions about his fellow citizens as he goes.
'Millennium' is full of gratitude for the staggering advances of 1,000 yearsOne of the most bracing aspects of 'Millennium' is the breadth of factors it covers, from food production to sanitation conditions to the 海角大神 Church Militant to the development of firearms to radical changes in transportation of both people and products.
'Judas' debates the founding of Israel in twisting, searching conversationsAmos Oz鈥檚 melancholy new novel suggests that the real tragedy of humankind is that the persecuted yearn to be persecutors.
'Absolutely on Music' listens as Haruki Murakami, Seiji Ozawa discuss musicThis strange and delightful book follows Murakami and Ozawa sipping hot hojicha tea, snacking on persimmons, and discussing works by Mahler, Bartok, Beethoven, Brahms, and many others.
'The Platinum Age of Television' sees 'The Sopranos' as the start of a new eraNPR television critic Bianculli traces the evolution of 18 genres and subcategories of TV shows while tracking the revolution that began with 'The Sopranos.'
'Rogue Heroes' traces the wild WWII theatrics of Britain's Special Air ServicesThe author of 'Agent Zigzag' and 'A Spy Among Friends' turns to the history of Britain's unconventional, improvisational paratroopers.聽
'Shadow Wars' exposes underlying patterns behind Middle Eastern strifeIf you've ever looked at violent players in the Middle East and asked: 'Who are these people? Where did they come from? What do they want?,' this is your book.
'Peter O'Toole' captures what was unique about the enduring starO鈥橳oole鈥檚 'theatrical performance style' set him apart from the rough-hewn, realistic approaches of some other actors of his generation.
'Brothers at Arms' reminds us how much the US owes to othersThe author makes a solid case for the enormous debt, literal and figurative, that an independent America owes to France, Spain, and Holland.
'Ray & Joan' is a biography in three parts: Ray, Joan, and McDonald鈥檚When McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc finally went to whatever his rewards, his widow Joan took to philanthropy with avidity.
'Mercury' is the story of a beautiful horse, and the woman loves himIn Margot Livesey's new novel, clarity of vision proves elusive, even with corrective lenses.
'A Space Traveler鈥檚 Guide to the Solar System' leads readers into spaceSpace writer Mark Thompson employs current science, along with today鈥檚 rapidly expanding knowledge of our solar system, to enable us to visit places no one has gone before.
'John O'Hara: Stories' is a well-assembled collection of work worth revisitingA new volume of short fiction from an American master highlights the writer's commitment to honesty and freedom from nostalgia.
'Evelyn Waugh: A Life Revisited'A new biography by Philip Eade seeks to use newly available documents to reopen questions about the writer's love life and wartime exploits.
'Eleanor Roosevelt: The War Years and Beyond' is a touchingly human portraitBiographer Cook captures the headlong energy of those years perfectly, and she blends the international with the personal easily and comfortably.
'How to Travel Without Seeing' takes readers on a book tour of Latin AmericaThe most breathtaking voice in travel writing today may be that of a writer who feels ambivalent about travel itself.
'Homeward Bound' and 'Born to Run' trace the making of two American iconsTo grasp the genius of Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen, it helps to know their lives.
