All Books
'The Last Volcano' is the remarkable story of a forgotten scientific pioneerThe eruption of Mount Pelee in the Antilles in 1902 made Thomas Jagger wonder: 'Why hadn't human knowledge advanced enough since Pompeii to prevent a replay of such suffering?'
Bestselling books the week of 12/31/15, according to IndieBound* What's selling best in independent bookstores across America?
'A Just and Generous Nation' casts the Civil War as a philosophical battleIf the South had won the Civil War, what would have happened to the American dream of an upwardly mobile, progressive, and middle class nation?
9 sports books to ring out 2015 and ring in 2016 Variety is the spice of sports reading. Here are excerpts from a diverse new crop of sports books 鈥� covering everything from Obama's grasp of basketball to the greats of the NHL.
'A Long Walk Home' records life as Eli Reed saw itReed's photos are remarkable for their lack of judgment of the people or the situations he encountered.
Best of 2015: 12 authors on remarkable transformationsThis year, I鈥檝e interviewed many authors about moments of transformation for Q&A features in the Monitor. Here are some of my favorite answers.
'For the Record' is a cool YA sneak-peak into life on the road and on the stageCharlotte's Huang's debut young adult novel delivers a frothy yet realistic look into the life of a young musician.
'The Hired Girl' stars a plucky heroine whose writing skills save the dayReaders witness not only the protagonist's maturing thought, but also her growth as a writer.
Children's picture books that celebrate the glories of winterThis lovely new cluster of seasonal picture books are all focused 鈥� in different ways 鈥� on the magnificent cold and white of winter.
'The Traitor's Mark' weaves a Tudor mystery from scraps of factThe historical record tells us that famous Tudor portrait painter Hans Holbein died in the autumn of 1543, possibly of the plague. But did he really?
'Leftover Women' reveals unequal shares of China鈥檚 growing wealthMao Zedong's communist party was set to modernize the rights and roles of women in China. However, within years of taking power, the party stopped its efforts 鈥� leaving Chinese women facing societal gender bias even as China rises as a dominant power.聽
Bestselling books the week of 12/20/15, according to IndieBound What's flying fastest off the shelves of independent bookstores this week? IndieBound's list is based on reporting from hundreds of independent bookstores across the United States for the sales week ended Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015.
2015 fiction quiz: Can you recognize these opening lines?How many have you read? Test yourself by seeing if you can match first lines to the titles of the Monitor's favorite novels (and one collection of short stories) from 2015.
'Tiny: Streetwise Revisited' is an evocative followup from Mary Ellen MarkThe gifted portraitist captures decades of life lived on the edges.
Why print book sales are rising, and books are getting longerE-book sales have remained stagnant in 2015. But print book sales are up, and Harper Lee's latest novel and adult coloring books are the big winners.
'Hiroji Kubota Photographer' chronicles a life of explorationHiroji Kubota made a career out of聽identifying with the dispossessed.
The most looked-up word in 2015? Socialism.Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster attributes the popularity of the word 'socialism' to US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist.
10 best nonfiction books of 2015: the Monitor's picks Here are the 10 nonfiction books the Monitor's critics liked best this year.
'The Crossing' teams Harry Bosch with his scruffy half-brother Mickey Haller'The Crossing' puts two popular characters 鈥� Bosch and Haller 鈥� on the same side, trying to prove a reformed gang member innocent of a high-profile murder of a suburban woman in her bed.
10 best fiction books of 2015: the Monitor's picks From short stories to serial novels to an engrossing Russian saga, here are the 10 fiction titles the Monitor's book critics liked best in 2015.
