海角大神

Travel to Algeria or to Jane Austen鈥檚 village, go deeper into current events, or become engrossed in the lives of the powerful, with the books that appealed to Monitor reviewers this month.聽

1.聽A Registry of My Passage Upon the Earth聽by Daniel Mason

This collection of nine stories captures characters in the midst of remarkable experiences: a hot air balloonist investigating the upper atmosphere, a French telegraph operator discovering companionship deep in the Amazon, a bug collector corresponding with Charles Darwin. Daniel Mason conveys more in a short story than many authors manage in an entire novel.

2.聽Our Riches聽by Kaouther Adimi

Kaouther Adimi writes about the famed Les Vraies Richesses bookstore in Algiers, Algeria. Plundered by French colonial forces in the 20th century, it is now the setting for another effort to suppress culture and free thought. The novel celebrates bookstores and the power of the written word.

3.聽The Index of Self-Destructive Acts聽by Christopher Beha

New York City after the 2008 financial collapse provides the setting for Christopher Beha鈥檚 modern-day morality tale in which algorithmic thinking clashes with impulsiveness. Cleverly written with poetic overtones, the narrative provides engaging twists and turns.

4.听搁辞诲丑补尘听by Curtis Sittenfeld

Curtis Sittenfeld鈥檚 novel poses the question, what would have become of Hillary had she not married Bill Clinton? 鈥淩odham鈥� moves from her graduation from Wellesley College through an alternate universe of personal and political highs and lows. It鈥檚 a peculiar fantasy, but one that will resonate with readers who think Hillary got a raw deal.

5.聽The Imperfects聽by Amy Meyerson

When eccentric matriarch Helen Miller dies, she leaves her estranged family with a secret treasure 鈥� the missing Florentine Diamond. Faults and foibles come to light as the Millers discover that love, family, and forgiveness may be more valuable than a vast fortune.

6.聽The Jane Austen Society聽by Natalie Jenner

Natalie Jenner鈥檚 lovingly crafted debut novel weaves together the post-World War II lives of lost souls in Chowton, England, who find renewed life and happiness in uniting to preserve author Jane Austen鈥檚 cottage as a museum. Dodging personal regrets, small-town gossip, and unfortunate schemes,聽they ultimately find that friendship wins the day.

7.聽In Deep聽by David Rohde

At the heart of President Donald Trump鈥檚 claims that a 鈥渄eep state鈥� is conspiring to undermine his presidency are long-standing debates over executive power and checks and balances. Pulitzer Prize winner David Rohde鈥檚 lucid investigation of the role unelected intelligence and military officials play in policy is a timely and compelling read.

8.聽The Hour of Fate聽by Susan Berfield

Historian Susan Berfield writes a fascinating account of the clash between two of the biggest personalities of the Progressive era 鈥揚resident聽Theodore Roosevelt and financier J.P. Morgan聽鈥� in a fight over whether the United States would be controlled by government or business interests.聽

9.听笔别濒辞蝉颈听by Molly Ball

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has long been vilified by the right and often underappreciated by her own party. But between her willingness to stand up to President Donald Trump and her ability to wrangle votes with LBJ-like mastery, her stock has risen. Journalist Molly Ball鈥檚 sharp, admiring biography shows how the tireless, dauntless Pelosi became the most powerful woman in politics.

10.聽Dark Mirror聽by Barton Gellman

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Barton Gellman writes an insider account of the breaking of Edward Snowden鈥檚 story and its wider implications for the modern world, all told in prose as gripping as a spy thriller.