All Books
Transition and renewal: The 10 best books of AugustOur book picks this month touch on themes of change and renewal. They include a memoir about embracing a truer identity, a report on one Ohio town鈥檚 struggle toward racial equity, and a novel聽about pursuing the American dream.聽
How the Cultural Revolution shapes Chinese families decades laterIn her book 鈥淩ed Memory,鈥� journalist聽Tania Branigan offers a candid look at China鈥檚 Cultural Revolution and illuminates the relevance of that decade of chaos in deciphering China today.- How the Cultural Revolution shapes Chinese families decades laterIn her book 鈥淩ed Memory,鈥� journalist聽Tania Branigan offers a candid look at China鈥檚 Cultural Revolution and illuminates the relevance of that decade of chaos in deciphering China today.
Making 鈥楴ecessary Trouble鈥�: A historian rises above her rootsDrew Gilpin Faust, former Harvard University president, discusses her memoir 鈥淣ecessary Trouble,鈥� about her rebellion against sexist and racist strictures of 1950s Virginia.聽
Two to tango: Mark Billingham mystery explores partnershipDropping us into a rainy town, the novel 鈥淭he Last Dance鈥� gives readers a gripping protagonist, deadpan humor, and thoughtful attention to love and loss.
鈥楴arcas鈥� sheds light on the women who run drug smuggling cartelsA Q&A with author Deborah Bonello dives into her new book 鈥淣arcas鈥� and how women work behind the scenes, and at the top, of the Latin American drug trade.
Around the world in four novels: Newly translated fictionWith settings from Siberia to Seoul, these bestselling novels offer English speakers a taste of the world.
The 鈥榓nti-grit memoir鈥�: Eddie Ndopu re-imagines disability activismDisability scholar and activist聽Eddie Ndopu discusses how his successes 鈥� and challenges 鈥� made him push for a more disability-inclusive world.
With Appalachian noir, David Joy unmasks race and history in the SouthIn a Q&A, David Joy talks about his novel 鈥淭hose We Thought We Knew鈥� and what it means to love and critique Appalachia at the same time.聽聽
A chef鈥檚 story reflects US-Mexico border tensionsIn 鈥淭he Migrant Chef,鈥� author Laura Tillman follows the saga of Mexican restaurateur Lalo Garc铆a to paint a more humane picture of migrants who cross the border.聽
Childhood, mystery, and friendship: Our 10 favorite July readsSummer books on our list celebrate the memories of childhood, entertain with crackling wit, and honor the importance of friendship.聽
In a land 鈥榮haped by water,鈥� a family tale of persistenceTracing three generations of a family living in Kerala, India, Abraham Verghese tackles questions of faith, family, love, and self-discovery.聽
How Jefferson鈥檚 鈥榩ursuit of happiness鈥� phrase came to beHistorian Peter Moore examines six Enlightenment thinkers who influenced Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 drafting of the Declaration of Independence.聽
Summer picture books: Parent-picked, kid-approvedWhat to do after a long summer day? Monitor staff writer聽Husna Haq offers five reads, beloved by parents and kids alike, for those languid sunny days.
Why a librarian鈥檚 debut novel explores forgiving the unforgivableDebut novelist Terah Shelton Harris used to believe some actions were unforgivable. Then her mind was changed by survivors of a church shooting and a friend who was sexually assaulted.聽聽
A mild-mannered, solitary librarian discovers his powersPatrick deWitt鈥檚 novel 鈥淭he Librarianist鈥� offers a聽quirky, affectionate portrait of a retired librarian who discovers friendship and community late in life.聽
鈥楤urnt鈥� gives inside view from a top female firefighterClare Frank wanted to fight fires more than anything. But first she had to prove herself to her male colleagues. Oh, and do her job wearing equipment sized for big guys.聽
Dragons, skeletons, and a pirate queen top our summer beach readsOur best books for the beach include an irreverent take on U.S. history and a graceful look at grief.
How the changing world affected Mozart鈥檚 music, piece by pieceFrom the Enlightenment to the French Revolution, the ideas swirling through Europe were absorbed and transmuted by Mozart into peerless music.聽 聽
鈥楾he Wounded World鈥� probes one of W.E.B. Du Bois鈥� greatest regretsEsteemed scholar W.E.B. Du Bois urged Black men to enlist in World War I. As a new book explores, the decision haunted him for the rest of his life.聽