All Books
Writer and physicist Alan Lightman finds room for science and spiritualityAn interview with the MIT Astrophysicist and novelist at this year's Boston Book Festival, including excerpts and a link to the full interview.聽
'Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World' establishes how the fighter for Indian independence's reputation was earnedIn the pages of this book, the reader gets a sense of how a sense of intense moral conviction combined with a genuine sense of intellectual curiosity magnified each other inside of Gandhi鈥檚 mind.
'On Desperate Ground' chronicles the amazing voyage of the US Marines during the Korean WarHampton Sides' book is a聽towering tale of official ineptitude and battlefield fortitude that plays out against the backdrop of American's most forgotten modern war.
'Fryderyk Chopin' already qualifies as one of the best biographies of the yearEnglish-Canadian musicologist and university professor Alan Walker spent 10 years doing extensive research into vast archives of primary source material on Chopin, allowing him to produce this MRI-thorough biography.
10 best books of October: the Monitor's picksA collection of Eleanor Roosevelt's advice columns and the latest novel by聽Haruki Murakami are two of the titles Monitor critics selected as the best to be released this month.
'In the Hurricane's Eye' puts Revolutionary War conflict the Battle of the Chesapeake back in its deserved spotlight'Hurricane' is the newest book from bestselling author of 'In the Heart of the Sea'聽and 'Valiant Ambition'聽Nathaniel Philbrick.
'The Big Fella' portrays Babe Ruth as the first modern sports celebrityBiographer Jane Leavy shows Ruth's greatness as player to be of such a magnitude that it's still hard to grasp.
First LookDiverse Louisville teens come together to publish book on shared strugglesAs part of the Louisville Story Program, Iroquois High School students in Louisville, Ky., hailing from Cuba, Pakistan, Iraq, Africa, and the United States collaborated on a book of personal essays. The result? A book filled with stories of love, fear, and triumph.聽
'If You Ask Me' is a delightful compendium of the thoughts of Eleanor RooseveltEditor Mary Jo Binker works with a wealth of material from the magazine column Roosevelt wrote from 1941 to 1962.
'Killing Commendatore' is the latest evasive, magical, utterly unique novel by MurakamiHaruki Murakami weaves an intriguing, time-challenging story around the life of a portrait painter who is changed forever by a work of art.
'Ninth Street Women' focuses on forgotten stars of Abstract ExpressionismIn this wonderful joint biography, Mary Gabriel convincingly demonstrates that women artists were a key part of Abstract Expressionism.
'Can Democracy Work?' considers the perils and pitfalls of the institution across timeAuthor and academic James Miller examines the idea of democracy in five distinct moments throughout human history, and chronicles how vastly different each iteration has been.
'Reagan' offers a balanced, comprehensive view of Reagan and his legacyBob Spitz鈥檚 familiarity with celebrity culture comes in handy when telling the story of Reagan.
'Young Benjamin Franklin' reintroduces an icon, seeing him as neither saint nor sageHistorian Nick Bunker has done a large amount of original research, tracing Franklin more minutely than any previous general biographer.
For sci-fi, an 'astounding' yet tarnished golden ageA new book looks at four men who are largely responsible for the genre of science fiction as we know it today.聽
'Frederick Douglass' provides authoritative context for an important American lifeIt鈥檚 hard to imagine a biographer more knowledgeable about Douglass鈥檚 life, times and writings than David W. Blight.
'The White Darkness' tells the stunning story of a solo trek across AntarcticaThis fascinating account of a real-life expedition raises questions of purpose and motivation.
'How to Invent Everything' lays out the basics of human knowledgeStranded in a past century? Not to worry! Here's the hilarious book that will tell you everything you need to know.
'The Library Book' is a delightful love letter to public librariesNew Yorker journalist Susan Orlean continues her usual practice of captivating readers by investigating her own obsessions.
'We Fed an Island' tells how a Michelin-starred chef fed Puerto Rico after MariaThis is the story of people feeding people wrapped up in a much bigger story of 3.4 million disaster-struck Americans treated like an afterthought.