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'You Think It, I鈥檒l Say It' shows Curtis Sittenfeld at her best, where gender meets classSittenfeld聽trafficks in the minor humiliations of fictional women who often self-sabotage, or at least overthink.
'Dread Nation' is a rollicking 'Gone With the Wind + Zombies' adventureBut don't underestimate the latest YA novel by activist Justina Ireland 鈥� it's also a biting commentary on contemporary race relations in America.
'God Save Texas' is Lawrence Wright鈥檚 affectionate, eye-opening, slightly rueful love letter to his native stateIntended to be part travelogue, part reportage, and part memoir, 'God Save Texas' reads less like a coherent narrative and more like a collection of essays.
'Varina' imagines the life of Jefferson Davis's widow in the aftermath of the Civil War'Varina' can be seen as a reminder that a national reckoning over the legacy of slavery has yet to take place.
'The Pope Who Would Be King' details the birth of the modern papacyAuthor David聽Kertzer won a Pulitzer Prize in 2015 for his book 'The Pope and Mussolini.'
'Wade in the Water' is poet laureate Tracy K. Smith鈥檚 most overtly political collectionMuch of the subject matter of 'Wade in the Water' takes its inspiration from the headlines, but ruminations on pregnancy and motherhood聽strikes a more hopeful and humorous note.
With tell-all, Comey joins club of ex-officials turned scribesFormer FBI Director James Comey's memoir, out Tuesday, joins a long list of juicy tomes by Washington power players. Beyond settling scores, the best can offer real insight into the inner workings of government. Here are some classics of the genre.
In 'The Feather Thief,' a British bird burglary exposes a hidden worldThis true story about the theft of a bunch of bird skins is one of the most peculiar and memorable true-crime books ever.
'The Class of '74' chronicles a young, liberal, and impatient House of RepresentativesAuthor John A. Lawrence had a front row seat to observe the times as they were a-changing.
'Something Wonderful' unpacks the magic behind Rodgers and HammersteinPurdum does a fine job of drawing readers into the spirited, gossipy world of Broadway theater 鈥� a world that Rodgers and Hammerstein drastically re-shaped.
The 19th-century censor who pushed Americans too farHistorian Amy Werbel, author of the new book 'Lust on Trial,' explores the divisive and influential career of Anthony Comstock.
'Neruda' plumbs the man behind the legendAlthough Eisner's fascination with the celebrated poet sometimes lapses into hagiography, he frankly chronicles Neruda鈥檚 dark side.
10 best books of April: the Monitor's picksFrom Greek mythology to Southern cuisine to a final outing for a beloved detective, here are the 10 April books that most impressed the Monitor's book critics.
'Wild is the Wind' explores those things made all the more beautiful because they can鈥檛 lastThe verse of Carl Phillips often seems like an interior monologue on which the reader is casually eavesdropping.
'Greeks Bearing Gifts' will be the penultimate in the popular 'Bernie Gunther' series begun in Nazi GermanyThe 'Bernie Gunther' books were uniformly superb and reflected聽 their hangdog protagonist: tough, cynical, very quotable, and ultimately, even quixotically, idealistic.
'Two Sisters' follows a father trying to bring his two daughters home from jihad in SyriaNorwegian journalist Asne Seierstad follows the true story of an immigrant who left Somaliland for Europe 鈥� only to see his daughters become radicalized and flee to support the Islamic State.
Author Daniel Kalder discusses the strange and scary world of 'dictator literature'Tyrants, it turns out, like to write. And they like to force people to read their books.
'See What Can Be Done' is a testament to the breadth of Lorrie Moore鈥檚 intellectThere is an edge to Moore鈥檚 vision, sardonic and self-deprecating.
First LookDespite decline, bookmobiles connect and enrich communitiesAcross the country, librarians drive around 650 bookmobiles, providing a vital service in rural areas with limited access to libraries and the internet.聽Most importantly, says a聽Kentucky聽librarian Sandra Hennessee, her bookmobile helps provide a sense of community.聽- First LookDespite decline, bookmobiles connect and enrich communitiesAcross the country, librarians drive around 650 bookmobiles, providing a vital service in rural areas with limited access to libraries and the internet.聽Most importantly, says a聽Kentucky聽librarian Sandra Hennessee, her bookmobile helps provide a sense of community.聽