Book Reviews

Books
Arts

'The Burning Girl' Is More Than Just A Pretty Victim

5:24pm August 31, 2017

by Annalisa Quinn

Edgar Allan Poe once wrote that the death of a beautiful woman is "unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world." In her new book, The Burning Girl, Claire Messud responds: Not to us women.

The Ladies-In-Waiting By Javier Olivares and Santiago García

Books
Arts

Mirrors And Neck Ruffs: A Graphic Novel Takes On Velázquez

7:00am August 30, 2017

by Etelka Lehoczky

Writer Santiago García and artist Javier Olivares examine Diego Velázquez' painting Las Meninas and its influence down the centuries with a heady — and sometimes heavy — mix of comics and high art.

Books
Arts

'My Absolute Darling' Is Hard To Read, Harder To Put Down

7:00am August 29, 2017

by Michael Schaub

Gabriel Tallent's devastating debut novel about a young girl and her abusive but charismatic father has memorable characters, the pacing of a thriller, and still manages to work in some light moments.

Books
Arts

'If The Creek Don't Rise' Traces Webs Of Hurt And Help

7:00am August 27, 2017

by Maya Rodale

Leah Weiss' debut novel — set in a remote Appalachian town — has a strong sense of place and a richly drawn cast of characters, all with their own voices, stories and interconnected relationships.

Books
Arts

Subtle, Brilliant 'Stay With Me' Blends The Personal And The Political

10:00am August 26, 2017

by Lizzie Skurnick

Ayobami Adebayo's debut novel follows a young Nigerian couple struggling to conceive and caught between modern medicine and the traditional remedies — like a new wife — pushed by older relatives.

Books
Arts

Take A Walk On The Wilder Side Of Death With 'Reincarnation Blues'

7:00am August 26, 2017

by Jason Sheehan

Michael Poore's new novel is surprisingly goofy for a book about dying. It's the story fishing guide Milo, who's just been eaten by a shark. Oh, and he's in love with Death, who's also named Suzie.

Books
Arts

'The Red-Haired Woman' Is A Minor Work From A Major Author

12:38pm August 24, 2017

by Michael Schaub

Orhan Pamuk is almost synonymous with Turkish literature; he's won the Nobel Prize for his work. But his latest, about a well-digger and his apprentice, doesn't reach the heights of his earlier books.

Books
Arts

Knausgaard Comes Up Short: In 'Autumn,' Less Isn't Always More

2:31pm August 23, 2017

by Heller McAlpin

Karl Ove Knausgaard — famed for his epic memoir My Struggle — goes for short and sweet in Autumn, a meditative seasonal reflection. But while there are lovely moments, the book strays into banality.

Books
Arts

If You Want Groundbreaking Noir, Try Looking 'In A Lonely Place'

1:43pm August 22, 2017

by John Powers

The 1950 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame was adapted from a lesser-known 1947 novel by Dorothy B. Hughes, who belongs in the crime-writing pantheon. The novel's just been re-released.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Books Become A Bridge Out Of Grief In 'The Futilitarians'

10:31am August 22, 2017

by Jason Heller

Anne Gisleson was reeling from a series of family tragedies when she began meeting with friends to discuss books and life in post-Katrina New Orleans. Her new book chronicles a year of those meetings.