Book Reviews

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American Archetypes On A Bloody Funny Path In 'The Harder They Come'

7:03am April 02, 2015

by Jason Sheehan

In his latest novel, T.C. Boyle is at play in his usual fields: California, baby boomer angst, fathers and sons. But critic Jason Sheehan says it's a gory, absurdist, expertly paced frolic.

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'Crescent Moon' Counts Down To Political Mayhem

6:02am April 02, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Fatima Bhutto (niece of assassinated Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto) has written several volumes of nonfiction and poetry; her first novel is a delicate but tense political thriller.

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A Ghostly Chorus Narrates 'The World Before Us'

6:26pm April 01, 2015

by Jean Zimmerman

Aislinn Hunter's new novel tells two parallel tales of two young girls — both gone missing in the same place, a century apart. Reviewer Jean Zimmerman says the book's tough truths held her interest.

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A Filmmaker's Surreal Vision On The Page In 'Where The Bird Sings Best'

4:15pm April 01, 2015

by Juan Vidal

The multitalented Alejandro Jodorowsky turns to fiction (sort of) with a semi-autobiographical novel. Critic Juan Vidal calls it "brilliant, mad, unpredictable."

Jon Ronson's previous books include The Psychopath Test and The Men Who Stare At Goats.

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Jon Ronson Has Nothing To Be Ashamed Of, But What About The Rest Of Us?

3:12pm April 01, 2015

by Eric Weiner

His new book, So You've Been Publicly Shamed, looks at the ways social media shaming affects both the targets and those doing the shaming. Critic Eric Weiner calls it sharp-eyed and often hilarious.

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'Little Washer Of Sorrows' Morphs The Mundane Into The Fantastic

10:03am March 31, 2015

by Jason Heller

Katherine Fawcett's short story collection is comfortably domestic, full of quiet drama and unfussy detail. Until you read further and discover the mermaids, monsters and lonely planets (literally).

Clive James — an author, critic, broadcaster, poet, translator and memoirist — was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago.

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Open A Critic's 'Poetry Notebook' And Find The Works That Shaped Him

3:38pm March 30, 2015

by Maureen Corrigan

Clive James was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago. "There is a grief in all poetry," he writes in his latest book of essays. "Poetry holds itself together, and eventually we ourselves do not."

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'The Precious One' Has Love At Its Heart

9:47am March 30, 2015

by Bobbi Dumas

Marisa de los Santos' newest novel follows a young woman returning to her home town to confront her shattered family. Reviewer Bobbi Dumas says it'll remind you that love can change the world.

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Do You Believe In Ghosts? You Might After Reading This Book

6:13pm March 26, 2015

by Maureen Corrigan

Sante Fe's most famous ghost is Hannah Nordhaus' great-great-grandmother. Her new book, American Ghost, is mix of memoir, cultural history, genealogical detective story and paranormal investigation.

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'Lost Boys Symphony' Blurs The Lines Between Reality And Madness

7:03am March 26, 2015

by Jason Sheehan

Mark Andrew Ferguson's debut novel has time travel, but it isn't science fiction. It has teenagers, but it's not YA. Instead, it's a tale of intense friendship, first love, and serious mental illness.