Sophie’s World: A Novel about the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder, trans. by Paulette Møller

Farrar, Straus and Giroux Review by Walter Cummins Although Sophie’s World was first published in Norwegian more than thirty years ago and since then has been translated into close to…

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

Doubleday Review by George Yatchisin A study of skullduggery and heroism, vainglory and stiff-upper lips, the unbelievable odyssey that is David Gann’s latest nonfiction work The Wager also manages to…

Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House by Alex Prud’homme

Knopf Review by George Yatchisin Freedom Fries—the bogus re-naming bestowed by right-wingers requiring simple-minded revenge during the Iraq War when France was a hesitant ally to the US—weren’t the first…

The Purchased Bride by Peter Constantine

Deep Vellum Review by Walter Cummins Most novels develop around one or more central unknowns, not necessarily mysteries, but stated or unstated questions that impel the plot. Will some Ramsays…

Cucina Povera: The Italian Way of Transforming Humble Ingredients into Memorable Meals by Giulia Scarpaleggia

Artisan Review by Linda Lappin September 2023 marks a solemn occasion in Italy,  the 80th anniversary of the beginning  of the Nazi Occupation which devastated Tuscany from September 1943 until…

Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge, from Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic by Simon Winchester

Harper Collins Review by Walter Cummins While Simon Winchester’s book is an entertaining read because he writes well and tells a good story, a more accurate title might be Knowing…

In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey by Jeff Biggers

Melville House Review by Linda Lappin Sardinia’s landscapes captivate visitors: pink granite cliffs whipped into weird shapes,  massive  basalt boulders, tawny hills where tiny wild horses roam,  dunes of sparkling…

Fat Time and Other Stories by Jeffery Renard Allen

Graywolf Review by Walter Cummins The contents of most short story collections are united by similarities of voice, tone, and subject matter. Despite differences of characters, dramatic issues, and even…

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

Harper Review by Jinny Webber A manhunt across the colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Haven in 1660 drives Robert Harris’ latest novel, Act of Oblivion. Two officers in Oliver…

Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir by Eddie Muller

Running Press Review by George Yatchisin Not every book can help you fill your Nick and Nora coupes and your evening’s film-watching playlist, but Noir Bar does both with elan.…