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Open Letters Review

Open Letters Review

An Arts & Literature Review

Open Letters Review

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August 21, 2025

Thomas More by Joanne Paul

August 21, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Thomas More by Joanne Paul

Joanne Paul’s wonderful new biography of Thomas More

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August 21, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Thomas More, Joanne Pual, biography, English biography
August 17, 2025

Redemption: MacArthur and the Campaign for the Philippines by Peter Mansoor

August 17, 2025/ David Murphy
Redemption: MacArthur and the Campaign for the Philippines by Peter Mansoor

A new assessment of the controversial WWII general

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August 17, 2025/ David Murphy/
Douglas MacArthur, MacArthur, Redemption: MacArthur and the Campaign for the Philippines, World War Two, Second World War, Pacific Theater, Peter Mansoor, history, military history
August 15, 2025

India by Audrey Truschke

August 15, 2025/ Siddharth Handa
India by Audrey Truschke

A sweeping new history of India

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August 15, 2025/ Siddharth Handa/
August 11, 2025

Transparencies by Maria Borio

August 11, 2025/ Eric Bies
Transparencies by Maria Borio

A review of an Italian poet’s English-language debut

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August 11, 2025/ Eric Bies/
August 04, 2025

The Great Acceleration by Edward Burtynsky

August 04, 2025/ Tom LeClair
The Great Acceleration by Edward Burtynsky

A new book showcasing Edward Burtynsky’s photography

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August 04, 2025/ Tom LeClair/
The Great Acceleration, Edward Burtynsky, photos, photography
July 30, 2025

Fulvia by Jane Draycott

July 30, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Fulvia by Jane Draycott

A new biography of the infamous enemy of Cicero

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July 30, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Fulvia, Jane Draycott, Roman history, Roman biography, ancient Rome, Cicero
July 23, 2025

The Worlds of Dorothy Sayers by Stephen Wade

July 23, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
The Worlds of Dorothy Sayers by Stephen Wade

A new biography of the great mystery novelist

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July 23, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Stephen Wade, The Worlds of Dorothy Sayers, Dorothy Sayers, author biography, biography, Lord Peter Wimsey
July 09, 2025

Hotel Ukraine by Martin Cruz Smith

July 09, 2025/ Ryan Davison
Hotel Ukraine by Martin Cruz Smith

The illustrious career of Russia's greatest homicide detective ends with a legendary final act

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July 09, 2025/ Ryan Davison/
Hotel Ukraine, Martin Cruz Smith, fiction
July 08, 2025

On Elton John: An Opinionated Guide by Matthew Restall

July 08, 2025/ Nikolas Mavreas
On Elton John: An Opinionated Guide by Matthew Restall

A spirited, borderline mythological look at the life and career of Elton John

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July 08, 2025/ Nikolas Mavreas/
Elton John, On Elton John, Matthew Restall, music, music biography
July 07, 2025

The Hundred Years' Trial by Gouzoules & Gouzoules

July 07, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
The Hundred Years' Trial by Gouzoules & Gouzoules

A new history of the Scopes “Monkey Trial” and its long aftermath

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July 07, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
The Hundred Years' Trial, Scopes trial, evolution, creationism, Clarence Darrow, Scopes Monkey Trial, US history, legal history
July 04, 2025

Pine Marten by Dan Bagur

July 04, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Pine Marten by Dan Bagur

A beautifully-illustrated natural history of martens

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July 04, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Pine Martin, Dan Bagur, natural history, nature, martens
July 02, 2025

Opening the Gates of Hell by Richard Hargreaves

July 02, 2025/ David Murphy
Opening the Gates of Hell by Richard Hargreaves

A deep-dive history of the opening of Germany’s assault on Russia

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July 02, 2025/ David Murphy/
Richard Hargreaves, Opening the Gates of Hell, Operation Barbarossa, World War II history, Second World War history, military history
July 01, 2025

Gustav Mahler by Stephen Downes

July 01, 2025/ Nikolas Mavreas
Gustav Mahler by Stephen Downes

A brief new life of the famous composer

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July 01, 2025/ Nikolas Mavreas/
Gusav Mahler, Mahler, Stephen Downes, classical music, biography, music biography, composer biography
June 30, 2025

Three Revolutions by Simon Hall

June 30, 2025/ Joe Spivey
Three Revolutions by Simon Hall

An account of three pivotal political turning points

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June 30, 2025/ Joe Spivey/
Three Revolutions, history, political history, Simon Hall
June 26, 2025

Benvenuto Cellini and the Embodiment of the Modern Artist by Andreas Beyer

June 26, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Benvenuto Cellini and the Embodiment of the Modern Artist by Andreas Beyer

A biography of the great sculptor that concentrates on his troublesome physicality

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June 26, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Benvenuto Cellini and the Embodiment of the Modern Artist, Andreas Beyer, Benvenuto Cellini, Renaissance history, Renaissance art, biography
June 25, 2025

Paradise Lost: A Biography by Alan Jacobs

June 25, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Paradise Lost: A Biography by Alan Jacobs

Princeton’s “Lives of Great Religious Books” series takes up “Paradise Lost”

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June 25, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Alan Jacobs, Paradise Lost: A Biography, John Milton, Paradise Lost, poetry, Literary History, literary biography
June 25, 2025

The Symphony Concert in Nazi Germany by Neil Gregor

June 25, 2025/ Nikolas Mavreas
The Symphony Concert in Nazi Germany by Neil Gregor

A study of the role of classical music in the Third Reich

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June 25, 2025/ Nikolas Mavreas/
The Symphony Concert in Nazi Germany, Neil Gregor, Nazi Germany, German history, WWII history, music history
June 24, 2025

Cooler Than Cool by CM Kushins

June 24, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Cooler Than Cool by CM Kushins

A quippy, addictive new biography of the great crime writer

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June 24, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Cooler Than Cool, Elmore Leonard, CM Kushins, biography, literary biography
June 22, 2025

Apotheosis of Music by Witold Wirpsza

June 22, 2025/ Eric Bies
Apotheosis of Music by Witold Wirpsza

A new translation of the important Polish poet

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June 22, 2025/ Eric Bies/
Apotheosis of Music, Witold Wirpsza, poetry, literature in translation
June 20, 2025

Fox by Joyce Carol Oates

June 20, 2025/ Ryan Davison
Fox by Joyce Carol Oates

Literary suspense is exquisitely delivered in an icon’s newest work

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June 20, 2025/ Ryan Davison/
Fox, Joyce Carol Oates, fiction, contemporary fiction
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Editors:

Steve Donoghue
Sam Sacks
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