The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Edited by Graeme Davis
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The biting little irony is that finishing this book will create a near-irresistible urge to read a Holmes story.
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The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson
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A scrupulously researched and warmly, endlessly readable for both Revolution aficionados and newcomers.
Read MoreJerusalem by Merav Mack & Benjamin Balint
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Jerusalem is well portrayed by the authors as they explore the books, the libraries, and the stories of the ancient city.
Read MoreThe Fourth Reich by Gavriel D. Rosenfeld
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The Fourth Reich is the carefully-documented anatomy of a standing threat.
Read MoreMoneyland by Oliver Bullough
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Moneyland is muddled by an unnecessary political context that misplaces criticism and neglects moral ambiguities.
Read MoreDarkness By Design by Walter Mattli
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Concepts are clearly and succinctly explained along the way which makes it inviting to new readers.
Read MoreThe Unnamable Present by Roberto Calasso
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A bright book, its insights glyptic and sharp, but obsessed with the obscurities of the past.
Read MoreMistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin
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A pleasing number of dramatic twists and a central, intriguingly complex marriage.
Read MoreIt’s a Mystery: “Those that know the most must mourn the deepest”
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An exquisitely crafted, stunning novel, set in a strange, ancient, beautiful place.
Read MoreMatilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior by Catherine Hanley
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Hanley’s assessment of the various roles Matilda filled in her life is uniformly thought-provoking.
Read MoreCari Mora by Thomas Harris
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The first book to follow a phenomenon, and a conscious attempt to shed that phenomenon.
Read MoreErnesto: The Untold Story of Hemingway in Revolutionary Cuba by Andrew Feldman
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Andrew Feldman has here shaped his sources into a Hemingway who feels like a new acquaintance.
Read MoreAlex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz
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The Alex Rider books have always required a rather hefty suspension of disbelief, and they’ve always rewarded it.
Read MoreUpheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis by Jared Diamond
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Can 30 pages be enough to do more than skim the surface of any of these epic events?
Read MoreBirthday by César Aira
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Aira’s lack of a larger schema ultimately makes Birthday an unsatisfying venture.
Read MoreAuthor interview: Alison Weir
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In Anna of Kleve, Weir crafts an intriguingly multifaceted portrait of this oddest of all English queens. Open Letters asked her some questions about the challenges of this latest installment in the “Six Tudor Queens” series.
Read MoreThe Shadow King: The Life and Death of Henry VI by Lauren Johnson
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An immensely readable popular biography of Henry VI, warmly sympathetic to the tormented figure at its center.
Read MoreIt’s a Mystery: We run away from what scares or hurts us--or from what holds us captive
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A skillfully crafted, beautifully written thriller with an unforgettable heroine.
Read MoreSherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Japan by Keisuke Matsuoka
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Meiji-era Japan is an appealingly exotic setting for a Holmes adventure.
Read MoreGilded Youth: Privilege, Rebellion and the British Public School by James Brooke-Smith
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Gilded Youth is woven through with a sure knack for storytelling and eye for vivifying detail.
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