Open Letters Review
  • Contact & Submissions
  • About

Open Letters Review

  • Contact & Submissions/
  • About/

Open Letters Review

Open Letters Review

An Arts & Literature Review

Open Letters Review

  • Contact & Submissions/
  • About/
 

May 21, 2025

Ellmann's Joyce by Zachary Leader

May 21, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Ellmann's Joyce by Zachary Leader

The story behind one of the great biographies of the 20th century

Read More
May 21, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Ellmann's Joyce, Zachary Leader, James Joyce, Ricahrd Ellmann, Richard Ellmann, biography, literary biography, literary history
May 17, 2025

Boccaccio by Marco Santagata

May 17, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Boccaccio by Marco Santagata

An authoritative biography of the author of The Decameron

Read More
May 17, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Boccaccio, Marco Santagata, Emlyn Eisenach, biography, literary biography
May 16, 2025

Mark Twain by Ron Chernow

May 16, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow

The celebrated biographer publishes an enormous book about Mark Twain

Read More
May 16, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Mark Twain, Ron Chernow, biography, American biography, literary biography
May 15, 2025

Horace: Poet on a Volcano by Peter Stothard

May 15, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Horace: Poet on a Volcano by Peter Stothard

An invigorating new biography of the great Roman poet Horace

Read More
May 15, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Horacde, Horace, ancient Rome, Horace: Poet on a Volcano, Peter Stothard, biography, ancient biography
March 16, 2025

Love, Queenie by Mayukh Sen

March 16, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Love, Queenie by Mayukh Sen

A new biography of Golden Age Hollywood star Merle Oberon

Read More
March 16, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Mayukh Sen, Love, Love Queenie, Merle Oberon, Hollywood, Hollywood history, biography
January 27, 2025

Doc Watson: A Life in Music by Eddie Huffman

January 27, 2025/ James Ruchala
Doc Watson: A Life in Music by Eddie Huffman

A new biography of an Appalachian virtuoso.

Read More
January 27, 2025/ James Ruchala/
Eddie Huffman, Doc Watson, biography, American music, music biography
January 23, 2025

Bright Circle by Randall Fuller

January 23, 2025/ Hannah Joyner
Bright Circle by Randall Fuller

How women experienced—and shaped—Transcendentalist thought in 19th-century New England.

Read More
January 23, 2025/ Hannah Joyner/
Bright Circle, Randall Fuller, Trancendatlism, Mary Moody Emerson, Emerson, Thoreau, biography, literary biography
January 14, 2025

Henry V by Dan Jones

January 14, 2025/ Aaron Kyereh-Mireku
Henry V by Dan Jones

A vibrant new biography of England’s famous King Henry V

Read More
January 14, 2025/ Aaron Kyereh-Mireku/
Henry V, biography, royal biography, Dan Jones, medieval history
January 13, 2025

A Man on Fire by Douglas Egerton

January 13, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
A Man on Fire by Douglas Egerton

A comprehensive new biography of the famed author and activist

Read More
January 13, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Douglas Egerton, A Man on Fire, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, biography, American biography
January 09, 2025

Leonardo Da Vinci: An Untraceable Life by Stephen J. Campbell

January 09, 2025/ Steve Donoghue
Leonardo Da Vinci: An Untraceable Life by Stephen J. Campbell

A pointedly unconventional life of the great Renaissance artist

Read More
January 09, 2025/ Steve Donoghue/
Leonardo Da Vinci, Leonardo Da Vinci: An Untraceable Life, Stephen J. Campbell, biography, Italian Renaissance
December 03, 2024

Robert Hooke's Experimental Philosophy by Felicity Henderson

December 03, 2024/ Nikolas Mavreas
Robert Hooke's Experimental Philosophy by Felicity Henderson

An insightful biography of the pioneering scientist

Read More
December 03, 2024/ Nikolas Mavreas/
Robert Hooke's Experimental Philosophy, Felcity Henderson, Robert Hooke, biography
November 02, 2024

The Scapegoat by Lucy Hughes-Hallett

November 02, 2024/ Steve Donoghue
The Scapegoat by Lucy Hughes-Hallett

A new biography of the handsome favorite of two kings

Read More
November 02, 2024/ Steve Donoghue/
The Scapegoat, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, King James I, King Charles I, history, Jacobean history, English history, biography
October 31, 2024

The Brothers Grimm by Ann Schmiesing

October 31, 2024/ Siddharth Handa
The Brothers Grimm by Ann Schmiesing

A new life of the famous storytellers

Read More
October 31, 2024/ Siddharth Handa/
Ann Schmiesing, Brothers Grimm, biography, literary biography
October 26, 2024

A Few Words in Defense of Our Country by Robert Hilburn

October 26, 2024/ Nikolas Mavreas
A Few Words in Defense of Our Country by Robert Hilburn

A biography of the beloved musician Randy Newman

Read More
October 26, 2024/ Nikolas Mavreas/
A Few Words in Defense of Our Country, Randy Newman, Robert Hilburn, biography, American music, music biography
September 30, 2024

Reagan by Max Boot

September 30, 2024/ Steve Donoghue
Reagan by Max Boot

Max Boot's authoritative new biography of Ronald Reagan

Read More
September 30, 2024/ Steve Donoghue/
Reagan, Ronald Reagan, history, biography, American history, presidential biography, Max Boot
September 16, 2024

First Lady of Laughs by Grace Kessler-Overbeke

September 16, 2024/ Siddharth Handa
First Lady of Laughs by Grace Kessler-Overbeke

A new biography of a groundbreaking comic artist

Read More
September 16, 2024/ Siddharth Handa/
First Lady of Laughs, Jean Carroll, biography, comedy, Grace Kessler Overbeke
September 14, 2024

Squanto by Andrew Lipman

September 14, 2024/ Siddharth Handa
Squanto by Andrew Lipman

A biographical reconstruction of Squanto, of Mayflower fame

Read More
September 14, 2024/ Siddharth Handa/
squanto, andrew lipman, history, biography
August 24, 2024

Christopher Isherwood: Inside Out by Katherine Bucknell

August 24, 2024/ Steve Donoghue
Christopher Isherwood: Inside Out by Katherine Bucknell

A big new biography of Christopher Isherwood

Read More
August 24, 2024/ Steve Donoghue/
Christopher Isherwood, Inside Out, Katherine Bucknell, biography, literary biography
August 15, 2024

Hardy Women by Paula Byrne

August 15, 2024/ Aaron Kyereh-Mireku
Hardy Women by Paula Byrne

A look at the women (real and imaginary) in the life of author Thomas Hardy

Read More
August 15, 2024/ Aaron Kyereh-Mireku/
Hardy Women, Paula Byrne, biography, literary biography, Thomas Hardy
July 25, 2024

The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon by Heath Hardage Lee

July 25, 2024/ Spencer Peacock
The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon by Heath Hardage Lee

A new biography of Richard Nixon’s First Lady

Read More
July 25, 2024/ Spencer Peacock/
The Mysterious Mrs Nixon, Pat Nixon, Heath Hardage Lee, biography, presidential biography, First Lady Nixon, American history
  • Next
  • Contact & Submissions/
  • About/

Open Letters Review

An arts and literature review.

Subscribe

Sign up with your email address to receive a monthly recap of new posts.

We respect your privacy.

Thank you!
 

Editors:

Steve Donoghue
Sam Sacks
Britta Böhler
____________________

Eric Karl Anderson
Olive Fellows
Jack Hanson
Jennifer Helinek
Justin Hickey
Hannah Joyner
Zach Rabiroff
Jessica Tvordi

Categories:

  • Animals & Nature
  • Anthologies/Short Stories
  • Art & Music
  • Backlist
  • Biography/Memoir
  • Books & Authors
  • Children's Books
  • Classic Literature
  • Environment/Geology
  • Essays
  • Fiction - Historical
  • Fiction-Action/Adventure
  • Fiction-Crime & Thrillers
  • Fiction-Debut
  • Fiction-Drama
  • Fiction-General
  • Fiction-Horror
  • Fiction-Humor
  • Fiction-LGBTQ
  • Fiction-Legal
  • Fiction-Mystery/Suspense
  • Fiction-Paranormal
  • Fiction-Romance
  • Fiction-Sci-Fi & Fantasy
  • Fiction-Translated
  • Fiction-Young Adult
  • Film & Theatre; Adaptations
  • From the Archives
  • Graphic Novels/Comics
  • Health & Psychology
  • Historical Fiction
  • History
  • It's a Mystery
  • Just for Fun
  • Literary Criticism
  • Literary Fiction
  • Myths & Legends
  • Nonfiction Translations
  • Philosophy
  • Poetry
  • Politics & Economics
  • Reference
  • Religion
  • Science/Technology
  • Society & Culture
  • Sports and Recreation
  • Stevereads
  • Travel
Contact Us
Archive

Open Letters Review Site Policies