Everyone's Miserable In The 'Hot, Horrible' World Of 'Ponti'
Sharlene Teo's debut novel is a shimmering story of three women in Singapore, but its plot gets washed away among the grotesque and stomach-churning detail.
A Quiet Purpose Propels Pelecanos' Thriller 'The Man Who Came Uptown'
George Pelecanos' The Man Who Came Uptown may appear like another detective thriller novel, but a richer philosophy on prison literacy lies beneath its plot.
(Image credit: Emily Bogle/NPR)
Ken Starr's Memoir 'Contempt' Looks At The Rocky Road To Impeachment
"An indulgent and prosperous nation readily forgave Bill Clinton and instead blamed the prosecutor," Starr writes of investigating the president. "That would be me."
(Image credit: Lauren Victoria Burke/AP)
3 Required Romances For Your September Reading Pleasure
It's back to school season, which means required reading — so of course, we've got a list of great romances. And they're educational, too — plenty of lessons about life, love and happily ever after.
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Bob Woodward Has Written About Presidencies. But Trump Book Is His First Indictment
In this account by the longtime journalist, President Trump appears convinced that the same braggadocio that made him rich and made him president will make the world conform to his own view of it.
(Image credit: Susan Walsh/AP)
'Vanishing Twins' Follows One Woman's Search For Individuality Amid Coupledom
When Leah Dieterich settles down with her other half, she begins to wonder: "Once you find someone to finish your sentences, do you stop finishing them for yourself?"
(Image credit: NPR)
'A Room Away From The Wolves' Makes The Gothic Bitingly Modern
Nova Ren Suma takes all the classic Gothic novel tropes — an old house, a cursed ring, evil stepsisters, a dark family legacy — and gives them a bracing update in A Room Away From the Wolves.
(Image credit: Emily Bogle/NPR)
'The Most Dangerous Branch,' Asks Whether The Supreme Court Has Become Too Powerful
In author David Kaplan's view, the top court has taken an increasing role in policy making, having issued critical decisions on abortion, voting rights, gun control, healthcare — and the president.
(Image credit: Ryan McGinnis/Getty Images)
'Lake Success' Offers A Roadside View Of America On The Verge Of Trump
Gary Shteyngart's spectacular, sprawling new comic novel centers on a billionaire businessman, who, on the verge of ruin, embarks on a cross-country trip aboard a Greyhound bus.
In 'Every Day Is Extra,' John Kerry Focuses On His Time In The Political Arena
Given the contrasts in personality and policy — and how much energy President Trump has spent on dismantling what Kerry worked for — one can't help but want to hear more from the former senator.
(Image credit: Thibault Camus/AP)
'Dog Symphony' Is Less A Novel Than A Mood Given Form
Sam Munson has written a weird book that doesn't try to hide its weirdness. It's nominally about a professor of prison architecture visitng a conference in Buenos Aires — but then there are the dogs.
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In 'Small Animals,' A Mom Grapples With Parenting In An 'Age Of Fear'
In 2011, Kim Brooks intentionally left her 4-year-old in a car as she ran into a Target. In her new book, she attempts to reckon with the consequences of her decision, and parenting in today's world.
(Image credit: NPR)
From A Read-Along Record To A Profane Tarot: The Year's Quirkiest Crowdfunded Comics
Crowdfunding and comics go well together — in fact, comic artists were doing it before that term existed. This year has been a good one for crowdfunded comics, and we've picked some of the best.
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'The Shadow President' A Missed Opportunity To Better Understand Mike Pence
The Shadow President looks like a book, but belongs firmly in the world of partisan TV. There is plenty to uncover about the "real" Mike Pence, but readers won't find it here.
(Image credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)
Understated And Over-Frank, 'French Exit' Is Just The Right Amount Of Funny
Patrick DeWitt's new novel is a sparkling dark comedy about an Upper East Side society matron and her large adult son (and their cat) who take off for Paris to escape financial and social ruin.
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'The Air You Breathe' Is A Glorious, Glittery Saga Of Friendship And Loss
Frances de Pontes Peebles' new novel about two women in Brazil — and later Hollywood — who take the music world by storm can sometimes slip into corniness, but it's a genuinely exciting read.
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'Ohio' Is A Wild, Angry, Devastating Debut
Stephen Markley's novel follows four friends, each with their own baggage, who return to their home town on the same night, but for different reasons — leading to an explosive moment of violentce.
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'Elizabeth Warren' Highlights All Of The Senator's Positives
Antonia Felix's new biography is a flattering portrait of a senator — no doubt by a strong supporter — that many see as a contender for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president.
(Image credit: Charles Krupa/AP)
In 'Red, White, Blue,' High Peaks And Low Blows
Lea Carpenter's new novel combines literary sensibility with genre readability, for a dark spy thriller about a young woman finding out all kinds of strange truths about her father's past in the CIA.
(Image credit: Emily Bogle/NPR)
'Closer You Are' Explores How Robert Pollard Changed The Course Of Indie Rock
Matthew Cutter's entertaining new biography of "Uncle Bob" tells the story of the all-American-boy-turned-alternative-rock-god and the influence he and his band Guided by Voice had on modern rock.
(Image credit: Matt Cowan/Getty Images)
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