Title: The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run — or Ruin — an Economy Author: Tim Harford Genre: Nonfiction Year: 2014 Publisher: Riverhead Books Acquired: From the publisher for review consideration [rating:3.5/5] Review: I went to a public liberal arts college, which means I had the opportunity, through my general education requirements, to take classes [...]
Book Review
This week in mini-reviews, the two works of fiction that I’ve finished so far in 2014: We Are Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler and The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud. We Are Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler Meet the Cooke family: Mother and Dad, brother Lowell, sister Fern, and our narrator, Rosemary, who begins [...]
Title: The Secret Rooms: A True Story of a Haunted Castle, a Plotting Duchess and a Family Secret Author: Catherine Bailey Genre: Nonfiction Year: 2013 Publisher: Penguin Books Acquired: From the publisher for review consideration [rating:4/5] Review: In April 1940, John Henry Montagu Manners, the ninth Duke of Rutland, was diagnosed with pneumonia. But rather [...]
Title: Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune Authors: Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. Genre: Nonfiction Year: 2013 Publisher: Ballantine Books Acquired: Christmas present! [rating:4.5/5] Review: Apparently I’m on a kick reading books about rich people with big houses. In the last few weeks I [...]
Title: Smarter Than You Think: How Technology Is Changing Our Minds for the Better Author: Clive Thompson Genre: Nonfiction Year: 2012 Publisher: The Penguin Press Acquired: Bought [rating:5/5] Review: There have been quite a few books in the last five years arguing that technology is ruining our minds. In Smarter Than You Think, Clive Thompson acknowledges that technology [...]
Title: Priscilla: The Hidden Life of an Englishwoman in Wartime France Author: Nicholas Shakespeare Genre: Nonfiction Year: 2013 Publisher: Harper Acquired: From the publisher for review consideration [rating:3.5/5] Review: As a kid, novelist Nicholas Shakespeare was fascinated by his glamorous but mysterious aunt, Priscilla. Family rumors hinted that Priscilla, who struggled with a drinking problem and [...]
Trying to narrow down my favorite nonfiction of 2013 was a daunting task. I read a lot of wonderful books this year that I’ve gushed about in various places on- and offline. To keep this post from getting totally insane, I kept my thoughts on each title brief but included links to my longer reviews. [...]
I can’t believe it is the end of the year already! Where on earth did 2013 go? As I mentioned on Sunday, I’m posting my end of the year favorites lists this week ahead of the Christmas holiday. If I happen to read any life-changing books before the end of the year, the plan is [...]
In addition to all of the great nonfiction I read, I read a lot of great fiction this year too. I haven’t reviewed all of it, but I have tried to write about books I really enjoyed or books that have gotten some general buzz. With that in mind, here are some brief thoughts on [...]
Title: Anything That Moves: Renegade Chefs, Fearless Eaters and the Making of a New American Food Culture Author: Dana Goodyear Genre: Nonfiction Year: 2013 Publisher: Riverhead Acquired: From the publisher for review consideration [rating:4/5] From Bloggers Recommend: American foodies and wannabes are moving to the fringes of cuisine in pursuit of new delicacies (some disgusting, other [...]
