THE WILDLANDS Every once in a while I read a book so stunning that I can’t find the words to write a review. Such is
Rules of Civility As I read books for “Bookin’ with Sunny,” I realize that I’m always trying to put new publications in the context of
Lance Weller, in his new novel Wilderness, juxtaposes two quite disparate wildernesses together. One is the famous 1864 Wilderness Battle near Spotsylvania, where North and
When I read a novel with an underlying premise that I can’t quite believe, I rarely like the book. Queen Sugar, by Natalie Baszile, is
Although they share many of the same characters and are set in the same small Wyoming town, An Unfinished Life and Bone Fire are two
When I reviewed Thatcher Robinson’s first novel, White Ginger, for “Bookin’ with Sunny,” I ended by hoping that Robinson would “write more about this intriguing
More than four centuries ago, Thomas Nashe published The Unfortunate Traveller (1594) in English and Miguel de Cervantes published Don Quixote (1605) in Spanish. Together,
Miss Timmins’ School for Girls Miss Timmins’ School for Girls braces ongoing colonialism against intrusive modernity in surprisingly innovative ways. Set in late twentieth-century India,
Queen’s Gambit: A Novel of Katherine Parr Successful historical novels draw the reader into a bygone milieu, bringing historic characters to life while describing colorful
Behold the Cameroonian Dreamers Not long ago, I reviewed Americanah, a novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about Nigerian immigrants and their American experiences. Imbolo Mbue’s
TRESPASS Valerie Martin’s novel, Trespass, does exactly that—the story lines trespass on the public and the private lives of the characters who occupy its pages.
THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS Lisa Wingate’s The Book of Lost Friends is a historical novel firmly grounded in historic poignancy and pain. For many
Broken Verses, Pakistani thinkers and talkers. Kamila Shamsie’s enigmatic novel, Broken Verses, explores a number of thematic issues that are specific to Pakistan but equally
Numbered Account – Reich bifurcates his novel between the intricacies of Swiss banking and one fast-paced thriller. Christopher Reich has written what I would call
Ninety-six-year-old Doris Alm’s address book holds more than the names and addresses of people in her past. In the novel The Red Address Book, Swedish
Before We Were Yours – Lisa Wingate’s fictional character discovers and uncovers the hidden and difficult historical truths surrounding her family’s past. Because I so
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