An Aimless Walk With An 'Unnamed' Destination()
February 4, 2010 Tim Farnsworth, a partner at a Manhattan law firm, has been beset by a mysterious condition — a compulsion to walk until he collapses from exhaustion. Like its protagonist, Joshua Ferris' new novel moves resolutely forward with a fixed, trancelike purposelessness.
Changing The 'Game,' But Not For The Better()
January 29, 2010 The 2008 presidential election was the longest and most expensive in U.S. history. The campaign is now the subject of a book, Game Change, by two political reporters, John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. The book has been making headlines with some of its revelations, but critic John Powers wonders whether that's a good thing.
Correspondence Creatively Critiqued In 'Yours Ever'()
December 1, 2009 Yours Ever: People and Their Letters is a revelatory collection of the nutty and the noble encased in private correspondence. Book critic Maureen Corrigan says Thomas Mallon's unpredictable criticism knocks the book out of the realm of the ho-hum.
A Conservative Read On Palin's 'Going Rogue'()
November 17, 2009 Sarah Palin may be the Republican party's next big hope, but commentator Rod Dreher says her new book, Going Rogue, does little to bolster her image. She may be the perkiest small-town American in the spotlight, but Palin is selling her personality, not a platform.
'The Lacuna,' Kingsolver's Vacant Return()
November 3, 2009 It's been nine years since Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, has released a new novel — but is The Lacuna worth the wait? Critic Maureen Corrigan says this personalized perspective on the Red Scare in Mexico reflects the hidden meaning of the book's title: vacancy.
Searching For Answers? 'Googled' Disappoints()
November 3, 2009 Ken Auletta's new book, Googled, chronicles the behemoth search engine company from the bottom up. But critic Troy Patterson says that few of the book's points are so penetrating that they couldn't be easily discovered via a quick Google query.
Lethem's Tedious, Maddening 'Chronic City'()
October 23, 2009 Jonathan Lethem's new novel, featuring a fatuous former child TV star and his stoner friend, swirls around aimlessly, lifted only occasionally by the author's dazzling prose.
On The 'Wisdom Trail,' Platitudes Prevail()
July 27, 2009 Long on generalities and short on real wisdom, The Wisdom Trail does not do justice to the women it profiles.
Journalist Looks At The 'Why' Behind Columbine()
April 17, 2009 In his new book, Dave Cullen delivers a clear-eyed portrait of the brains behind the Columbine killings. He says the massacre wasn't an emotional outburst or revenge fantasy carried out by a couple of social outcasts. Reviewer Susan Jane Gilman calls the book strong, but says it doesn't quite sing.
Death's Absence, Writ Large And Small()
December 9, 2008 Two new novels explore the consequences of a personified Death who fails to perform expected duties. Jonathan Carroll's The Ghost in Love focuses on an individual saved from Death, while Jose Saramago's Death with Interruptions examines an entire nation.
About Book Reviews
NPR features regular book reviews from professor and "All Things Considered" reviewer Alan Cheuse, "Day to Day" contributor Karen Grigsby Bates and "Fresh Air" reviewer Maureen Corrigan.
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