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Recent Reviews
Peter Robison
Positive National Book Review Meticulously describe[d] ... He may not entirely back up his overall thesis about the connection of this specific tragedy to the Reagan revolution, however, largely because he does not spend enough time in trying to prove it, but he makes a compelling case that something was very wrong at Boeing ... Robison’s account adds depth and feeling to what could have been a dry retelling of a story weighed down with technical details. Robison puts the emphasis where it belongs, on the human elements and personal stories behind the disaster, and he shows how the myriad decisions of individuals led to tragedy.
Patrick Radden Keefe
Rave The National Book Review Patrick Radden Keef...has written an immersive, compelling and illustrative book about a unique family that was able to use the system that they helped create to make themselves rich beyond belief, and to become renowned philanthropists on the order of Rockefeller and Carnegie, while keeping their activities largely unknown, and contributing to the destruction of hundreds, if not millions, of lives ... Keefe writes with fiction-like flare and makes the story one of universal interest and shocking realities.
Evan Osnos
Rave The National Book Review This is certainly not a definitive biography of Biden. It could hardly be, coming in at under two hundred pages. Yet in a relatively few chapters, ho[m]ing in on a few key periods in Biden’s life, Osnos has presented us with significant insights into the life of a singular man who has been in national public life for over forty-seven years. In trying to present the long political life of Biden to a present-day audience, Osnos has succeeded admirably in showing us both his political and personal strengths and weaknesses ... What we see ultimately in Biden’s life is a mind-bending dichotomy between someone who has experienced events of remarkable luck countered by episodes of horrendous tragedy. The end result of Osnos’s endeavor is to capture the essence of Biden with all his accomplishments, failures, strengths and frailties ... Osnos has done an exceptional job of capturing the essence of Biden with all his strengths and weaknesses, from his lengthy and sometimes meandering answers to questions, his inappropriate tactile relationship with female supporters, his working relationships with segregationist senators in the past, his knowledge of foreign relations and many of their leaders, and his general ability to relate to the common working man and woman.
Erik Larson
Rave The National Book Review Erik Larson provides an intimate look that succeeds admirably in bringing Churchill and his family members to life. Like his past works...The Splendid and the Vile reads like fiction. But Larson’s meticulous footnotes show the depth of his research and reassure the reader that his story is very much rooted in fact ... One thing that sets The Splendid and the Vile apart from previous histories of the era is the serious attention Larson gives to other prominent members of the Churchill retinue, notably his immediate family members. This gives the book a human element that adds significantly to our appreciation of the period ... ultimately a refreshing reminder of immensely important events in the not too distant past. At a time when political and personal wisdom and courage are greatly needed but in short supply, it is exhilarating to see an era when they were not only apparent, but critical to the success of a country, if not a civilization, in peril.
Susan Rice
Positive The National Book Review ... extremely revealing ... will likely have an unintended yet timely and educational purpose. Reading about Rice’s daily and weekly routines, one can admire the rigorous schedule she required of herself as National Security advisor to President Obama. Both she personally and the Administration in general spent enormous hours writing, studying and reading copious reports in an attempt to make the most thoughtful decisions possible. In this description she inadvertently or intentionally shows the distinction between Obama Administration’s intense preparation behind the scenes and the seemingly \'shoot from the hip\' and extemporaneous style — to put it generously — of the present administration.
Robert Wilson
Positive The National Book Review In this immensely readable biography, Robert Wilson has given us insights into the most admirable and questionable aspects of a deeply complicated man ... The author does an excellent job of describing how Barnum used all his skills to attract millions, including presidents and royalty, to his series of traveling shows ... Wilson describes with fascinating detail in successive chapters Barnum’s great \'finds\'.
Patrick Radden Keefe
Rave The National Book Review ... Keefe has woven a fascinatingly true story out of seemingly disparate threads ... These separate but related sagas entwine themselves into a rich tapestry of violence, tragedy, attempted redemption and memory that tells us ultimately much more than any single story could possibly explain. Keefe has given us a murder mystery inextricably tied to the bigger picture of the history of the IRA but most specifically centering on the so-called \'Troubles\'.
Bob Woodward
Rave The National Book Review \"Woodward, in this long-awaited book, does not surprise us with many heretofore unknown events... he puts the great mass of facts and anecdotes we have by now all accumulated about Trump in perspective and adds depth and meaning... Fear covers ground that others have gone over, but adds the sort of detail and perspective that only Woodward can.\
Beth Macy
Positive The National Book Review Luckily we have Beth Macy’s Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company That Addicted America to tell us the in-depth story of the opioid crisis in modern America ... a detailed history of the opioid crisis in America ... Macy describes in excruciating detail how Oxycontin crept into poorer communities in Appalachia as early as 1999, when mortality rates began to spike ... Macy is able to develop an intimacy with key individuals that allows her to understand and explain the heartfelt feelings of her characters.
John McCain and Mark Salter
Positive The National Book Review John McCain’s new memoir is a wistful recounting of his life since 2008 that highlights the political philosophy he nurtured even as it was becoming increasingly outdated in the party that he loves ... McCain’s book is not an act of political revenge against those he opposes, though he has some choice words for Representative Steve King of Iowa and his vehemently anti-immigration views. It is largely a paean to his life in the Senate, his friendships with fellow senators in both parties, and the ideals he has come to embody ... The Restless Wave is not likely to go down in the annals of the great political memoirs of its time, or any other, but it is has its place, and it has something to say.
Robert D. Kaplan
Rave The National Book Review These essays show both his perceptive insights and knowledge of history and geography but also the limitations of long-term global thinking within the unpredictability of historical events. What was most troublesome in a couple of essays is his tepid defense of his original support for the war in Iraq and his full-throated defense of his friend and mentor, Henry Kissinger ... His belief is that among 'the dull and practical men of business' Kissinger shines as an intellectual with a historical world view, which apparently grants him a pass in some historically bad decisions in which he was a key participant. What is ultimately clear is that Kaplan's lead essay is a thoughtful and significant piece of global thinking that hopefully is being considered by the powers that be. It is, essentially, the antithesis of the shoot-from-the-hip diplomacy that seems to be the policy du jour. You may not agree with all of Kaplan's analysis but you cannot help but admire his incredible depth and breadth of historical and geopolitical knowledge and the intriguing analysis and predictions he offers up based on them.
Mike Wallace
Rave The National Book Review Through the same meticulous research and ability to bring facts to life that he demonstrated in the first book, Wallace has written a glorious and notable sequel. Open randomly to any page, and you will be immediately drawn into the world of the early 20th Century (or the two years before) with all its vigor, optimism, energy, and struggle.
Glenn Frankel
Positive The National Book Review The story of High Noon, in Frankel’s hands, is a fascinating one. The filmmakers began with a simple story, a meager budget, and not much confidence from the studio heads. Yet they ended up with a certifiable hit — and a political imbroglio, when the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which was investigating alleged Communist activities in Hollywood and blacklisting people with suspect politics, set its sights on the film\'s mastermind … An added treat of the book is the gossipy insights it offers into the true characters of Hollywood celebrities of a bygone era.