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Books Reviews 1,003 results
The Devil's Backbone
Bill Wittliff's debut novel is a picaresque tale with a "Lucky Heart"
Reviewed by Joe O'Connell, Arts, Dec. 4, 2014
Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life
This meticulous biography paints a stunning portrait of the late-blooming English author
Reviewed by Melanie Haupt, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
Joan of Arc: A Life Transfigured
Kathryn Harrison's look at Joan of Arc and her cultural legacy seeks to redefine this heroine for a new generation
Reviewed by Anne Harris, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
Elsa Schiaparelli: A Biography
Fashion takes a backseat in this biography of the storied designer, but it's an illuminating ride anyway
Reviewed by Brandon Watson, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story
Barbara Leaming's new biography makes the case that Jackie O suffered from PTSD
Reviewed by Amy Smith, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
The Secret History of Wonder Woman
The origins of America's favorite Amazon are recounted with witty prose and superheroic scholarship
Reviewed by Rosalind Faires, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace
Anne Lamott's collection of essays offer prime examples of her crystalline insights and wicked wit
Reviewed by Virginia B. Wood, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
PRO: Reclaiming Abortion Rights and The Birth of the Pill
Jonathan Eig's breezy history of the Pill is engaging, but Katha Pollitt's argument for abortion rights is indispensible
Reviewed by Michael King, Arts, Nov. 26, 2014
Carsick
Reviewed by Tim Stegall, Arts, Nov. 6, 2014
The Flatlanders: Now It's Now Again
West Texas Beatles finally have their tale told
Reviewed by Jim Caligiuri, Music, Oct. 23, 2014
2am at the Cat's Pajamas
Jazz in the life and night of a 9-year-old
Reviewed by Neph Basedow, Music, Oct. 23, 2014
I Love You Too
Reggae scion’s call and response
Reviewed by Raoul Hernandez, Music, Oct. 23, 2014
Perfidia
The first book in this new L.A. Quartet shows new depth, scope, and craftsmanship in James Ellroy's canon
Reviewed by Tim Stegall, Arts, Oct. 23, 2014
The Zone of Interest
Martin Amis revisits the Holocaust in this new novel, which is eloquent and yet lacks depth
Reviewed by Amy Kamp, Arts, Oct. 23, 2014
Love Me Back
Merritt's Tierce's novel isn't for the faint of heart, but it tells of a young woman's survival with boldness and power
Reviewed by Jessi Cape, Arts, Oct. 23, 2014
Love Is the Drug
It's a rare YA novel that combines entertainment and social commentary this gracefully
Reviewed by Amy Kamp, Arts, Oct. 16, 2014
The Truth About Alice
This tale of slut-shaming in a tiny Texas town is entertaining, but doesn't leave a lasting impact
Reviewed by Amy Kamp, Arts, Oct. 16, 2014
Wolf in White Van
Indie folksinger unwinds another fiction of tragic backstory.
Reviewed by Anna Toon, Music, Sep. 25, 2014
Failure and I Bury the Body
Raking up some of the season's poetry collections
Reviewed by Jonelle Seitz, Arts, Sep. 18, 2014
99 Poems for the 99 Percent
Reviewed by Jonelle Seitz, Arts, Sep. 18, 2014
Backmasking
Harold Whit Williams
Reviewed by Greg Beets, Arts, Sep. 18, 2014
Instant Winner
Carrie Fountain
Reviewed by Robert Faires, Arts, Sep. 18, 2014
I Wear the Black Hat
Klosterman's critique of villainy over the last 40 years offers some surprisingly sharp analyses
Reviewed by Tim Stegall, Arts, Aug. 14, 2014
The Other Side
Memoir by Houston writer Lacy Johnson recounts a personal trauma with honesty and haunting beauty
Reviewed by Jessi Cape, Arts, Jul. 24, 2014
Let Me See It
A collection of elegantly wrought stories that follow two cousins, both gay, coming of age during the 1980s AIDS crisis
Reviewed by Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, Arts, Jul. 10, 2014
Phantom Instinct
Meg Gardiner reignites our love for suspense novels in this murder mystery with plenty of plot twists and pacing that propels
Reviewed by Jessi Cape, Arts, Jul. 3, 2014
Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker
This biography of the gambling, murdering Binion captures his wild character without trying to make him likable
Reviewed by Jesse Sublett, Arts, Jul. 3, 2014
Getting Life: An Innocent Man's 25-Year Journey From Prison to Peace
Michael Morton's firsthand account of his unjust conviction and hard-won exoneration is both insightful and infuriating
Reviewed by Jesse Sublett, Arts, Jul. 3, 2014
Inside Man
Jeff Abbott balances espionage and bartending tips in this tightly controlled roller coaster of a thriller
Reviewed by Wayne Alan Brenner, Arts, Jul. 3, 2014
South, America
Rod Davis' New Orleans noir steeps the reader in Southern atmosphere, history, and violence
Reviewed by Michael King, Arts, Jul. 3, 2014
The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas
A stranger-than-fiction tale of forgiveness for an act of prejudicial violence in the wake of 9/11
Reviewed by Amy Kamp, Arts, Jul. 3, 2014
Cactus Burning: Austin, Texas and the Battle for the Iconic Cactus Cafe
A nasty business in toto
Reviewed by Kevin Curtin, Music, May. 29, 2014
The Jesus Lizard Book
Zeppelinesque hammer of the gods
Reviewed by Raoul Hernandez, Music, May. 29, 2014
Shakespeare's Songbook
Singing Shakespeare tunes around the campfire
Reviewed by Graham Reynolds, Music, May. 29, 2014
Please Be With Me: A Song for My Father, Duane
Duane's only daughter digs deep
Reviewed by Jim Caligiuri, Music, May. 29, 2014
One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band
The whole epic saga between two covers
Reviewed by Doug Freeman, Music, May. 29, 2014
Kentucky Traveler: My Life in Music
Kentucky picker demures
Reviewed by Doug Freeman, Music, May. 29, 2014
Merle Haggard: The Running Kind
Okie from Muskogee still waiting for his alt.country crosser
Reviewed by Jay Trachtenberg, Music, May. 29, 2014
I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like: Mostly True Tall Tales
All too true tales of the music business
Reviewed by Greg Beets, Music, May. 29, 2014
Overweight Sensation: The Life and Comedy of Allan Sherman
Hello muddah, hello fadduh
