Recent Reviews
‘Five Noir Novels’: Darkly brilliant tales about losers
In David Goodis’s “Five Noir Novels of the 1940s & 50s,” he writes brilliantly about desperate losers in hopeless neighborhoods.
Forget the ’60s; sex started far earlier
REVIEW | Faramerz Dabhoiwala’s “The Origins of Sex” digs into history of sexual behavior and attitude.
A tale of mourning and mystery
“The Chemistry of Tears” follows the construction of a mysterious mechanical bird in two centuries.
A frightening reunion with old friends
REVIEW | Emily St. John Mandel deftly weaves characters together in engrossing, elegant novel.
A manly turn of the page
If you missed life-altering tips such as ”Don’t fist-bump a stranger,” these four books can help you.
‘The Coldest Night’
The Korean War finally is being remembered for the three-year nightmare it was, and Robert Olmstead’s new novel adds another realistic layer to the conflict.
‘Don’t Cry, Tai Lake’
The poetry-loving Chief Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai police is back in “Don’t Cry, Tai Lake,” by Qiu Xiaolong.
A genteel casualty of class warfare
REVIEW | Anne Perry’s ”Dorchester Terrace” serves up a sinister plot in the style of “Downton Abbey.”
‘Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis’
Lauren F. Winner’s “Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis,” a spiritual memoir from the author of “Girl Meets God.”
Robert Sheckley’s ‘Store of the Worlds’
“Store of the Worlds,” stories by Robert Sheckley. Reviewed by Michael Dirda
‘Canada’ by Richard Ford
Richard Ford’s “Canada” is a magnificent novel about the young son of two inept bank robbers.
Three books on illegal, or not, drugs
Plunging into the muddy waters of the narcotics debate are three new books.
Recycled ‘New Republic’ shows author’s still-developing skills
Lionel Shriver’s “The New Republic” is a satire about the dangers of celebrity and bad journalism.
Thoughtful, intimate essays on America, faith and literature
Marilynne Robinson’s “When I Was a Child I Read Books” is a collection of essays about America, faith and literature.
Sunday reviews
Ron Charles
A tale of mourning and mystery
“The Chemistry of Tears” follows the construction of a mysterious mechanical bird in two centuries.
Ron Charles
‘Canada’ by Richard Ford
Richard Ford’s “Canada” is a magnificent novel about the young son of two inept bank robbers.
Ron Charles
Review: John Irving’s ‘In One Person’
The novel explores the life of a bisexual man looking for his place in the world.
Michael Dirda
Forget the ’60s; sex started far earlier
REVIEW | Faramerz Dabhoiwala’s “The Origins of Sex” digs into history of sexual behavior and attitude.
Michael Dirda
Robert Sheckley’s ‘Store of the Worlds’
“Store of the Worlds,” stories by Robert Sheckley. Reviewed by Michael Dirda
Michael Dirda
Biography of a blue-collar intellectual
“Eric Hoffer: The Longshoreman Philosopher” gives a sympathetic overview of the author of “The True Believer.”
Jonathan Yardley
’China Hand’
John Paton Davies Jr. recounts his time as a Foreign Service Office in China.
Jonathan Yardley
‘A Difficult Woman’
A friendly, if far from uncritical biography of the playwright Lillian Hellman.
Literary Calendar
Going Out Guide: Upcoming events
Get the latest on readings, signings and author appearances in the D.C. area.
Best books of 2011
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