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The Philosopher, the Priest, and the Painter, A Portrait of French Philosopher Rene Descartes by Steven Nadler

On May 22, 2013, in Biographies & Memoirs, Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, by Editor

A unique combination of philosophy, biography, and art history, The Philosopher, the Priest, and the Painter investigates the remarkable individuals and circumstances behind a small portrait. Through this image–and the intersecting lives of a brilliant philosopher, a Catholic priest, and a gifted painter–Steven Nadler opens up a fascinating portal into Descartes’s life and times.

What Soldiers Do, Sex and the American GI in World War II France by Historian Mary Louise Roberts

On May 22, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, by Editor

While never denying the achievement of D-Day, or the bravery of the soldiers who took part, What Soldiers Do reminds us that history is always more useful—and more interesting—when it is most honest, and when it goes beyond the burnished beauty of nostalgia to grapple with the real lives and real mistakes of the people who lived it.

The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America, An Examination of a Nation in Crisis by George Packer

On May 20, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, Political, Social Studies, by Editor

A riveting examination of a nation in crisis, from one of the finest political journalists of our generation. In The Unwinding, George Packer, author of The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq, tells the story of the United States over the past three decades in an utterly original way, with his characteristically sharp eye for detail and gift for weaving together complex narratives.

The Roberts Court, The Struggle for the Constitution by Washington Correspondent Marcia Coyle

On May 18, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Law, Nonfiction, by Editor

Marcia Coyle’s brilliant inside account of the High Court captures four landmark decisions—concerning health care, money in elections, guns at home, and race in schools. Coyle examines how those cases began—the personalities and conflicts that catapulted them onto the national scene—and how they ultimately exposed the great divides among the justices.

The Third Coast, When Chicago Built the American Dream, A Richly Detailed History by Thomas Dyja

On May 17, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, by Editor

Though today it can seem as if all American culture comes out of New York and Los Angeles, much of what defined the nation as it grew into a superpower was produced in Chicago. In luminous prose, Chicago native Thomas Dyja re-creates the story of the city in its postwar prime and explains its profound impact on modern America.

Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing, A Chronicle by Melissa Mohr

On May 15, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, Social Studies, by Editor

Holy Sh*t tells the story of two kinds of swearing–obscenities and oaths–from ancient Rome and the Bible to today. With humor and insight, Melissa Mohr takes readers on a journey to discover how “swearing” has come to include both testifying with your hand on the Bible and calling someone a *#$&!* when they cut you off on the highway.

Algerian Chronicles, Political Footnotes by Algerian-French Novelist Albert Camus

On May 13, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, by Editor

More than fifty years after Algerian independence, Albert Camus’ Algerian Chronicles appears here in English for the first time. Published in France in 1958, the same year the Algerian War brought about the collapse of the Fourth French Republic, it is one of Camus’ most political works—an exploration of his commitments to Algeria.

The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945, Conclusion of the Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson

On May 12, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Military, Nonfiction, by Editor

The magnificent conclusion to Rick Atkinson’s acclaimed Liberation Trilogy about the Allied triumph in Europe during World War II. With the stirring final volume of this monumental trilogy, Atkinson’s accomplishment is manifest. He has produced the definitive chronicle of the war that unshackled a continent and preserved freedom in the West.

Act of Congress: How America’s Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn’t by Robert G. Kaiser

On May 11, 2013, in Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, Political, by Editor

An eye-opening account of how Congress today really works—and doesn’t—that follows the dramatic journey of the sweeping financial reform bill enacted in response to the Great Crash of 2008. Act of Congress, as entertaining as it is enlightening, is an indispensable guide to a vital piece of our political system desperately in need of reform.

A Grand Complication: The Race to Build the World’s Most Legendary Watch by Stacy Perman

On May 8, 2013, in Biographies & Memoirs, Book Reviews, History, Nonfiction, Technology, by Editor

With meticulous research, vivid historical details, and a wealth of dynamic personalities, A Grand Complication is the fascinating story of the thrilling duel between two of the most intriguing men of the early twentieth century. Above all, it is a sweeping chronicle of innovation, the desire for beauty, and the lengths people will go to possess it.