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Book Reviews: Joan Acocella and Andrea Marcolongo — Writers Who Think Fearlessly

September 19, 2024
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Joan Acocella is more than a critic. She is a thinker, writing at a time when thinkers are not valued much, when exegesis in places other than scholarly journals sometimes seems like a lost art.

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Book Review: “We Solve Murders” — A Slight Whodunit

September 19, 2024
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This novel is a fun, light read. But best-selling author Richard Osman needs to take more time to delve into his characters if he wants to equal his previous cozy mysteries.

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Television Review: FX’s “English Teacher” — Educating During the Culture Wars

September 19, 2024
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“English Teacher” is a wearier, snarkier version of “Abbott Elementary”.

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Classical Album Review: American Organ Concertos, Performed With Plenty of Swagger

September 18, 2024
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Paul Jacobs, the day’s reigning organ virtuoso, has assayed a fascinating assortment of Americana that showcases the King of Instruments against an orchestra.

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Book Review: “Prison Life: Pain, Resistance, and Purpose” — No Man Should be an Island

September 18, 2024
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What Ian O’Donnell underlines so powerfully in “Prison Life” is the necessity of positive human interaction anywhere, including among incarcerated citizens.

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Opera Album Review: Baroque Music Enlivens the Boston Music Scene and Two New French Recordings

September 17, 2024
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The Boston Early Music Festival announces its 2024-25 season, and our critic welcomes world-premiere recordings of operas by Mondonville and Destouches, splendidly sung and glitteringly played.

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Classical Album Review: “Grace” — The Music of Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas

September 17, 2024
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This album fills out Michael Tilson Thomas’s compositional catalogue, deepening our appreciation of it. More fundamentally, it adds meaningfully to the story of American concert music.

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Theater Review: “Laughs in Spanish” — The Art of the Heart

September 17, 2024
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Is it possible for an outstanding actress to achieve similar heights as a playwright? The answer is yes, but with reservations.

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Book Review: “The Wildes” — Oscar Wilde’s Family Values

September 17, 2024
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If you want to tell people the truth,” quipped Oscar Wilde, “make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.” Louis Bayard’s novel offers a compelling vision of what happened to Oscar and his family when the laughter stopped.

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Television Review: “Uglies” — Is This Dystopia Really Necessary?

September 16, 2024
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By not giving the material a refreshing 21st-century update, the film version of “Uglies” is an unattractive antique.

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