An eclectic round-up of the favorite books of the year from our critics.
Preston Gralla
Book Review: Mr. Wilder, Are You Ready for Your Closeup?
A funny, bittersweet novel by British writer Jonathan Coe portrays the great American film director Billy Wilder on the downside of his career
Book Review: “Shmutz: A Novel” — Hasidim in Heat
A young Hasidic woman addicted to Internet porn? Oy vey, who knew?
Book Review: A Well-Written Biography of Stewart Brand — The Man Who Popularized Planetary Consciousness
Stewart Brand’s greatest achievement, by far, was the simple act of putting the photograph of the earth as seen from space on the Whole Earth Catalog’s cover.
Book Review: Looking Back, Fondly, on “The Modem World”
This is a great book for anyone who wants to understand the early days of online communications.
Arts Feature: Recommended Books, 2021
An eclectic round-up of the favorite books of the year from our critics, including some disappointments.