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Our Week in Reviews: 5/23/26

A recap of the books we’ve spotlighted in the past few days.

    A Different Russia

    Book Review

    A Different Russia

    By Marvin Kalb

    The former foreign correspondent recalls his memorable years in the USSR.

    Crucible: A Novel

    Book Review

    Crucible: A Novel

    By John Sayles

    This curiously inert story might’ve worked better as nonfiction.

    Poetry Review

    On Poetry: May 2026

    New collections to make life more lyrical.

    Book Review

    This Dark Night: Emily Brontë, A Life

    The novelist’s work was as brooding as her surroundings.

    Book Review

    The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow: A Novel

    Could a witch’s gift transform a dying Appalachian village?

    Podcast

    Podcast: Bret Baier

    An occasional series in which writers speak for themselves.

    Essay

    Going Rogue

    By Bill Gormley

    Going Rogue

    Why do so many of today’s fictional detectives embrace the dark side?

    Book Review

    Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs

    A richly researched history of the dubious mystic.

    Children’s Books

    Children’s Book Roundup: May 2026

    Big new titles perfect for the littles.

    Book Review

    Small Town Girls: a writer’s memoir

    By Jayne Anne Phillips

    Small Town Girls: a writer’s memoir

    An exquisite rendering of an author’s coming-of-age.