A recap of the books we’ve spotlighted in the past few days.
How to Dodge a Cannonball
By Dennard Dayle
This rollicking bildungsroman unfolds amid the Civil War.
A look at what’s steaming up the shelves this month.
After the Fall: From the End of History to the Crisis of Democracy, How Politicians Broke Our World
By Ian Shapiro
An astute, sobering assessment of lawmakers’ blundering.
Passion & Presence
By Jupiter Berrysmith
Reflections on the Capital Love LitFest.
Do What You Fear Most: The History of the Velvet Underground
By Richie Unterberger
An illuminating account of the band that made Lou Reed famous.
The Big Easy looms large in James Lee Burke’s entertaining Dave Robicheaux series.
Pure Men: A Novel
By Mohamed Mbougar Sarr; translated by Lara Vergnaud
A Senegalese professor confronts his country’s homophobia.
An Interview with Laura Zigman
By Mary Kay Zuravleff
In her new book, the author turns a gimlet eye toward the publishing industry.
What They Stole: A Familicide Rooted in Intercountry Adoption
By Paige Towers
A brutal crime reveals the rot inside the Holt adoption agency.
Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors
Edited by Desiree Cooper
An expansive exploration of summertime Detroit.
