Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor by Christine Kuehn (Celadon Books). Reviewed by David A. Taylor. “In Family of Spies, Kuehn patiently uncovers the tale that her aunt tried to scare her away from pursuing. The author probes her father as his memory starts to fade. She finds documents and old press clippings, reconnects with relatives she never knew, and finally gets an FBI file that fills in gaps. From the author’s German grandparents’ exile from Berlin’s inner circle and journey to Oahu in the 1930s, the narrative builds like a typhoon, strengthening slowly and unleashing the shock that brings the United States into World War II on Dec. 7, 1941.”

The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America by Jeffrey Rosen (Simon & Schuster). Reviewed by Jennifer Bort Yacovissi. “I found myself wondering: Would they have pulled so hard in opposite directions if each hadn’t seen the other as obdurate? Did they reinforce in each other the commitment to extreme positions? (I also imagined the eye-rolling frustration of George Washington as each man ran to him to tattle on or complain about the other; they were both unhelpfully thin-skinned.) The number of times just in the first 20 or 30 years that one side or the other threatened to take their ball and go home — to secede from or nullify the union — underscores how deeply into our foundations these divisions run.”

The Dream Factory: London’s First Playhouse and the Making of William Shakespeare by Daniel Swift (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). Reviewed by Bob Duffy. “At its core, The Dream Factory tells the story of the 1576 construction and subsequent operation of the first professional theater in England. The driver of this development: a quirky creative entrepreneur, “notorious brawler,” and former actor named James Burbage, who christened his dream project, rather prosaically, the Theatre. But beyond this compelling, rough-and-tumble protagonist, there’s a good deal more to the story here.”

Dragon and Chameleon 5 by Ryo Ishiyama (Square Enix Manga). Reviewed by William Schwartz. “Dragon and Chameleon has distinguished itself by offering an exceptional look into the technical and aesthetic workings of Japanese manga production, with the pseudo-Miyama’s gaze providing an encouraging, optimistic presence to low-tier authors, unappreciated assistants, and even the true Miyama, who’s quite uninterested in returning to his real body.”

Man, F*ck This House (And Other Disasters) by Brian Asman (Blackstone Publishing). Reviewed by Mariko Hewer. “The most effective horror stories often feature external threats (zombies, aliens, serial killers) as well as internal challenges (broken relationships, personal tragedies, unresolved traumas). In Man, F*ck This House (And Other Disasters), Brian Asman employs both, with limited success.”

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