Carrie Callaghan lives, reads, and writes in Maryland with her husband, two children, and two floppy cats. Her short fiction has appeared in the Silk Road Review, Floodwall, the MacGuffin, the Northern Virginia Review, and elsewhere. She's the senior assignments editor for @wirobooks. Twitter at @carriecallaghan.
85 entries by Carrie Callaghan
Mutual Interest: A Novel
By Olivia Wolfgang-Smith
An apparent story of manners digs much deeper, hitting philosophical bedrock.
Tomorrow Perhaps the Future
By Sarah Watling
An outstanding exploration of artists as witnesses.
Whale Fall: A Novel
By Elizabeth O’Connor
A restrained, beautiful story of an island nearly smothered by isolation.
Flight of the Wild Swan: A Novel
By Melissa Pritchard
Before she became a metaphor, Florence Nightingale was a woman.
Blurb Your Enthusiasm
By Louise Willder
A congenial consideration of the words that lure us inside the covers.
…one we shouldn’t keep our kids from taking.
An outstanding exploration of artists as witnesses.
Loot: A Novel
By Tania James
A delightful romp of a tale, with ideas big enough to sink a tiger’s teeth into.
Take My Hand
By Dolen Perkins-Valdez
A compelling, fictional look at the sordid history of reproductive politics.
Conquistadores
By Fernando Cervantes
This detail-heavy work is impressive but short on new insights.
Night Wherever We Go: A Novel
By Tracey Rose Peyton
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Enslaved women reclaim their agency in this magnificent tale.
Blurb Your Enthusiasm: An A-Z of Literary Persuasion
By Louise Willder
A congenial consideration of the words that lure us inside the covers.
Her talent, her kindness, and our loss.
Take My Hand: A Novel
By Dolen Perkins-Valdez
A compelling, fictional look at the sordid history of reproductive politics.
Conquistadores: A New History of Spanish Discovery and Conquest
By Fernando Cervantes
This detail-heavy work is impressive but short on new insights.
The Peculiarities
By David Liss
Inexplicable change — welcome or otherwise — comes to 1900s England.
Pale
By Edward A. Farmer
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The lingering shadow of the Old South hangs over this masterful contemporary tale.
Revelations: A Novel
By Mary Sharratt
A 15th-century wife embarks on a revolutionary pilgrimage.
Klara and the Sun: A Novel
By Kazuo Ishiguro
Though opaque in places, this moving tale eventually lets in the light.
Dressed for a Dance in the Snow
By Monika Zgustova; translated by Julie Jones
Aching depths of purpose and meaning are explored in these conversations with female gulagniks.
Pale: A Novel
By Edward A. Farmer
The lingering shadow of the Old South hangs over this masterful contemporary tale.
The author talks Hawaii, World War II, and the otherworldly enchantment of Volcanoes National Park.
In history, it’s always five o’clock somewhere.
A new literary community blossoms on Twitter.
Children and adults alike will enjoy these charming, escapist reads.
Dressed for a Dance in the Snow: Women’s Voices from the Gulag
By Monika Zgustova; translated by Julie Jones
Aching depths of purpose and meaning are explored in these conversations with female gulagniks.
House of Stone
By Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
Traumatic stories and secrets from Zimbabwe’s birth fill this historical novel.
Even the least pugnacious can help in the fight for a better world.
The Sea Queen
By Linnea Hartsuyker
This fantastic story of 9th-century Scandinavia will sink its grappling hooks deep into your heart.
How a dedicated, inspired group of people made a festival happen
The poet talks calazazas, the musicality of language, and ensuring that nothing gets lost in translation.
Panel-wrangling in the age of extremes
The novelist talks Castro, family ties, and political intrigue in 1950s Cuba.
Meet the unsung heroes of literary magazines.
A daisy chain of kindness leads to some unexpected places.
House of Stone: A Novel
By Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
Traumatic stories and secrets from Zimbabwe’s birth fill this historical novel.
Positive resolutions are about more than just feeling good.
Honor the light we create together with this bookish gift list.
Hannibal’s Oath
By John Prevas
An accessible account of the legendary general determined to topple a republic.
A poet pays tribute to his mentor by inviting others to join him in honoring her work.
The Sea Queen: A Novel
By Linnea Hartsuyker
This fantastic story of 9th-century Scandinavia will sink its grappling hooks deep into your heart.
When writers have to ask for praise.
The Half-Drowned King
By Linnea Hartsuyker
A rollicking tale of monarchs, murder, and mayhem in long-ago Norway.
On sifting fact from fiction with Bonnie and Clyde.
Twenty-five years ago, a dancer found her passion — in children’s books.
Midnight Blue: A Novel
By Simone van der Vlugt; translated by Jenny Watson
This transportive tale immerses readers in the arts scene of 17th-century Holland.
A closer look at the people who volunteer to bring writers together.
A survivor organizes writers and words to overcome sexual assault.
Imprisoned bodies don't mean restricted minds.
Tangerine: A Novel
By Christine Mangan
In 1950s Morocco, estranged college friends attempt to salve old wounds.
The first in a new column about how people use the written word to spread kindness, starting with an exciting writing contest for teens.
Mr. Iyer Goes to War: a Novel
By Ryan Lobo
This splendid novel set in modern-day India tips its hat to a tilting-at-windmills classic.
A handy guide to use when story-shopping for the kidlets!
Hannibal’s Oath: The Life and Wars of Rome’s Greatest Enemy
By John Prevas
An accessible account of the legendary general determined to topple a republic.
The Half-Drowned King: A Novel
By Linnea Hartsuyker
A rollicking tale of monarchs, murder, and mayhem in long-ago Norway.
A peek inside one of the most exciting writing contests around.
This cerebral magazine is both microscope and telescope
A leading literary magazine offers delight, nourishment, and provocation.
The Women in the Castle: A Novel
By Jessica Shattuck
Three German widows and their children try to navigate post-World War II reconstruction in this brave tale.
Mr Iyer Goes to War
By Ryan Lobo
This splendid novel set in modern-day India tips its hat to a tilting-at-windmills classic.
Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction
By Benjamin Percy
A heart-pounding volume on the art of suspenseful storytelling.
A new book and exhibit at the National Gallery of Art delve into the Louvre’s history to explore just how tastes get made.
The author discusses Gilded Age society, family loyalty, and the enduring power of art
The Restaurant Critic’s Wife: A Novel
By Elizabeth LaBan
What happens when your spouse’s need to go incognito makes you invisible, too?
Twain & Stanley Enter Paradise: A Novel
By Oscar Hijuelos
A meditative novel of friendship, sympathy, and the nature of salvation.
These play-tested titles are all ready for reading and snuggle time.
The author discusses the Old West, male bonding, and the enduring power of adventure tales.
The Exchange of Princesses: A Novel
By Chantal Thomas; translated by John Cullen
Two child-marriages are arranged in order to consolidate kingdoms, but at what cost to the pawn-like youngsters involved?
Half a dozen can't-miss titles landing this summer.
Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral
By Mary Doria Russell
Death comes to gritty life in a fictionalized history of one of the most notorious events in the Old West.
The cabaret-punk diva shares the story of her evolution into a mistress of requesting.
Kill My Mother
By Jules Feiffer
Expressive art and storytelling (not to mention several tall, mysterious women) highlight this noir graphic novel.
The Bone Clocks: A Novel
By David Mitchell
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A teenage runaway is drawn into a mysterious contest between good and evil in this labyrinthine tale.
Midnight in Europe: A Novel
By Alan Furst
A lawyer turns arms dealer for the Spanish Republic as fascism gains power in 1930s Europe.
What Is Visible: A Novel
By Kimberly Elkins
Half a century before Helen Keller, Laura Bridgman earned fame and renown – though what she really wanted was love.
Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C.
By Garrett Peck
A chatty account of Washington’s storied beers and brewmasters.
It's springtime in DC (finally!), and the change of seasons has us thinking about weather. For those who prefer to read about catastrophic weather rather than experience it, here are a few novels where atmospheric disturbances are characters in their own right.
Children of Paradise: A Novel
By Fred D’Aguiar
A moving and dramatic imagining of the Jonestown tragedy
The Man Who Walked Away: A Novel
By Maud Casey
A 19th-century Frenchman flees himself in this intelligent, superb tale.
Loved the movie? Then you'll probably enjoy these six titles, each of which has something in common with the cult classic.
The Maid’s Version
Daniel Woodrell
After a mysterious fire leaves 42 people dead, one woman's suspicions, memories and need for vengeance consume her life.
... whether you're returning, sending someone there, or just aghast at the increased traffic!
I Am Venus
Bárbara Mujica
Through the voice of an unidentified nude model, this historical novel explores the life and loves of 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velazquez.
Marriage, loss, and fairytales are at the heart of this lyrical debut.
Carrie Callaghan interviews Paul Dickson, author of the fascinating Words from the White House.