Recent Reviews
“Pure”
Andrew Miller portrays the deconstruction of an ancient cemetery in Paris. Reviewed by Ron Charles
‘Dirt’
Searing depiction of a young man’s insanity will probably be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition for most readers.
“Almost a Family”
A New York Times journalist tells the story of the last days of his father’s life, who died before his first birthday, and what happened to his family afterward.
“Cliff Walk”
Bruce DeSilva’s latest has no signs of a sophomore slump. In fact, it manages to outshine DeSilva’s first award-winning novel.
Drive-by history of ‘Grand Theft Auto’
David Kushner’s book about the video-game franchise is a fun ride, but leaves fans wanting more.
A complicated double-cross
REVIEW | War-weary characters battle bad choices in Joseph Kanon’s new spy novel “Istanbul Passage.”
‘Five Noir Novels’: Darkly brilliant tales about losers
In David Goodis’s “Five Noir Novels of the 1940s & 50s,” he writes brilliantly about desperate losers in hopeless neighborhoods.
Forget the ’60s; sex started far earlier
REVIEW | Faramerz Dabhoiwala’s “The Origins of Sex” digs into history of sexual behavior and attitude.
A tale of mourning and mystery
“The Chemistry of Tears” follows the construction of a mysterious mechanical bird in two centuries.
A frightening reunion with old friends
REVIEW | Emily St. John Mandel deftly weaves characters together in engrossing, elegant novel.
A manly turn of the page
If you missed life-altering tips such as ”Don’t fist-bump a stranger,” these four books can help you.
‘The Coldest Night’
The Korean War finally is being remembered for the three-year nightmare it was, and Robert Olmstead’s new novel adds another realistic layer to the conflict.
‘Don’t Cry, Tai Lake’
The poetry-loving Chief Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai police is back in “Don’t Cry, Tai Lake,” by Qiu Xiaolong.
Sunday reviews
Ron Charles
“Pure”
Andrew Miller portrays the deconstruction of an ancient cemetery in Paris. Reviewed by Ron Charles
Ron Charles
A tale of mourning and mystery
“The Chemistry of Tears” follows the construction of a mysterious mechanical bird in two centuries.
Ron Charles
‘Canada’ by Richard Ford
Richard Ford’s “Canada” is a magnificent novel about the young son of two inept bank robbers.
Michael Dirda
The idiosyncratic lives of Oulipians
“Many Subtle Channels: In Praise of Potential Literature,” by Daniel Levin Becker dives into the strange tricks of group obsessed with wordplay.
Michael Dirda
Forget the ’60s; sex started far earlier
REVIEW | Faramerz Dabhoiwala’s “The Origins of Sex” digs into history of sexual behavior and attitude.
Michael Dirda
Robert Sheckley’s ‘Store of the Worlds’
“Store of the Worlds,” stories by Robert Sheckley. Reviewed by Michael Dirda
Jonathan Yardley
“The Life of Slang”
Linguist Julie Coleman examines the conventions and usage of slang.
Jonathan Yardley
’China Hand’
John Paton Davies Jr. recounts his time as a Foreign Service Office in China.
Literary Calendar
Going Out Guide: Upcoming events
Get the latest on readings, signings and author appearances in the D.C. area.
Best books of 2011
Elsewhere in Entertainment
The Post Most: EntertainmentMost-viewed stories,videos, and galleries in the past two hours