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Open Letters Review

Open Letters Review

An Arts & Literature Review

Open Letters Review

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July 06, 2023

Chaotic Good by Lee Klein

July 06, 2023/ Eric Bies
Chaotic Good by Lee Klein

Lee Klein’s new novel varies between the piquant and the pedestrian.

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July 06, 2023/ Eric Bies/
Literary Fiction
Lee Klein, Chaotic Good, fiction, contemporary fiction, Eric Bies, 2023
July 05, 2023

Yellowface by RF Kuang and The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

July 05, 2023/ Tom LeClair
Yellowface by RF Kuang and The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

A pair of much-discussed and much-reviewed new American novels.

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July 05, 2023/ Tom LeClair/
Literary Fiction
Yellowface, RF Kuang, The Late Americans, Brandon Taylor, fiction, contemporary fiction, Tom LeClair, 2023
June 23, 2023

Palatine by Peter Stothard

June 23, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
Palatine by Peter Stothard

A mesmerizing look at the Roman emperor Vitellius and the tumultuous times that produced him.

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June 23, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
History
Palatine, Peter Stothard, Aulus Vitellius, Vitellii, ancient Rome, Roman history, Roman emperors, the twelve Caesars, Steve Donoghue, 2023
June 22, 2023

What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman

June 22, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman

The author of “The Genius of Birds” turns her attention to some of the most iconic of all birds.

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June 22, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Animals & Nature
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Bird, nature, natural history, owls, birds, Jennifer Ackerman, Steve Donoghue, 2023
June 20, 2023

Chain-Gang All-Stars

June 20, 2023/ Tom LeClair
Chain-Gang All-Stars

A review of Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s new dystopian novel.

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June 20, 2023/ Tom LeClair/
Literary Fiction
Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, fiction, contemporary fiction, Tom LeClair, 2023
June 19, 2023

Goodbye, Eastern Europe by Jacob Mikanowski

June 19, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
Goodbye, Eastern Europe by Jacob Mikanowski

A strange and compelling new look at the mosaic of Eastern European history.

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June 19, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Literary Criticism, History
Jacob Mikanowski, Goodbye, Goodbye Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, European history, history, Steve Donoghue, 2023
June 14, 2023

Orwell: The New Life by DJ Taylor

June 14, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
Orwell: The New Life by DJ Taylor

DJ Taylor’s new elaboration on his much-praised life of George Orwell.

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June 14, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Biography/Memoir
Orwell: The New Life, George Orwell, DJ Taylor, biography, literary biography, Steve Donoghue, 2023
June 13, 2023

Trust by Hernan Diaz

June 13, 2023/ Tom LeClair
Trust by Hernan Diaz

A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel plays games with narrative reliability.

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June 13, 2023/ Tom LeClair/
Historical Fiction
Trust, Hernan Diaz, fiction, contemporary fiction, Tom LeClair, 2022
June 13, 2023

The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Carolyne Larrington

June 13, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Carolyne Larrington

A lively new look at how Norse mythology pervades modern culture.

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June 13, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Myths & Legends
The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think, Carolyne Larrington, norse mythology, mythology, Steve Donoghue, 2023
June 06, 2023

Be Mine by Richard Ford

June 06, 2023/ Tom LeClair
Be Mine by Richard Ford

A review of Richard Ford’s new Frank Bascombe novel.

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June 06, 2023/ Tom LeClair/
Literary Fiction
Be Mine, Richard Ford, fiction, contemporary fiction, Tom LeClair, 2023
May 30, 2023

The Middle Kingdoms by Martyn Rady

May 30, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
The Middle Kingdoms by Martyn Rady

A lively history of Central Europe.

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May 30, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
History
Martyn Rady, The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe, European history, History, Steve Donoghue, 2023
May 29, 2023

Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway

May 29, 2023/ Lukas Killgore
Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway

Strange superbeings populate Nick Harkaway’s new novel.

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May 29, 2023/ Lukas Killgore/
Fiction-Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fiction-Mystery/Suspense
Nick Harkaway, science fiction, mystery fiction, 2023
May 27, 2023

The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism by Martin Wolf

May 27, 2023/ David Murphy
The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism by Martin Wolf

An experienced economic commentator takes America’s financial temperature.

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May 27, 2023/ David Murphy/
Politics & Economics
The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, David Murphy, economics, 2023
May 24, 2023

Close to Home by Michael Magee

May 24, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
Close to Home by Michael Magee

A debut novel in which a young man tries to escape his past.

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May 24, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Fiction-Debut, Literary Fiction
Close to Home, Michael Magee, contemporary fiction, debut novel, Irish literature, Steve Donoghue, 2023
May 23, 2023

Ramesses the Great by Toby Wilkinson

May 23, 2023/ James Holder
Ramesses the Great by Toby Wilkinson

A short new life of the great Egyptian pharaoh.

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May 23, 2023/ James Holder/
History
Ramesses the Great, Toby Wilkinson, Ancient Egypt, Egyptian history, James Holder, 2023
May 22, 2023

The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir

May 22, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir

A prolific historian and novelist turns her attention to King Henry VIII.

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May 22, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
History
The King's Pleasure, Alison Weir, fiction, historical fiction, Tudor fiction, Steve Donoghue, 2023
May 21, 2023

How Not To Kill Yourself by Clancy Martin

May 21, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
How Not To Kill Yourself by Clancy Martin

A brutally personal look at suicide and alcoholism.

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May 21, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Biography/Memoir
How Not To Kill Yourself, Clancy Martin, suicide, alcoholism, autobiography, Steve Donoghue, 2023
May 20, 2023

Journeys of the Mind by Peter Brown

May 20, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
Journeys of the Mind by Peter Brown

The remarkable autobiography of a great historian.

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May 20, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
Biography/Memoir
Peter Brown, memoir, Steve Donoghue, 2023
May 19, 2023

American Breakdown by Jennifer Lunden

May 19, 2023/ Rey Katz
American Breakdown by Jennifer Lunden

The author’s struggle with chronic illness prompts her to search for examples buried in history.

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May 19, 2023/ Rey Katz/
Biography/Memoir
American Breakdown, Jennifer Lunden, memoir, American history, chronic illness, Rey Katz, 2023
May 11, 2023

Land of War by William Nester

May 11, 2023/ Steve Donoghue
Land of War by William Nester

A new history covers thousands of years of European history.

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May 11, 2023/ Steve Donoghue/
History
William Nester, Land of War, European history, military history, Steve Donoghue, 2023
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Editors:

Steve Donoghue
Sam Sacks
Britta Böhler
____________________

Eric Karl Anderson
Olive Fellows
Jack Hanson
Jennifer Helinek
Justin Hickey
Hannah Joyner
Zach Rabiroff
Jessica Tvordi

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