Books
‘Before You Knew My Name’ Review: An Ambitious Story Missing Something Special
A fun read with a unique twist on a true crime-like story, this novel ultimately spreads itself too thin with an ever-growing cast of ensemble characters.
'Solito' Review: Is Empathy Enough?
As Zamora narrates the hardships he survived, the reader is left to grapple with the enormity of his situation and its apparent hopelessness.
'Gran Cocina Latina' Review: An Homage to Food in Latin Life
Presilla presents over 500 recipes that encapsulate the flavors and techniques of Latin American cuisine.
‘A Book of Days’ Review: A Peek into the Mind of Patti Smith
Photos like these offer an interesting glimpse into the way Smith thinks and interacts with the world, finding simple moments to appreciate each day.
‘It Came From the Closet’ Review: A Lyrical Tribute to Queerness and the Macabre
Replete with beautiful, memoir-style narratives, this collection of essays is well worth the read regardless of the reader’s affinity for horror or movie analysis.
Harvard Authors Spotlight: Michael Bronski
The efforts of Bronski and others to revive lost AIDS literature like Borawski’s are a crucial step forward for the queer community.
‘The Shards’ Review: Bret Easton Ellis is a Master in Paranoia
Above all else, “The Shards” is a horror novel, and it is set to scare readers in the best way possible.
“The 12th Commandment” Review: A Disappointing Dönme Mystery
"The 12th Commandment" suffers from tired character archetypes, overambitious storytelling, and long-winded pacing that makes it impossible for the book to find a place among any genre’s contemporary greats.
‘What’s for Dessert’ Review: Claire Saffitz Delivers Exquisite Recipes and Sweet Stories
Saffitz’s latest release is a valuable resource for anyone who identifies as a dessert person. She acts as a helpful, instructive guide while leaving room for flexibility, adaptation, and exploration.
‘The Light We Carry’ Review: Michelle Obama’s Diplomacy For The Soul
“The Light We Carry” is a performance worthy of a First Lady — genuine, easy, intimate, but one which keeps the reader at arm’s length, just far enough to stay real.
From Our Bookshelves: The Forest of Wool and Steel
As a pianist and lover of words, I treasure the tender, poetic prose and imagery of "The Forest of Wool and Steel;" as a Harvard student, I value its remedial guidance for how to maneuver through some of Harvard’s greatest challenges.
‘Stay True’ Review: A Paean to Friendship’s Afterlives
At once a eulogy and a bildungsroman, a homage and a work of autotheory, "Stay True" is a layered form of searching.
‘Dot’ Review: An Ode to the Everyday
Though the work is comforting, it’s an ode, not a lullaby — this read is a page turner.
‘Liberation Day’ Review: An Exploration of Unconditional Humanity
Saunders crafts an emotional and enlightening journey through the nine short stories in “Liberation Day” with a restrained and imaginative writing style, peppered with humor and wit.
‘Ten Planets’ Review: A Philosophical Exercise of Cosmic Proportions
“Ten Planets” is neither warning nor prophecy — it is a compelling contemplation on the human capacity to find beauty in even the most dystopian settings, as well as its tendency to create instruments of oppression.
