A review of Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, by Katherine Boo. @@@@@ (5 out of 5). Boo focuses on the experiences of two slum families, one consisting of 11 Muslim immigrants from India’s north who have built a business as garbage-brokers, the other family whose matriarch is affiliated with Shiv Sena, one of the most extreme and violent anti-Muslim political parties in India.
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A review of Incendiary, by Chris Cleave. @@@@ (4 out of 5). Incendiary is structured as an open letter to Osama bin Laden from a devastated young mother whose husband and young son have died in a massive terrorist attack on a soccer game in London. The book’s four sections cover events in the spring, when the attack occurs, and in the succeeding summer, fall, and winter of one terrible year, perhaps the worst in London’s history.
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A review of A Theory of Small Earthquakes, by Meredith Maran. @@@@@ (5 out of 5). Centers on the decades-long love affair of writer Alison Rose and Zoe, a trust-fund baby and artist given to wearing outrageous clothing and hairstyles and painting large, disturbing canvases.
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A review of The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, by Daniel Yergin. @@@@@ (5 out of 5). A survey of virtually every significant aspect of energy in today’s world, touching on every energy source, every significant energy-related technological development of recent decades, and every major location of energy resources, including a short history of each element.
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Mysteries & Thrillers Tuesday includes my latest mystery and thriller book review,
with links to other science fiction content.
Nonfiction Wednesday includes my latest nonfiction book review,
with links to other nonfiction content.
The Weekly includes summaries and links to all the previous week’s three to five book reviews, including some that don’t appear in any of the other newsletters.
Mysteries & Thrillers Tuesday includes my latest mystery and thriller book review, with links to other science fiction content.
Nonfiction Wednesday includes my latest nonfiction book review, with links to other nonfiction content.
The Weekly includes summaries and links to all the previous week’s three to five book reviews, including some that don’t appear in any of the other newsletters.