Rutten Book Reviews: An Archive of Past Reviews
- 1
The satirist’s memoir of his parents, William F. and Patricia Taylor, lacks the characteristic candor and engagement found in his other works.
May 6, 2009
- 2
A debut novelist successfully imagines what might have happened had Sherlock Holmes hunted for the serial murderer known as Jack the Ripper.
April 29, 2009
- 3
Previous uncollected stories and essays drawn mostly from his papers and correspondence show why he is so beloved.
April 22, 2009
- 4
The Dutch writer offers deep, intriguing meditations on place and history drawing from his travels over 40 years.
April 8, 2009
- 5
This captivating study of secret British intelligence over the last century draws its power from rich anecdotes and interviews.
March 25, 2009
- 6
Correspondence reveals the famed playwright’s profound seriousness of purpose.
March 18, 2009
- 7
‘The Siege’ is a compelling account of a 15th century attack by the Ottomans in Albania.
Feb. 18, 2009
- 8
An explosive, revealing account of the U.S. military in Iraq under Gen. Petraeus and the efforts to develop a better strategy there.
Feb. 10, 2009
- 9
A rising star of Belgian literature goes gothic in a novel of science pushed too far.
Feb. 4, 2009
- 10
An in-depth and readable history of U.S. relations in the Middle East.
Jan. 28, 2009
- 11
When belief in God is gone, there are still plenty of sacred things to desecrate, as the author’s hypnotic new novel suggests.
Jan. 14, 2009
- 12
The charges of corruption the author levels at the Bush family are extraordinary and sensational--but are they believable? Our reviewer wonders.
Jan. 7, 2009
- 13
The new biography does justice to one of the English language’s towering intellects.
Dec. 20, 2008
- 14
A final miscellany from the late chronicler of American life.
Nov. 12, 2008
- 15
The French philosopher and activist gets on his soapbox about the United States, Israel, Islam, the left and the right.
Oct. 8, 2008
- 16
An account of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that deserves a place in humanity’s long tradition of war reportage.
Oct. 1, 2008
- 17
ONE OF THE ways to recognize truly great writers is that even their mistakes engage us.
Sept. 16, 2008
- 18
In the fourth book in Woodward’s series, Bush is painted as a failed wartime chief for his handling of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sept. 10, 2008
- 19
Thirty years after the Eurasian trek he chronicled in ‘The Great Railway Bazaar,’ the author revisits his journey and finds much has changed.
Aug. 20, 2008
- 20
There aren’t enough good moments in a day in the life of dysfunctional women in a small Iowa town.
Sept. 16, 2014
- 21
A look at the Kennedy White House and the author’s lifelong romance with politics.
Sept. 16, 2014
- 22
In ‘1940,’ Jay Neugeboren examines the roots of Hitler’s hatred of Jews with a story about the family physician, who was Jewish.
Sept. 16, 2014
- 23
The subtle historian excels on 20th century European intellectuals but trips in polemics on Israel.
Sept. 16, 2014
- 24
Which handles money better? A casino or Wall Street? A look at the reckless financing and political decision-making preceding the current economic crisis.
Sept. 16, 2014
- 25
Matthew Parker’s book tells the epic story of the building of the Panama Canal.
Sept. 16, 2014
- 26
In “The Silver Swan,” John Banville’s latest foray as Benjamin Black, a pathologist’s demons mar his search for a murderer.
Sept. 16, 2014
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