Best books of 2006: Terri Jentz hunts her attempted murderer in “Strange Piece of Paradise”

Editor’s note: Join us in celebrating the end of 2006 by revisiting some of our favorite books of the year—like Strange Piece of Paradise, which we originally reviewed in August.
Imagine that you’re a 20-year-old Yale student, celebrating the summer of 1977 by attempting to cycle across the United States with a friend. You’re one of […]

Best books of 2006: “Manhunt” stalks and surveys Lincoln’s assassin

Editor’s note: Join us in celebrating the end of 2006 by revisiting some of our favorite books of the year—like Manhunt, which we originally reviewed in September.
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln is one of the most revered and remembered events in United States history. It is murder made hallowed and ubiquitous. From your local grade […]

“Fly by Night” soars among 2006’s best books

Fly by Night is the book I’m happiest to have stumbled upon this year. I discovered the novel by chance, and it scares me that I might have missed the opportunity to revel in such an enveloping story and to marvel at such engrossing writing. Fly by Night is Oliver Twist meets The Golden Compass […]

Book review: “His Dark Materials,” by Philip Pullman

Editor’s note: It might seem drastically early to some, but our research shows that winter holiday shopping has already started. If you’d like to give a surefire reader pleaser, you can’t miss with the His Dark Materials series (which we originally reviewed in May).
Let’s see, I’ve recently reviewed something suspenseful, something mysterious, and something literary. […]

Book review: “No Country for Old Men,” by Cormac McCarthy

Editor’s note: Cormac McCarthy’s new book, The Road, was released last week. If you haven’t yet discovered his last book, No Country for Old Men, we highly recommend reading it too. This review (originally published in May) explains why we love it.
I’m sometimes a sucker for a stark, suspenseful western. Well, I mean “contemporary westerns,” […]

Book review: “Beyond Black,” by Hilary Mantel

Editor’s note: Today we’re featuring one of our most popular book reviews from our archive. Enjoy!
I first heard of Beyond Black while enjoying the Guardian’s list of author-picked best books of 2005. That’s where this year’s Man Booker Prize–winner John Banville gushed that Beyond Black author Hilary Mantel should have joined him on the […]