Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




2011 National Book Critcs Circle Award Nominees


Cover art for GEORGE F. KENNAN
NONFICTION
Released: Nov. 14, 2011

"A well-rounded treatment of the life of a man who made significant contributions to his country and the world at large."
The long-awaited authorized biography of George F. Kennan (1904–2005), the creator of America's Cold War containment strategy. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE ECSTASY OF INFLUENCE
NONFICTION
Released: Nov. 8, 2011

"Inevitably a mixed bag, but with high ambitions and a strong sense of purpose."
Conceptual ambition, sense of purpose and a fan's evangelical devotion distinguish this collection from the typical novelist's gathering of nonfiction miscellany. Read full book review >
Cover art for PULPHEAD
NONFICTION
Released: Nov. 1, 2011

"Mostly impressive work from a writer who frequently causes readers to challenge their own perspectives."
Though many of the articles collected here illuminate the surfaces of popular culture, the best of them go deeper into the heart of America. Read full book review >
Cover art for IS THAT A FISH IN YOUR EAR?
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 18, 2011

"Erudite and occasionally dense, but ultimately illuminating, even transformative."
An award-winning translator describes and defends his profession. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE STRANGER'S CHILD
FICTION
Released: Oct. 14, 2011

"But yes, it matters, and such is the stuff of biography. How do we know the truth about anyone's life? Hollinghurst's carefully written, philosophically charged novel invites us to consider that question."
Lives tangle and untangle in a literate, literary mystery at the heart of World War I by Man Booker Prize winner Hollinghurst (The Line of Beauty, 2004, etc.). Read full book review >
Cover art for THE MARRIAGE PLOT
FICTION
Released: Oct. 11, 2011

"Dazzling work—Eugenides continues to show that he is one of the finest of contemporary novelists."
A stunning novel—erudite, compassionate and penetrating in its analysis of love relationships. Read full book review >