2010 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalists

by Jennifer Egan

Another ambitious change of pace from talented and visionary Egan, who reinvents the novel for the 21st century while... Full review >

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by Jonathan Franzen

If “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” (as Kris Kristofferson wrote), this book uses too many words to... Full review >

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by David Grossman & translated by Jessica Cohen

A classic, full of sharp descriptions of life in Palestine and Israel today, urgent in its insistence that peace can come... Full review >

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by Hans Keilson ; translated by Damion Searls

Longer on wisdom than either surprise or delight, this will mainly interest readers who have been captivated by Keilson’s... Full review >

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by Paul Murray

Long and impossibly involved, but also beautifully written, with much truth and not a wasted word. A superb imagining of a... Full review >

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by Barbara Demick

Meticulous reporting reveals life in a country that tries hard to keep its citizens walled in and the rest of the world out. Full review >

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by S.C. Gwynne

A welcome contribution to the history of Texas, Westward expansion and Native America. Full review >

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by Jennifer Homans

The author artfully choreographs a huge, sometimes unruly cast, producing a work of elegance, emotion and enduring... Full review >

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by Siddhartha Mukherjee

An inspiring account of a very personal battle against “the plague of our generation.” Full review >

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by Isabel Wilkerson

An impressive take on the Great Migration, and a truly auspicious debut. Full review >

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by Darin Strauss

Genuinely remorseful and heartfelt, yet strangely unremarkable. Full review >

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by Patti Smith

Riveting and exquisitely crafted. Full review >

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by Kai Bird

If one person’s story can shed light on a larger history, Bird’s memoir carries many excellent lessons. Full review >

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by David R. Dow

A book of uncompromising honesty and moral beauty. Full review >

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by Christopher Hitchens

Revealing and riveting. There's little about his brother, his two marriages or his children, but other memoirs may follow. Full review >

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by Sarah Bakewell

A bright, genial and generous introduction to the master’s methods. Full review >

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by Selina Hastings

A powerful, revealing and authoritative depiction of one the 20th century’s most notorious literary figures. Full review >

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by Yunte Huang

Multilayered, provocative and highly accessible, this will appeal to Chan fans, scholars and general readers. Full review >

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by Thomas Powers

A skillful synthesis of historical research and contested narrative, resonant with enduring loss. Full review >

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by Tom Segev

An often repetitive but powerful biography. Full review >

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by Ander Monson

An imperfect grab-bag of ruminations that reflect a likable nerdy enthusiasm. Full review >

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