A Hope Beyond Our Sight
The Fall of Gondolin by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. Hardcover, 304 pages, $30. Reviewed by Ben Reinhard The Fall of Gondolin is, appropriately enough, the story of endings: the end of the mythical kingdom, to be...
For Liberty or Tyranny?
John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court by Richard Brookhiser. Basic Books, 2018. Hardcover, 324 pages, $30. Reviewed by Addison Del Mastro Historian and biographer Richard Brookhiser offers here a moderately short, easy to read, and quite in-depth review of...
Best of Bacevich
Twilight of the American Century By Andrew J. Bacevich. University of Notre Dame Press, 2018. Paper, 469 pages, $25. Reviewed by Mark G. Brennan I read everything written by Andrew Bacevich with a maniacal obsession. His work provides a glimmer of hope for a return to...
Create Your Own Tradition?
The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley. IVP Books, 2019. Paperback, 204 pages, $18. Reviewed by Casey Chalk “There is nothing new except what has been forgotten,” observed Marie Antoinette. Many such forgotten things that...
A Great Yarn
From Fire, by Water: My Journey to the Catholic Faithby Sohrab Ahmari. Ignatius Press, 2019. Hardcover, 240 pages, $23. Reviewed by Matthew Hennessey If you’re going to write a book about your religious conversion it’d better be a great yarn. And if you’re going to...
Tension and Freedom for Catholics in Britain
The King and the Catholics: England, Ireland, and the Fight for Religious Freedom, 1780–1829 by Antonia Fraser. Nan A. Talese, 2018. Hardcover, 336 pages, $30. Reviewed by William Anthony Hay Often the most contentious political issues of one era cease being issues at...
On Fascists and Anti-Fascists in Spain
Varela: El general antifascista de Franco by Federico Martínez Roda. La Esfera de los Libros, S.L., 2012. Paperback, $41. Reviewed by Alberto M. Fernandez Fascism is in the air in Spain. Actual fascists seem hard to find but you wouldn’t know it from the political...
Catholics and America: A Question of Loyalty
The Catholic Writings of Orestes Brownson Edited by Michael P. Federici. University of Notre Dame Press, 2018. Hardcover, 452 pages, $70. Reviewed by Richard M. Reinsch II A question that most had thought long answered has returned to stir and prick the conscience of...
A Slight and Dismal Cachet
Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey by Mark Dery. Little, Brown and Company, 2018. Hardcover, 512 pages, $35. Reviewed by Eve Tushnet Many years ago I saw an obituary notice in the local gay newspaper. Above a desolate,...
Today is the 4th anniversary of @ubookman editor Gerald Russello. Please pray for him.
@KirkCenter is sponsoring its annual Russello Lecture on 12/8 at FordhamU in NYC. @JamesPanero to speak on Russell Kirk's "urbanity." More info and registration here:
