The University Bookman

Reviewing Books that Build Culture

Join friends of the Bookman in New York City on December 8, 2025 for the Gerald Russello Memorial Lecture.

William F. Buckley Jr.: Literary Figure

“…the American public intellectual might best be appreciated as a literary figure. Producing about 350,000 words for publication yearly at the peak of his career, Buckley was never at a loss for what to say or how to say it.”

Defending the Christian Faith

“In 100 Tough Questions For Catholics: Common Obstacles To Faith Today… David G. Bonagura, Jr. gives bite-sized answers to dozens of big questions about the faith.”

Natural Law and the Need for Moral Clarity

“Christians need clarity on the way their faith shapes their political activity. This ambiguous book fails to provide that clarity.”

Moral Realism Over and Against Contingent Pluralism

“The challenge for… all natural law theorists is the proper ordering and integration of the contingencies of a given culture and the universality of the primary precepts of natural law.”

History on Improper Principles

“The condescending attitude—even animus—behind this book is, in fact, among the reasons Trump came to power in the first place. Voters, clearly sick of being sneered at by elites like Lichtman and his colleagues in the established commentariat, have turned to populism as an outlet for their frustrations.”

Choosing a Currency

by David Weinberger | Jul 30, 2023

“…White succeeds in presenting the complexity of money and its purpose in a way that is both informative and friendly to the general reader.”

“To Help Man Endure by Lifting His Heart”: Earl Hamner at 100

by James E. Person Jr | Jul 23, 2023

“Through his work, Earl Hamner not only became one of America’s favorite storytellers; he also became a conservator of the truth that though the modern world disdains the past and elevates immediacy, wealth, and power, the true measure of life’s meaning lies in love, grace, gentleness, forgiveness, and joy.”

The Women of the Bible Speak Again

by Annmarie McLaughlin | Jul 23, 2023

“…[Bream] once again delivers lively retellings of selected biblical tales—some more familiar than others—as well as spiritual insights that are both relevant and profound.”

Inside the Split Mind of George Kennan

by Chuck Chalberg | Jul 23, 2023

“It is [Costigliola’s] contention that the American militarization of the Cold War was a mistake for which he holds Kennan significantly, but far from exclusively, responsible.”

Real Natural Law

by William H. Rooney | Jul 16, 2023

“The existence of God and his providential governance of the universe are the right subjects for public debate over the basis and content of natural law.”

Knights On a Darkling Plain

by Kevin P. Shields | Jul 16, 2023

“Kirk’s reminder speaks to the selflessness of those who defend the ‘permanent things’ and the importance of these things (family, community, faith, and tradition) to our world.”

Mysteries Require Odes, Not Emails

by David G. Bonagura, Jr. | Jul 9, 2023

“In this volume Christian verse encompasses religious themes addressed ‘explicitly or implicitly’ by poets, whether practicing or lapsed, ‘whose imagination is shaped by the tenets, symbols, and traditions of the faith.’