Editor’s Choice
The Confession, by John Grisham, $28.95.
“The Confession” is the kind of grab-a-reader-by-the-shoulders suspense story that demands to be inhaled as quickly as possible. But it’s also a superb work of social criticism in the literary troublemaker tradition of Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle.” The Washington Post
FICTION
Eighteen Acres, by Nicolle Wallace, $25.
To say that Nicolle Wallace’s “Eighteen Acres” is one of the best novels about life in the White House may be faint praise — there haven’t been many good ones — but her book is both an enjoyable read and a serious look at what high-level political pressures do to people. The Washington Post
Hell’s Corner, by David Baldacci, $27.99.
Hell hath no fury like a retired CIA assassin in pursuit of a terrorist. Camel Club fans and thriller aficionados will rejoice at having a new action-packed, conspiracy-laden, politically intriguing mystery to solve. Library Journal
NONFICTION
FAB: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney, by Howard Sounes, $29.95.
Biographer Sounes conducted hundreds of new interviews and utilized various published sources to tackle perhaps the most commercially successful musician of the rock era. Because the focus is on McCartney’s life, there is relatively little analysis of his songs and albums. Library Journal
Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage, by Hazel Rowley, $27.
“In my view, the Roosevelts’ bond was political in every sense of the word,” writes Rowley, who also argues that despite the difficulties in their marriage, Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt always genuinely loved each other. And the difficulties in the marriage were many. Publishers Weekly
Pat Conroy: My Reading Life, by Pat Conroy, $25.
The strengths and weaknesses of Conroy’s novels — both his beguiling narrative voice and his often overly emotional language — are present in this slim paean to the books and book people that have shaped his life. Publishers Weekly
PAPERBACKS
Interesting Times: Writings From a Turbulent Decade, by George Packer, $16.
Packer creates an illuminating time capsule for a decade bookended by the Sept. 11 attacks and Barack Obama’s rise to the presidency. Comprising previously published pieces, the book spotlights the biggest news — and blunders — in recent history, as well as Packer’s ability to ferret out important stories. Publishers Weekly
Wishin’ and Hopin’, by Wally Lamb, $13.99
Narrator Felix Funicello calls “Wishin’ and Hopin'” his “act of contrition” for schoolboy transgressions. But in the hands of Wally Lamb, what emerges isn’t an apology but a celebration of life — flawed, goofy, wonderful life. Felix makes a hilarious guide through a story that whirs right along. The Washington Post
1492: The Year the World Began, by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, $14.99.
Surveying the planet entire in 1492, Fernández-Armesto selects a regional event (frequently the death of a ruler) and elaborates its significance in the redirection of history’s flow from a humanity sundered into separate civilizations on several continents, toward a humanity somehow sutured together. Booklist
COMING UP
Fadeaway Girl, by Martha Grimes, $26.95.
Grimes’ young heroine, Emma Graham, returns for a sequel to the author’s popular “Belle Ruin.” (February)
