Nobel laureate José Saramago (as translated by Margaret Jull Costa) moves this reviewer of THE ELEPHANT’S JOURNEY.

The Christian Science Review revisits Discovery gunman’s inspiration, MY ISHMAEL by Daniel Quinn.

The Washington Times opines on the value of Richard Dawkins THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH: THE EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION.

And here’s a look at what reviews Publishers Weekly set aside exclusively for their online readers.

“Book love… is your pass to the greatest, the purest, and the most perfect pleasure that God has prepared for His creatures.”

-Anthony Trollope

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LET’S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME: A MEMOIR OF FRIENDSHIP, by Gail Caldwell, chronicles the author’s affection for her dearest friend, writer Caroline Knapp.

Meghan McCain uncorks her opinion on DIRTY SEXY POLITICS.

The California Literary Review has great appreciation for Philip Ball’s THE MUSIC INSTINCT: HOW MUSIC WORKS AND WHY WE CAN’T DO WITHOUT IT.

The Christian Science Monitor isn’t quite ready to deify Jonathan Franzen for FREEDOM (nor for THE CORRECTIONS, for that matter.)  Here’s what they liked about it and what they didn’t.

Author Henry Kisor’s memoir asks, WHAT’S THAT PIG OUTDOORS?, the answer to which goes a ways towards bridging the hearing and deaf communities - and all in good humor.

Juliet Fortier reaches to take a new angle on the angst-template for heroines, JULIET.

YOU LOST ME THERE, by Rosecrans Baldwin, is reviewed by The Canadian Press.

And Library Journal keeps us all up to date on what new in non-fiction.

A pair of business books get the once over at The Dallas Morning News.

The Seattle Post Intelligencer checks out a new comic, AFTER DARK #1, by Fuqua, Snipes, and Nentra.

Author Craig Silvey is going to be pleased with this glowing review of his latest effort, JASPER JONES.

Kevin Guilfoile adds his work to the the high-tension puzzler novel shelf with a heavily-loaded mix-mash of legal thriller, superhero adventure, and mystical gauntlet in his book, THE THOUSAND.

All of author Barbara Trapido’s editorial pacing and shouting seems to pay off in SEX AND STRAVINSKY.

Kathy Reichs is back with the next installment of her Dr. Temperance Brennan series (the one that inspired the hit TV show, Bones) and New Jersey.com has a look at SPIDER BONES.

My local paper makes a thorough case for a new children’s book, THE QUIET BOOK, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Renata Liwska.

THE CROSS OF REDEMPTION, by James Baldwin, is a powerful collection of previously unpublished essays, edited by Randall Kenan.

Wine expert Libby Volgyes is more or less won over on the usefulness (in certain categories and situations) of Carolyn Evans Hammond’s GOOD, BETTER, BEST: A NO NONSENSE GUIDE TO POPULAR WINES.

The Louisville Courier has a look a a couple of books that give an look inside the operations over at Disney.

John Gross edits a comprehensive look at ‘the sincerest form of ridicule’ in THE OXFORD BOOK OF PARODIES.

Kirkus approves of Suzanne Collins giving her fans exactly what they’d be looking for in MOCKINGJAY.

Have a little fun with mathematics and get inspired with HERE’S LOOKING AT EUCLID: A SURPRISING EXCURSION THROUGH THE ASTONISHING WORLD OF MATH, by Alex Bellos.

Author Erich Rauchway takes Tom Buchanan (Fitzgerald’s Gatsby character) on a new adventure in BANANA REPUBLIC.

The Washington Times weighs in on Binka Le Breton’s lush memoir, WHERE THE ROAD ENDS: A HOME IN THE BRAZILIAN RAINFOREST.

To bring the scales to balance, here’s a chronicle of poetic inspiration drawn from falling bombs and ruined cities - Daniel Swift’s BOMBER COUNTY: THE POETRY OF A LOST PILOT’S WAR.

The New Zealand Herald thinks Peter Rose’s, RODDY PARR, might have narrowed its target a little too much by gaming with the names and nuances of mostly Australian lierati.

Swedish crime thrillers are all the rage, but Ake Edwardson’s, THE SHADOW WOMAN, may have suffered in translation.

I just hope Elle’s, HUNTING SEASON: A FIELD GUIDE TO TARGETING AND CAPTURING THE PERFECT MAN, is more lighthearted than it sounds here.  Yikes!

And Seamus Heaney’s latest book of poetry, HUMAN CHAIN, earns an Editor’s Pick over at the Guardian.

The Christian Science Monitor appreciates Sue Diaz’s memoir, MINEFIELDS OF THE HEART: A MOTHER’S STORIES OF AN SON AT WAR.

Kirkus stars a pirate graphic novel, THE UNSINKABLE WALKER BEAN, by Aaron Renier.

EMPIRE OF DREAMS: THE EPIC LIFE OF CECIL B. DEMILLE, by Scott Eyman, satisfies the critics at The Los Angeles Times.

The Wall Street Journal looks at INTERSTATE 69: THE UNFINISHED HISTORY OF THE LAST GREAT AMERICAN HIGHWAY, by Matt Dellinger.

Author John Clinch impresses this Chicago critic with his new novel, KINGS OF THE EARTH.

CAPTIVE QUEEN: A NOVEL OF ELEANOR OF AQUITANE, by Alison Weir, is steamy and well recommended.

Suzanne Collins wraps up her Hunger Games series with MOCKINGJAY and here’s a few reviews compiled to see how well it’s going over.

THE PAIN CHRONICLES, by Melanie Thernstrom, does just that - chronicles the gauntlet of her lingering injury and showcases the history and future, (good, bad, and hopeful) of pain management.

USA Today features a crop of new books intended to make the transition to college easier on everybody… and their wallets.

DANCING BACKWARDS, by Salley Vickers, doesn’t go over all that well in Boston.

THE MURDER ROOM, by Michael Capuzzo, details the origins and sometimes doubt-able exploits of a real ‘crime-solvers club’.

It’s still summer and it’s still hot, so this review of THE CIAO BELLA BOOK OF GELATO & SORBETO - BOLD, FRESH FLAVORS TO MAKE AT HOME, by F.W. Pearce and Danilo Zecchim, caught my eye.

Self-help guru, Rhonda Byrne (of THE SECRET fame), is back with her heart-over-matter explanation of money woes in THE POWER.

Eliza Griswold earns the respect of The New York Times for her book, THE TENTH PARALLEL: DISPATCHES FROM THE FAULT LINE BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM.

The Star Tribune offers up a look at some late summer reading for the younger crowd.

Elliott J. Gorn puts the spotlight on one of the toughest spectator sports ever sold to the masses in THE MANLY ART: BARE-KNUCKLE PRIZE-FIGHTING IN AMERICA (UPDATED EDITION).

In The Atlantic, Joseph O’Neil diagrams his recommendation for Martin Stannard’s MURIEL SPARK: THE BIOGRAPHY.

Author, Andrew Bacevich, sears the the political/military/industrial status quo for the high moral, monetary, and societal price of WASHINGTON RULES: AMERICA’S PATH TO PERMANENT WAR.

Paul Spicer’s latest falls a bit flat for this San Fransisco Chronicle reviewer, but you may yet feel pulled by THE TEMPTRESS: THE SCANDALOUS LIFE OF ALICE DE JANZE AND THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF LORD ERROLL.

Library Journal’s page is brimming with quick send ups of a few new releases.

Marc Hartzman’s GOD MADE ME DO IT: TRUE STORIES OF THE WORST ADVICE THE LORD HAS EVER GIVEN TO HIS FOLLOWERS reviews itself in a slideshow presentation at Salon Magazine.

Saudia Arabia sets the play for Zoë Ferraris’ well-received crime-suspense novel, CITY OF VEILS.

Business big-brain Warren Bennis tell us about his life in STILL SURPRISED: A MEMOIR OF A LIFE IN LEADERSHIP.

A RIFT IN TIME: TRAVELS WITH MY OTTOMAN UNCLE, by Raja Shehadeh, is deep and rich and lauded at The Economist.

Emily Grey Tedrowe debuts to a chorus of cheers for COMMUTERS.

Here’s a crop of new reviews from Publishers Weekly, just especially for their internet viewers.

There’s nothing that says you can’t do your Spring Cleaning at the end of Summer.  Or by Fall at the lastest.  Or Andrew Mullen’s UNSTUFF YOUR LIFE:  KICK THE CLUTTER HABIT AND COMPLETELY ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE FOR GOOD could make an excellent Christmas present and New Year’s resolution aid.

Slate Magazine profiles a fascinating look at “the most misunderstood figure in the American literary canon” in WOLF: THE LIVES OF JACK LONDON, by Jack L. Haley.

The artwork of DAVID CHOE (both the title and the subject in this case) is praised in this featured review at January Magazine.

EINSTEIN’S WATCH is a quirky little catalog of interesting items that have been up for sale recently.  Neat stuff.

THE SUGAR KING OF HAVANA: THE RISE AND FALL OF JULIO LOBO, CUBA’S LAST TYCOON, by John Paul Rathbone, pulls history from glitzy myth.

The Christian Science Monitor looks at Amitava Kumar’s A FOREIGNER CARRYING IN THE CROOK OF HIS ARM A TINY BOMB.

Neal Pollack’s STRETCH: THE UNLIKELY MAKING OF A YOGA DUDE gets and gets taken away from by The Boston Globe.

GORKY PARK’s Moscow detective, Arkady Renko, is back as muse to author Martin Cruz Smith in THREE STATIONS.

I’ve come to love football the old-fashioned way.  I watched it, clueless, and asked questions.  I still don’t know what Free Safety is, but I’ve come a long way, all the way to loving games that aren’t featuring ‘my team’.  Xtrapointfootball.com, however, recommends Blythe Brumleve’s A GIRL’S GUIDE TO FOOTBALL FANATICISM.

COOKING FOR ISAIAH: GLUTEN-FREE & DAIRY FREE MEALS, by Silvana Nardone, is given the once-over at Basil & Spice.

THE KOREAN WAR: A HISTORY, by Bruce Cumings, is a concise volume, with a heavy blow.

The Space Review has a look at Mary Roach’s funny, irreverent, but still awed book, PACKING FOR MARS: THE CURIOUS SCIENCE OF LIFE IN THE VOID.

Philipa Gregory goes over well in Coventry with her novel, THE RED QUEEN.

Zombies are the order of the day (a lot lately) and USA Today weighs in favorably on THE REAPERS ARE THE ANGELS, by Alden Bell.

Possibly “the darkest novel” Philip Roth has ever written, NEMESIS, scores a starred review at Kirkus.

With Jonathan Franzen prominently on the magazine rack this week, The Christian Science Monitor revives their glowing review of THE CORRECTIONS.

In Dallas, they have a look at Sandra Brown’s latest summer pot-boiler, TOUGH CUSTOMER.

I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME, by Per Petterson, is a contemplative antidote to short-attention-span poison.