Baum on Books

WSHU’s Book Critic Joan Baum was curious about the Nobel Prize-winning author for literature, a Hungarian writer whose work has been described as challenging. Joan read a translation of a recent novel, a 400-plus tome filled with particle physics, Angela Merkel, fearful townspeople, Nazis, and Johan Sebastian Bach. Joan discovered a nuanced story with an unconventional style. Demanding yes! But well worth reading.

It was published 100 years ago, but The Great Gatsby continues to resonate with readers. WSHU's Book Critic Joan Baum reread F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic novel of the Jazz Age. Joan finds that the beauty of the language and the stark themes have deepened with the passage of time.

Anxious, dyspeptic, self-denigrating. That’s Asher Baum, the protagonist in Woody Allen’s new novel, What’s With Baum? Fans of Allen’s work will recognize the familiar themes in this romp through the mind of Asher. The 50-year-old journalist turned creative writer. Our Baum, WSHU’s Culture Critic, Joan Baum, read it. You can listen to her review right here.

In Mark Rubinstein’s latest thriller, Season of Fear, an escaped psychotic animal killer is on the loose in Bridgeport, Connecticut. One of his human targets is Dr. John Randall, the psychiatrist who gave the psych analysis at his trial. The terrorism takes its toll on Randall and his family. To cope, the doctor and his wife turn to alcohol and pharmaceuticals. But that opens up another world of hurt. WSHU’s Book Critic Joan Baum says it’s a chilling read.

New Yorker cartoon satirist Tom Toro has published 200 of his drawings in a new collection. Toro says his work covers a broad range of ideas, including "...life, love, work, and the weird". It’s called And to Think We Started as a Book Club. To find out which of his cartoons boasts that title, listen to WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum’s review of the book right here.

Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has made a repeated appearance on the Banned Book List since it was first released 43 years ago. WSHU's Book Critic Joan Baum reflects on the book's themes and how it’s been a target of critics since it was first published in 1884.

In his memoir, A Better Ending, author James Whitfield Thomson documents his personal 20-year-long investigation into his sister’s death. WSHU’s Book Critic Joan Baum says his work also reveals the impact his quest had on himself and his family.

A renowned New York chorus is plunged into mayhem when a newly discovered composition leads to murder. It’s all in author Roberta Mantell’s debut novel, Angel’s Blood - Murder in the Chorus. WSHU’s Book Critic Joan Baum has this review.

Carving out a career in the entertainment industry requires a lot of grit. Early morning cast calls, long hours waiting on the set, not to mention all the wacky character roles. Author John Hart has done it all, and he’s written about it in his new book, Unfortunately, I was available. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum read it and has this review.

He composed music for plays, crafted lyrics for songs, and wrote letters — lots of letters — to his friends, family, and colleagues. His vast correspondence is now a book, The Letters of Frank Loesser. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum says the book offers readers a rare look into the life, mind, and work of one of America’s most renowned songwriters.