Category: Micro-Reviews

The movie is brilliant. The novel on which it’s based is even better. First published in 1971, this horror masterpiece ages well despite its melodramatic flourishes. While the premise—a demon takes up residence in an 11-year-old girl’s body—might make some discerning readers roll their eyes, …

If you believe the human being is a fundamentally good and moral creature, then this true story might be one of the hardest things you can read: a stark view of humankind’s special ability to both inflict evil and ignore it. As a courier for …

Remember when this one came out? The Donald was halfway through his term and rattling sabers with North Korea’s “Little Kim” Jong-un. Wolff’s portrayal of intrigue and dysfunction within Trump’s inner circle was accepted as generally accurate but perhaps lurid with the details. Fly-on-the-wall snapshots …

In honor of last week’s Amazon Prime release of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, we present the literary accompaniment to the first Borat flick from back in 2006. This book is a bathroom read of the highest order, with outrageous stereotypes, X-rated gags and a sometimes-insightful zest …

The end of humanity might be nigh. People are turning into automaton “sleepwalkers” drawn by a need to walk the highways toward some mysterious destination. They’re still human, but they no longer need food or sleep. How does the rest of the world respond? Fans …

This play is a fast and nourishing read. It will comfort you if you’re afflicted and make you want to be kinder if you aren’t. The story follows Margie Walsh, a down-and-nearly-out dollar-store worker in South Boston who seeks salvation through an old boyfriend who …

A memoir about growing up in a survivalist Mormon family, where isolation and a father’s harsh fundamentalism conspire to destroy a budding spirit of curiosity. Despite the challenges, the determined Westover transcends her lot in life, steps into a classroom for the first time at …

Polish historian Grynberg gives us an up-close view of life inside the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. The 29 letters and diary entries from various ghetto inhabitants combine to present a disturbingly clear view of what it was like to be at the mercy …

A biographical account of an infantryman’s Vietnam experiences—from getting drafted to mustering out after a year of spilling “certain blood for uncertain reasons.” A book about morality and courage and patriotism and everything in between. Plato and Socrates have thought-provoking cameos. The mixture of objective …

Charlie Kaufman’s latest movie equates redundant mood metaphors with illumination. The mind-bending story is intentionally opaque, symbolically overwrought and vexingly long. Don’t look for plot. The only thing constant: a sense of doubt and melancholy. The acting is great, and there is much sadness and …