Congratulations to T. J. Stiles, whose The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt has won the National Book Award for Nonfiction, and to Philip Hoose, whose Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice has won the Award for Young People's Literature.
Adam Kirsch, "A Prophet's Pen," Tablet, 17 November, reviews David Rosenberg's A Literary Bible: An Original Translation.
Bonnie S. Benwick, "A tasting menu of savory dishes," Washington Post, 18 November, reviews Andrew Dalby's Cheese: A Global History, Sarah Moss's and Alexander Badenoch's Chocolate: A Global History, and Colleen Taylor Sen's Curry: A Global History.
Diana Athill, "Lore of the Land," Literary Review, November, reviews Madelaine Bunting's The Plot: A Biography of an English Acre.
Janet Maslin, "The Queasy Side of Theodore Roosevelt's Diplomatic Voyage," NYT, 18 November, reviews James Bradley's The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War.
Patrick O'Connor, "The Exuberant Boy," Literary Review, November, reviews John Evans, ed., Journeying Boy: The Diaries of the Young Benjamin Britten, 1928-1938.
David Greenberg, "Sarah Palin = Dan Quayle," Slate, 17 November, argues that our national nightmare will not happen.