Reviews

Review

An empire of ivory and inhumanity

A vivid account tells the story of Belgian colonialism in Africa with the skill of a seasoned travel writer, exposing a history of hubris and greed that has cast a long shadow.

Franklin Nelson March 18, 2025

Review

The power of pilgrimage

A delightful and compelling history interprets pilgrimage as an activity in which the secular and the sacred are inextricably entwined.

Katherine Harvey March 14, 2025

Review

Iranian cinema against the Islamic Republic

In its sweeping ambition and sharp social commentary, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is Iranian film at its most powerful, providing us with a window into Iran’s political turmoil and ..

Ryan Nazari March 3, 2025

Review

Wandering through the Carpathian Mountains

Nick Thorpe’s meandering journey through the Carpathian Mountains combines literary flair and intimate human stories to paint a perceptive, captivating portrait of Europe’s last wi..

Caroline Eden February 28, 2025

Review

Inside the early modern spy’s toolkit

Meticulous archival research has shed light on the various tricks and tools used by spies in early modern England, uncovering a pivotal moment in the development of intelligence as..

Pauline Blistène February 25, 2025

Review

Partygoing at the opera

The idea of the party has a long lineage in the history of opera. Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Festen is the latest contribution.

Benjamin Poore February 19, 2025

Review

Goya in conversation with Cézanne

The Courtauld's exhibition, Goya to Impressionism, embodies the importance of art that speaks in multiple individual voices, and creates a world in which the painter's provocations..

Mathew Lyons February 18, 2025

Review

The wages of a nuclear war

We are now entering a third nuclear age shaped by fractured geopolitics and rapidly-changing technologies.

Christopher Harding February 13, 2025

Review

Mining for meaning

In Philip Marsden’s expansive new book, the wonder of the world resides in rocks.

Caroline Eden February 11, 2025