Russia and the Arts: The Age of Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky by Rosalind P Blakesley and Tatiana L Karpova
Beautifully illustrated look at Russian portraiture from the 1860s on, a golden era for the arts. Coincides with an exhibition running at the UK’s National Portrait Gallery. (National Portrait Gallery, March 18)
The Accidental Agent by Andrew Rosenheim
The Second World War seems destined to go on and on unless a super weapon can be developed. The Allies and Germans are trying to develop an atom bomb but agent James Nessheim discovers a conspiracy that could sabotage US efforts. Ambitious thriller. (Hutchinson, March 24)
His Whole Life by Elizabeth Hay
A boy takes a train journey with his parents from New York to Eastern Ontario. During the trip, he realises that his family is in danger of falling apart. Unconventional coming of age story set in the 1990s when it seemed Quebec could leave Canada. Hay is a winner of
Canada’s Giller Prize. (MacLehose Press, March 3)
The Opportunity by Will Volley
Colin is an ambitious door-to-door salesman. But he begins to struggle when unfair sales targets are introduced and slowly his grasp on reality dissolves. Described as a “modern-day Death of a Salesman”, it is a searing look at exploitation and poor pay in the workplace. A graphic novel set in England’s grimy housing estates. (Myriad Editions, March 31)
For Two Thousand Years by Mihail Sebastian
First published in 1934, this follows a young student in Romania who is trying to make sense of the darkness falling across the continent. Available in English for the first time, and expertly translated by Irish author Philip O Ceallaigh. (Penguin Classics,
February 25)
Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg
A four-year study from Google found that how a group interacts is much more important than who is in the group. This looks at the science of productivity and argues that the key to motivation and success is an ability to govern our own minds. (William Heinemann,
March 31)
