Books most popular in the United States●Literary Criticism

Check out the latest list of books that people in the United States are enjoying the most right now. The list is ordered by popularity and the genre of the list is Fiction & Literature > Literary Criticism.

1. Women Who Run with the Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD. Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

Release date: 2017-01-31 $9.99
Comments

1. Needed a book like this when I turned - This book explains a lot that most parents or mentors can't explain. Nonetheless, I'm in my s and have savored every page and appreciated the life lessons as if they were my own. Each analysis have given me new perspective on how I can grow and evolve in my own life.
2020-12-17
2. Just Kids - Patti Smith

Release date: 2010-04-20 $13.99
Comments

1. Just Kids - I can honestly say that this book has brought out emotions/feelings in me that I thought were lost a long time ago. It is truly enlightening. I have always admired Robert Mapplethorp's art and have just recently discovered Patti Smith's work. I have always been aware of her through the years, but I was not mentally mature enough to "get" her. This book is one of those books that I know for a fact I will enjoy over and over through the years.
2014-03-04

2. An unexpected delight - I only new Patti Smith as the singer -- until this book, I didn't realize she was such a gifted writer. Another review described her "economy writing" style and I think this is a very good description. Clean. To the point. Lyrical. Until this book, I didn't know she and Mapplethorpe had a relationship, much less one as lasting as it was. Don't expect a sensational tell-all autobiohtsphy. Smith is extremely respectful and protective of Mapplethorpe and their relationship. You get the sense there was so much more she could share but wouldn't. This book gives readers insight into both of their art. And the chaos of NYC in the 's. Fantastic read.
2013-09-04

3. Totally Captivated - I haven't read a book in a long time, maybe ever, that had such a profound effect on me as Just Kids did. I was completely immersed in the story of Patti Smith's life and hung on to every detail. She took romantic to an entirely new level. I am completely fascinated and deeply touched by the lifestyle of her and Robert Mappelthorpe. It's difficult to explain, but this book has made me appreciate life more and all of the wonderful things that are possible and the extent of human emotion. I appreciated Patti Smith's realness. She wasn't fueled by drugs, but rather by the beauty of life. The relationship that formed between Patti and Robert was truly inspiring. To witness first hand that soul mates do exist. It was sometimes hard to believe that I was reading about someone's real life because that is how interesting the events were. As far as portraying the times and the characters during which the events of the story unfolded, I couldn't imagine a better presentation. I was deeply moved by Just Kids and sad at the end, not only because of the tragic nature of the story, but that I had no more of the wonderful tale to read.
2013-08-09

4. Just Kids - While in Paris this February I was sick and convalescing in our apartment. My boyfriend went to a cafe to meet a friend and sitting next to him was Patti Smith. I never really knew why I was so distraught at missing this moment in time, but as an artist myself I knew that something big happened and I wasn't a part of it. A friend told me about Just Kids and I downloaded the book to have for another time. I soaked this book up like a sponge in less than a week. It was written in such a beautiful hand that I now feel I carry with me part of this beautiful love affair between artist and muse. Highly recommend.
2012-12-15

5. Eh - After doing somewhat extensive research on Robert Mapplethorne, I realized that Smith sugar-coated majority of the book. If you're looking for something either highly romantic or something primarily about Mapplethorne, I suggest you look elsewhere. This book mostly just boasts about how they both became "iconic" which I never subscribed to any of that. Patti Smith wasn't a legendary singer and Robert was no Picasso. The most fascinating parts of the book were about Robert but you don't get to enjoy it because again, she sugar-coated everything. Blah!
2012-04-22

6. Speechless - Wow and wow and whoa -- I'm a child of the early 's and was so deeply moved by the Patti Smith I never knew I didn't know. I hope she reads this and knows that her tales of being a kid ("kid"?) with Robert should be school reading requirement all over the country. My love for this book leaves me wordless. An unfamiliar place for me. Hope Patti reads all of these - SHE'S the beautiful work of art in this universe. Patti I wish I knew you....
2011-12-03

7. I was there. - I really was not present, I was born about the time Patti's first record came out, but her writing brought me to each moment. I felt like I knew she and Robert through hearing their tale. I walked the streets of New York with them, and then after putting the book down sat outside the Chelsea and marveled. Walked through Times Square at night, and strolled through the village. What a time, what a place, what a guide. As an musician, I respect, as a writer - I am a fan.
2011-10-13

8. A natural writer - Patti employs a poetic economy with her words that drives the story along nicely. Her memory for the details of that long ago era is remarkable, helped, no doubt by the diary that she kept all those years. She is a true artist that never sold out for fame or money. Her performance of Because the Night with Bruce Springsteen this year at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was the highlight of an already stellar show. Patti, please bring on Volume when you are ready.
2011-01-03

9. maybe if the pictures were included... - Marginally interesting stuff about artists in the s, but not that well written. Pretty much pages of her going on and on about how wonderful her relationship with Maplethorpe was and how very artistic they were. And the IBook version has none of the pictures!
2010-11-26

10. Fantastic story of two artists in the making! - This book is an amazingly well-written story of two artists who see things differently from the rest of us. While their careers took wildly different paths, their love and support for each other endured. Patti Smith, the god mother of punk, and Robert Mapplethorpe, photographer and provocateur extraordinaire … a fascinating look into their lives before they burst onto the NYC art scene. One of the best books I've read this year!
2010-05-25
3. Michael Connelly Books in Order: Harry Bosch series, Harry Bosch short stories, Mickey Haller series, Terry McCaleb series, Jack McEvoy, all short stories, standalone novels, and nonfiction, plus a Michael Connelly biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
4. Frankenstein (Second Edition) (Norton Critical Editions) - Mary Shelley

Release date: 2011-12-16 $14.99
5. Flash in the Pan - David Blum. Life and Death of an American Restaurant

Release date: 2013-03-26 $14.99
6. James Patterson Books in Order: Alex Cross series, Women's Murder Club series, Michael Bennett, Private, Daniel X, Maximum Ride, Middle School, I Funny, NYPD Red, Bookshots, novels and nonfiction, plus a James Patterson biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
7. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain - George Saunders. In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life

Release date: 2021-01-12 $14.99
Comments

1. Stories and Comments - In the past I might have read these Russian short stories and been underwhelmed. In his characteristic style, Saunders’ provides a funny, beautiful, and comprehensive analysis of why he loves these stories and how they work as exceptional examples of short story writing. It will change how I read short stories in the future.
2022-12-07
8. Three Roads Back - Robert D. Richardson. How Emerson, Thoreau, and William James Responded to the Greatest Losses of Their Lives

Release date: 2023-01-24 $16.99
9. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage - Ann Patchett. A Reese's Book Club Pick

Release date: 2013-11-05 Genre:Fiction & Literature $13.99
Comments

1. Great Book for Patchett Fans - Note: I received This is the Story of a Happy Marriage from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I've been an Ann Patchett fan for years. I loved State of Wonder and adored The Patron Saint of Liars, so when I was given the opportunity to read about Ann Patchett by Ann Patchett, I jumped. And boy, am I glad I did! Confession: I had no idea she started out writing magazine articles. I consider myself to be pretty up-to-snuff when it comes to the writing histories of authors I love, but for some reason I never did much Patchett research. I think this is probably a good thing because it lent an air of mystery to her work. My favorite essay from the book was The Getaway Car. In it, she discusses how she became a writer and gives advice (like don't get an MFA because it's a waste of money) and her self-deprecating process of writing a book. In it, she details the circumstances surrounding writing The Patron Saint of Liars, which is my favorite book by her, and I loved reading the backstory. I think I might actually go back and reread it now that I have some insight into her writing processes. Voracious readers will love this book. As a writer who is writing about writing (follow all that?), Patchett's love for all things literary is palpable. I, for one, relished in her descriptions of reading, wanting to be a writer as a kid, putting pen to paper, and actually put down the book to write a short, personal essay just because she inspired me. But enough talking about the book. Run to the library and borrow your copy NOW! Allison @ The Book Wheel
2013-11-21
10. CJ Box Books in Order: Joe Pickett series, Joe Pickett short stories, Cody Hoyt series, all short stories, and standalone novels, plus a CJ Box biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
11. Novelist as a Vocation - Haruki Murakami, Philip Gabriel & Ted Goossen

Release date: 2022-11-08 $14.99
12. All of the Marvels - Douglas Wolk. A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told

Release date: 2021-10-12 $4.99
13. Great Expectations + FREE Audiobook Included - Charles Dickens. Enhanced Edition: Illustrated + Bundled Audiobook

Release date: 2013-05-31 Genre:Fiction & Literature $2.99
14. Georgette Heyer's Regency World - Jennifer Kloester

Release date: 2010-08-01 $11.99
Comments

1. Disappointed Expectations - The whole Georgette Heyer thing is kind of a ploy to bring Heyer fans on board. I think I was expecting some kind of magical combination of critical analysis, a history of the details over which Heyer was the undisputed master (like Regency slang) and how Heyer obtained them, photos of what the dresses would look like in real life, a breakdown of exactly how rich each character would be in the current decade (for comparison purposes) and a list of the thousands of books that she inspired with ratings as to how they measure up against Heyer’s. What I got was a history of the Regency with very stilted references to Heyer’s books, which makes the title a cop-out since the Regency Heyer wrote about wasn’t the Regency that actually existed. All good authors know what to leave out and Heyer was tops at that. The title should’ve been ‘A History of the Regency: with references to scenes from Georgette Heyer’s delightful historical fiction’. If you haven’t inferred what a rattle or a here-and-therian is from the context of Heyer’s sentences or you’ve never read Jane Austen, or you’ve never been lucky enough to have an English professor who specialized in the Regency (as I did) then by all means read this book. For someone wanting more Heyer and less history, we will wait together for the book of our dreams.
2019-03-28
15. The Letters of Abelard and Heloise - Peter Abelard & Betty Radice

Release date: 2003-11-27 Genre:Fiction & Literature $10.99
16. The Wicked Wit of Winston Churchill - Dominique Enright

Release date: 2001-10-01 $6.99
17. Great Books - David Denby

Release date: 2013-06-18 $15.99
18. The Life and Lies of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore - Irvin Khaytman

Release date: 2019-02-13 $4.99
19. River Teeth - David James Duncan. Stories and Writings

Release date: 1995-05-01 Genre:Fiction & Literature $13.99
20. The Bright Book of Life - Harold Bloom. Novels to Read and Reread

Release date: 2020-11-24 $11.99
21. By the Book - Pamela Paul. Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review

Release date: 2014-10-28 $12.99
22. Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism - Fredric Jameson

Release date: 2013-07-22 $30.99
23. The Annotated Waste Land with Eliot's Contemporary Prose - T S Eliot & Lawrence Rainey

Release date: 2008-10-01 $14.99
24. From Holmes to Sherlock - Mattias Boström & Michael Gallagher. The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon

Release date: 2017-08-01 $2.99
25. The Dark Powers of Tolkien - David Day. An illustrated Exploration of Tolkien's Portrayal of Evil, and the Sources that Inspired his Work from Myth, Literature and History

Release date: 2018-10-18 $2.99
26. The Battles of Tolkien - David Day. An Illustrate Exploration of the Battles of Tolkien's World, and the Sources that Inspired his Work from Myth, Literature and History

Release date: 2016-10-20 $3.99
27. That Distant Land - Wendell Berry. The Collected Stories

Release date: 2004-02-27 $14.99
28. The Heroes of Tolkien - David Day. An Exploration of Tolkien's Heroic Characters, and the Sources that Inspired his Work from Myth, Literature and History

Release date: 2017-10-20 $2.99
29. Fat - Hanne Blank

Release date: 2020-11-12 $12.99
30. The Call of the Tribe - Mario Vargas Llosa & John King

Release date: 2023-01-17 $14.99
31. Moby-Dick - Herman Melville & Hester Blum

Release date: 2022-05-12 $5.99
32. The Narrow Cage and Other Modern Fairy Tales - Adam Kuplowsky

Release date: 2023-03-07 Genre:Fiction & Literature $11.99
33. Understanding Truman Capote - Thomas Fahy

Release date: 2014-06-18 $2.99
34. William S. Burroughs Cutting Up the Century - Joan Hawkins & Alex Wermer-Colan

Release date: 2019-05-17 $11.99
35. Small Town Doc - Dr. Charles Vear

Release date: 2020-12-29 $3.99
36. Companion to James Welch's The Heartsong of Charging Elk - Arnold Krupat

Release date: 2015-09-01 $39.99
37. Illuminations - Walter Benjamin, Hannah Arendt & Henry Zohn. Essays and Reflections

Release date: 1968-10-23 $1.99
38. The Life Of William Shakespeare: The Classic Unabridged Shakespeare Biography - Sidney Lee

Release date: 2014-02-27 $0.99
39. Tom Clancy Books in Order: Jack Ryan series, Jack Ryan Jr series, John Clark, Op-Center, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Net Force, EndWar, Power Plays, short stories, standalone novels, and nonfiction, plus a Tom Clancy biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
40. Notes of a Native Son - James Baldwin

Release date: 1984-07-09 $11.99
41. My Strange Neighbor - MaryAnn Fensterbusch

Release date: 2023-02-28 $19.99
42. Moby Dick + FREE Audiobook Included - Herman Melville. Enhanced Edition: Illustrated + Bundled Audiobook

Release date: 2013-06-30 Genre:Fiction & Literature $2.99
43. Lost Names - Richard E. Kim. Scenes from a Korean Boyhood

Release date: 2014-01-24 $16.99
44. Fyodor Dostoevsky (9 books) - Fyodor Dostoevsky. Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, The Gambler, Notes From the Underground, The Double, The Possessed, and more!

Release date: 2022-03-30 $2.99
45. Stuart Woods Books in Order: Stone Barrington series, Will Lee books, Holly Barker books, Ed Eagle books, Teddy Fay series, Rick Barron, standalone novels, and nonfiction, plus a Stuart Woods biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
46. The Literature Book - DK. Big Ideas Simply Explained

Release date: 2016-05-26 $8.99
47. Lee Child Books in Order: Jack Reacher books, Jack Reacher short stories, Harold Middleton books, all short stories, anthologies, standalone novels, and nonfiction, plus a Lee Child biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
48. The Red Badge of Courage + FREE Audiobook Included - Stephen Crane. Enhanced Edition: Illustrated + Bundled Audiobook

Release date: 2013-07-23 Genre:Fiction & Literature $2.99
49. Vince Flynn Books in Order: Mitch Rapp series, Mitch Rapp prequels, new Mitch Rapp releases, and all standalone novels, plus a Vince Flynn biography. - Book List Guru

Release date: 2017-12-14 $0.99
50. Portrait of a Novel: Henry James and the Making of an American Masterpiece - Michael Gorra

Release date: 2012-08-27 $14.99