Books

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "American Nervousness." It's a new book by Tom Lutz about a turn of the century disease called neurasthenia. Neurasthenia was a term applied to a wide variety of conditions related to just being "stressed out" by 19th century life. Perversely, neurasthenia was taken as a sign of status, that if you suffered from it, it meant you were fashionably sensitive. (It's published by Cornell University Press).

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Brief Lives," the latest novel from professor and writer Anita Brookner. Brookner also recently edited a two volume collection of the stories of Edith Wharton. Maureen sees some similarities between the works of the two.

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Adventures of Amos and Andy," writer Melvin Patrick Ely's look at the comedy series, and the controversy it caused.

Book critic John Leonard reviews two collections of essays about Africa; "African Silences" by Peter Matthiessan and "Maneaters Motel" by Denis Boyles.

Maureen Corrigan reviews film maker John Sayle's new novel, "Los Gusanos."

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Jernigan," the first novel from writer David Gates. It's about an erudite alcoholic's frustration with suburban life.

Book critic John Leonard reviews the author's latest book, which he says doesn't live up to DeLillo's excellent novels from last decade.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Bully for Brontosaurus," the new collection of popular science essays from biologist Stephen Jay Gould.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Open Letters," the new collection of writings by the playwright and former President of Czechoslovakia.

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the book "It Happened in the Catskills," an oral history of the resorts that made up what was known as the Borsht Belt.