Maureen Corrigan

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Amateur: An Independent Life of Letters" (Pantheon) a memoir by Wendy Lesser, the founder and co-editor of "The Threepenny Review" a journal of literature and arts which will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "While I Was Gone" by Sue Miller and "The Climate of the Country" by Marnie Mueller.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Scars of Sweet Paradise" (Metropolitan Books), the new biography of Janis Joplin by historian Alice Echols.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Charlotte Gray" the new novel by Sebastian Faulks the author of "Birdsong." (Random House)

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Crime of Sheila McGough" ("McGuff") by journalist Janet Malcolm, published by Knopf.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews three new thrillers. Basilica by William Montalbano (Putnam), Archangel by Robert Harris (Random House), The Second Angel by Philip Kerr (Henry Holt).

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Empress of the Splendid Season," the new novel by Oscar Hijuelos.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the debut novel by Elizabeth Strout, "Amy and Isabelle."

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Fanny Trollope: The Life and Adventures of a Clever Woman" (Viking) a biography of the mother of novelist Anthony Trollope.

Book critc Maureen Corrigan chooses her favorite reads from this past year.