Animal Spirits: The American Pursuit of Vitality From Camp Meeting to Wall Street
By Jackson Lears
Shaw’s life force, Freud’s libido, Bergson’s ‘élan vital’—all are expressions of a spark that eludes the control of civilized modernity. Review by Jeremy McCarter.
“All history is the history of longing,” Jackson Lears has written.
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Empire, Incorporated: The Corporations That Built British Colonialism
By Philip J. Stern
The history of the British empire is really the history of ‘venture colonialism,’ developed by bold entrepreneurs, savvy investors—and some shady characters too. Review by Tunku Varadarajan.
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Hands of Time: A Watchmaker’s History
By Rebecca Struthers
The craft requires ingenious engineering at a miniature scale and an appreciation for timeless beauty. Review by Michael O’Donnell.
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Mozart in Motion: His Work and His World in Pieces
By Patrick Mackie
The continuing appeal of Mozart’s music may lie in the contradictory nature of the composer, balancing elegance with challenging originality. Review by Lloyd Schwartz.
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Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature
By Sarah Hart
Are great writers and brilliant mathematicians really so far apart? Within the structures of literary works of all kinds, numbers are hiding. Review by Timothy Farrington.
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