books Archives - Cambridge | Somerville Independent

Reviewed: ‘I See You’ve Called in Dead,’ the wry resurrection of an obit writer who’s over it

by Gwen Ruta September 22, 2026

His friends are mostly glad to find out he’s not dead, but his boss has mixed feelings. “Called in Dead” treats the subject of death with respect.

LIT

Reviewed: ‘Triage’ brings an Army nurse home from combat, but her fight isn’t over

by Gwen Ruta September 15, 2026

A combat nurse on the front lines in North Africa and Italy returns home scared and scarred, forgetting anguish through drink and other ill-advised coping mechanisms.

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Reviewed: A powerful ‘Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis’

by Josh Cook September 8, 2026

Modeled after the KKK, the Veiled Prophet shows up in the roots of the Cold War, opposition to civil rights, support for the Vietnam War and maybe violence in Ferguson, Missouri.

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Reviewed: ‘This Book Made Me Think of You’ is a sad romance that’s in love with books

by Kaliisha Cole September 1, 2026

Matilda “Tilly” Nightingale has lost her love for reading. Her husband, Joe, dies from cancer only a few months after they are married. Tilly is faced with navigating life without him sooner than she...

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What Cambridge and Somerville readers are buying: Russo returns with ‘Under the Falls’

by Marc Levy August 25, 2026

Two novelists with extensive catalogs return to the lists: Pulitzer-winning Maine author Richard Russo for “Under the Falls” and Ann Patchett for “Whistler.”

ART AND DESIGN

Come swoon over the romance novel art of Elaine Gignilliat at Lovestruck

by Marc Levy August 18, 2026

The work of Elaine Gignilliat is as identifiable as works by Vermeer or Munch, just not with the same cultural cache – she painted the covers of more than 350 romance novels.

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What Cambridge and Somerville readers are buying: A Howard Zinn bio and Homer’s ‘Odyssey’

by Marc Levy August 18, 2026

Every week, the Harvard Book Store shares its list of bestsellers with us and we compare it with what’s on the New York Times’ list. We go our own way.

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Booksellers and librarians gather Wednesday to talk about ‘Getting the Story Out’ to new readers

by Marc Levy March 14, 2026

A couple of decades ago, some 400 newspapers published book reviews in arts and culture sections. Now it may be as few as 40.

Valentine’s Day book swap

by Marc Levy February 12, 2026

Stop in, browse the shelves and buy a book or books for a partner or friend in secret. Reunite and reveal each other's book picks and why you chose that book for them. Participants will get a coupon...