July’s Best Reviewed Nonfiction

Sophie Elmhirst’s A Marriage at Sea, Laurie Gwen Shapiro’s The Aviator and the Showman, and Madeline Potter’s The Roma: A Traveling History all feature among the best reviewed nonfiction books of the month.

Brought to you by Book Marks, Lit Hub’s home for book reviews.

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1. A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst
(Riverhead)

11 Rave • 2 Positive

“When Elmhirst comes close to breaking the fourth wall, that contribute to the pleasure of this exciting book. You know as a reader that you are in very capable hands … A fascinating narrative … She doles out the adventures, such as they were, and tells them vividly … So much more than a shipwreck tale. It’s a story of love and strength, a portrait of a marriage that—for all its oddities—is a true partnership.”

–Laurie Hertzel (The Boston Globe)

2. The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage That Made an American Iconby Laurie Gwen Shapiro
(Viking)

5 Rave • 3 Positive • 2 Mixed

“Enticing…vibrant … Shapiro dexterously untangles the Gordian knot of their entwined passions, shared ambitions and business bottom lines … Shapiro’s tone is conversational, luring us into a rich story about American media … Shapiro captures the thrill of a leap into the unknown.”

–Hamilton Cain (The Los Angeles Times)

3. A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fought to Find a Stolen Generation of Children by Haley Cohen Gilliland
(Avid Reader Press)

7 Rave

“An enthralling history of a human rights movement whose mission remains as urgent as ever … Reads like a Cold War thriller, replete with betrayals, intrigue, and elaborate schemes … Cathartic, even exultant … Lays bare the limits of truth and reconciliation.”

–Jacob Sugarman (The Atlantic)

4. The Roma: A Traveling History by Madeline Potter
(Harper)

5 Rave • 3 Positive • 1 Mixed
Read an excerpt from The Roma here

“One of the book’s strengths is Potter’s skill for intertwining personal anecdotes with historical context, providing a rich tapestry of Romani culture and its struggles … A powerful contribution … A compelling blend of personal storytelling and historical insight, making it a valuable read for those interested in Romani studies and cultural identity … The book’s clarity, style, and originality in presenting Romani perspectives make it a strong candidate for any library.”

–Lawrence Mello (Library Journal)

5. The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century by Tim Weiner
(Mariner)

5 Rave • 3 Positive

“Weiner is clear in his condemnation…but inclined to give the CIA the benefit of the doubt … The book contains many essential new details … There are all sorts of…important and fascinating revelations … This is a journalist’s book, and bears the marks of it. But no one has opened up the CIA to us like Weiner has, and The Mission deserves to win Weiner a second Pulitzer.”

–John Simpson (The Guardian)