approached this handsome new edition of Charles McCarry's masterpiece, The Tears of Autumn, with trepidation. The novel was first published in 1974, and it has been more than 20 years since I last read it. I had only a hazy memory that (1) it was beautifully written, (2) it offered a plausible theory of the Kennedy assassination and (3) it was a classic. My concern was that, given a new reading, the novel might not hold up, but my fear was groundless. The Tears of Autumn is beautifully written, its conspiracy theory still intrigues and it most assuredly is a classic..
The Washington Post
What makes someone a great reader? Ask a pro. The answer lies in his new memoir of the literary life, one he depicts as a dazzling treasure hunt and exercise of our sympathies.