Staff Directory 6370568

Chris Hewitt

Critic / Editor | Books
Phone: 612-673-4367

Interim books editor Chris Hewitt previously worked at the Pioneer Press in St. Paul, where he wrote about movies and theater.


Armed with a degree in the lucrative field of history, Chris has written for publications that vary from a small-town newspaper to a city magazine to national sites. He's probably reading a good book right this minute.
Recent content from Chris Hewitt
photo of author Kate DiCamillo

Review: In Minneapolis writer Kate DiCamillo's 'Orris and Timble,' an owl and a rat are pals

Local fiction: "Lost and Found" is a sequel to "Orris and Timble: The Beginning."
Kao Kalia Yang, pictured at her home in St. Paul in 2024, is a triple winner of this year's Minnesota Book Awards, the first time that's ever happened

Star Tribune artist of the year Kao Kalia Yang wins a record three Minnesota Book Awards

Marcie Rendon and Danez Smith are among the other winners.
Lesley Manville, left, played Susan Ryeland in the TV adaptation of "Moonflower Murders,"  and Tim McMullan played Atticus Pünd. "Moonflower" author

Five books we can't wait to read in May

From western Minnesota to northern Wisconsin to murderous England, these upcoming titles have us buzzing.
photo of two men

A St. Paul teenager's fan letter led to friendship with William F. Buckley

Local nonfiction: "American Impresario" is a story of music and friendship.
Mary Taris is the owner of Strive Publishing & Bookstore in Minneapolis. It's one of dozens of stores that will be celebrating Independent Bookstore D

What's so independent about these Minnesota bookstores? Plenty.

For Independent Bookstore Day on April 26, four stores tell us what makes them tick.
photo of publisher Harry Lerner

'Unstoppable' independent Minneapolis publisher Harry Lerner dies at 93

A keen observation in a doctor's waiting room led to a company that's still thriving after more than 65 years.
Author Peter Geye, who takes inspiration from nature, walks along Minnehaha Creek with his dog Mia, near his home in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis novelist Peter Geye will discuss 'A Lesser Light' with Kerri Miller for Talking Volumes

The Duluth event, co-sponsored by MPR News and the Minnesota Star Tribune, will introduce readers to characters who manage a lighthouse on the North Shore in 1910.
photo of author Holly Kennedy

Review: A neurodivergent man tries to help solve a murder in 'The Sideways Life of Denny Voss'

Fiction: Yes, it may remind you of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time."
Shannon TL Kearns sits for a portrait Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the Star Tribune Photo Studio in Minneapolis, Minn.   ] AARON LAVINSKY• Aaron.lavinsky

Transgender man to speak about masculinity. In fact, he wrote the book on it.

Local nonfiction: Former Twin Cities resident Shannon T. L. Kearns' self-help book rethinks manhood.
F. Scott Fitzgerald in the late 1920s, from "Some Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald," by Matthew J. Bruccoli, published by Harcou

Hear 'The Great Gatsby,' every word of it, read aloud in St. Paul on Thursday, 100 years to the day since publication

There's also a Fitzgerald exhibit at the Minnesota History Center.
photo of a man and a woman holding their library passports

Minnetonka couple have Hennepin libraries' first passport. You can get one, too.

The system now has passports, inspired by Glenn and Linda Goecke's adventures. You can get them stamped at every location.
Jane Fonda, right, and Michael Douglas present the award for best director to Ang Lee, left, for "Life of Pi" during the 85th Academy Awards ceremony

Review: 12 films to see at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival

A tribute to Ang Lee, a St. Paul "Bad News Bears" and a shattering Children's Theatre doc are among the offerings.
photo of author Belinda Bauer, at seaside

Review: 'The Impossible Thing' is the can't-miss book you've been waiting for

Fiction: British writer Belinda Bauer's novel is about the cutthroat market in - wait for it - eggshells.
photo of author Jon Hickey

Mankato native Jon Hickey's book wonders what it means to be 'Indian enough'

Local fiction: "Big Chief" is set on a Wisconsin reservation, in the run-up to a tribal election.
Prince performs at a 1985 concert.

Five books we can't wait to read in April

From Prince to a romantic comedy to canoeing up north, this month's books should help us shake off snowy weather.
photo of author Claire Anderson-Wheeler, next to a body of water with trees in the background

Review: The sister of 'The Great Gatsby' solves a murder in 'The Gatsby Gambit'

Fiction: The biggest question may be, "Will anyone miss the victim?"
photo of author Jane Flett

Review: A circus comes to town in 'Freakslaw,' with violent plans

Fiction: The Scottish-set novel is about people who've been made to feel like outsiders. And who want revenge.
Let's Dance Gala emcees, myTalk 107.1's Julia Cobbs and Lori Barghini.

Former radio hosts Lori and Julia return, with bonus Lorna Landvik

The popular hosts, who retired their show last year, are hosting a bookish tea party.
photo of author James Whitfield Thomson

Review: Can a man's questions about his sister's death lead to 'A Better Ending'?

Nonfiction: After her death was officially ruled a suicide, James Whitfield Thomson becomes convinced it was murder.
photo of author Lee Martin

Review: Characters from Pulitzer Prize nominee 'The Bright Forever' return in lovely 'The Evening Shades'

Fiction: Lee Martin's small-town novel is a stunner.
photo of author Cori Doerrfeld in front of a brick wall

Bestselling Minneapolis writer wants to help kids find 'courage' in tough times

Cori Doerrfeld drew on her family's experience for her new picture book, "Nellie's Big Splash."
photo of author Dennis E. Staples

Minnesota writer Dennis E. Staples drew on casino work for new horror novel

Local fiction: A man's trip to visit friends in a northern Minnesota casino becomes a battle between good and evil.
photo of author Shannon Gibney, with bookshelves in the background

The book the entire state is reading? 'Where We Come From,' by four Minnesota writers.

It's been chosen for this spring's One Book One Minnesota.
The relentless energy of a train makes for a good setting for a novel.

Why are so many new novels set on trains?

Fiction: A trio of books lean into the romance, and danger, of the railroad.
photo of author Deanna Raybourn

Review: With menopause in their rearview mirrors, these hitwomen are licensed to kill

Fiction: Deanna Raybourn returns with a sequel to "Killers of a Certain Age."
photo of cast of a musical

Gwen Walz to discuss book with star of Bob Dylan musical 'Girl From the North Country'

Nonfiction: Todd Almond, a former student who sang at the Walzes' wedding, is the author of "Slow Train Coming."
Readers offer tips on how to get more reading into your life.

Want to read more? Star Tribune readers have great ideas

"Books beat chocolate," "carry a flood book," "you can skip parts" and other hot book takes.
Does writers' bad behavior affect how readers see their books? Bookstores are having to make some decisions. In this picture, customers shop inside Ma

What do Minnesota bookstores do when authors break bad?

From taking Neil Gaiman titles off shelves to lessening Alice Munro's presence in displays, there are a variety of responses.
A farmer and his sons battle the wind and struggle for shelter in this 1936 photo of the Dust Bowl taken in Oklahoma by Arthur Rothstein. // Dust bowl

Review: Four characters weather the Dust Bowl in 'The Antidote'

Fiction: Karen Russell's novel shifts perspectives from a child to a farmer to a witch to a photographer.
Richard Farnsworth (center) plays Alvin Straight in  "The Straight Story." Curl up with this tender story this weekend.

Need a quick fix of joy? These books and movies will make you smile.

These five books and five movies are perfect for cold, dark times.
Tanya Smith, left, will be portrayed by singer/actor Janelle Monáe in an upcoming film based on Smith's memoir.

Minneapolis fraudster (and Prince pal) sells memoir for movie starring Janelle Monáe

Tanya Smith's memoir, "Never Saw Me Coming," will be adapted by Universal Pictures.
photo of author Curtis Sittenfeld

Minneapolis writer Curtis Sittenfeld offers new short stories about 'women who are wrong'

Local fiction: "Romantic Comedy" author, who's writing her first novel set in Minnesota, offers 12 new short stories in "Show Don't Tell."
Jesse Q. Sutanto's "Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping" is one of the Minnesota Star Tribune's most-anticipated March titles.

Five books we can't wait to read in March

From sleuths in Minnesota and San Francisco to a real-life Indiana Jones.
Are the characters in "The Talent" based on Jessica Lange? Meryl Streep? Viola Davis? All are women vying for the best actress trophy.

With Oscars on the way, dishy novel offers insider look at fictional actors

Fiction: "The Talent," by a show biz reporter, goes behind the scenes of awards season.
photo of two people, one on their knees proposing to the other in a bookstore

Not all the romance in bookstores is in the books

These two couples took the next step, relationship-wise, at Red Balloon and Tropes & Trifles.
photo of two men in the '70s looking at a map

Rick Steves' life-changing memoir recalls his days 'On the Hippie Trail'

Nonfiction: The TV host and author will talk about it Feb. 17 in Hopkins.
Jane Austen's sister was protective of her legacy.

Jane Austen fans, get ready to be turned on to the books she loved

Nonfiction: "Jane Austen's Bookshelf" introduces eight female writers who helped shape her work.
Jesse Q. Sutanto, who wrote “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers” and the upcoming “Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)�

David Housewright, Sujata Massey and more authors coming to local libraries

A few big names, including Ann Napolitano and Jesse Q. Sutanto, will appear at virtual events.
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Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and friends solve a real mystery

Fiction: A nurse's unsolved murder gives them a chance to prove their skills.
Kristin Hannah Photo by Kevin Lynch

Who are the authors Twin Cities area readers can't get enough of?

Whether your library is in St. Paul, Minneapolis or Chaska, there's a pretty good chance you were reading Kristin Hannah's latest.
photo of author Callan Wink, with a mountain in the background

Review: Brothers take on a dangerous mission in adventure novel 'Beartooth'

Fiction: Callan Wink's spare, Montana-set book earns comparison to "A Simple Plan."
Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis sold 1,700 copies of the deluxe (and signed) edition of Rebecca Yarros' "Onyx Storm" during an author event at O’Shaug

Minnesota booksellers are thrilled about the title bringing 'Harry Potter' readers back

Rebecca Yarros' "Onyx Storm" has only been out a couple of weeks but it's already a blockbuster.
photo of author Nickolas Butler, standing in a field

Inspiration struck novelist Nickolas Butler while he did a puzzle in a Wisconsin bar

Local fiction: Did you hear the one about the guy who was sipping a beverage when he overheard an idea for his new novel, "A Forty Year Kiss"?
photo of author Margie Sarsfield

Review: Woman on Minnesota beet farm may be turning into a beet in new novel

Local fiction: Wild "Beta Vulgaris" features a character losing her grip on reality while toiling at a numbing job.
photo of author Josh Moehling, near a window

Golden Valley mystery writer is living his childhood dream

Local fiction: Joshua Moehling, whose new novel is "A Long Time Gone," just gave up his day job.
photo of author Curtis Sittenfeld

Five books we can't wait to read in February

From lumberjacks to mystery writers to NSYNC, these are the titles we're eager to get a hold of.
photo of author Elinor Lipman

Review: Latest Elinor Lipman comic novel is here to brighten your mood

Fiction: "Every Tom, Dick and Harry" is about a woman conducting an estate sale. At a bordello.
photo of author Alex Hay

A Victorian con woman schemes for money and love in zesty novel. She's not the only one.

Fiction: Ladies who swindle are all over the place in a batch of recent novels about Victorians' fascination with spiritualism and the women who capitalized on it.
FILE - In this file photo from the 1920s, American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald poses for a portrait.

St. Paul kicks off yearlong celebration of 100 years of 'The Great Gatsby'

F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece will be performed, read in its entirety, placed in context and more in a year of events.
photo of author Heather Bouwman

St. Paul writer Heather Bouwman's 'Scattergood' hits shelves, two decades after she started it

Local fiction: Set in 1940s Iowa, it's about two girls dealing with the ramifications of war and a tragedy closer to home.
photo of author Lee Hawkins

Writer Lee Hawkins connects abusive childhood in Maplewood to the Jim Crow South and slavery

Local nonfiction: The Pulitzer Prize finalist looked to the past to find a way forward.
photo of author Scott Turow

Review: Sequel to 'Presumed Innocent' is more like Harrison Ford film than Jake Gyllenhaal series

Fiction: Scott Turow's new legal thriller sticks with his own timeline.
illustration of customers at a barber shop

If you want to know what Black men think, head to the barbershop, says Plymouth writer's book

Local fiction: Keenan Jones used his childhood shop, as well as his current one in Brooklyn Park, for inspiration.
photo of author Anita Desai

Review: A woman realizes her late mother is a mystery to her in tantalizing 'Rosarita'

Fiction: The latest from three-time Booker Prize nominee Anita Desai sends its narrator on a quest.
cover of Beautiful Ugly depicts an island in a stormy sea

Five of the hottest books we can't wait to read in January

A centuries-old unsolved murder, the return of Zora Neale Hurston and one really big truffle top our list.
Kao Kalia Yang, shown at her home in St. Paul, is the Minnesota Star Tribune's 2024 artist of the year.

Our Artist of the Year wrote four books this year (and found time to root for the Wolves)

St. Paul writer Kao Kalia Yang has won four Minnesota Book Awards and was recognized by the Guggenheim Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts.
Wondering what our books editor read this year? Here's a start...

Our books editor, who reads 150 of 'em a year, has some thoughts on getting more reading in your life.

The best tip if you want to up your reading game: ABR. Always Be Reading.
photo of two men standing by a tree on a snowy day

Love both trees and poetry? Has south Minneapolis got a place for you!

Passers-by can leave their thoughts and take off with someone else's at the Little Free Poet Tree.
Lyndsay Faye Author Photo by Gabriel Lenher

Review: In new collection, a book store attracts the wrong kind of customers — the murdering kind

Fiction: Jeffrey Deaver, Laura Lippman and others contribute 12 tales of holiday mayhem.
photo of Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan, in an early recording session

Review: Timothee Chalamet's performance as Bob Dylan in 'A Complete Unknown' sings, but movie hits some flat notes

Inspired by Elijah Wald's book, "Dylan Goes Electric," the Dec. 25 release feels too much like other biopics.
photo depicts a man holding a baby

Meet the St. Louis Park widower who wrote a picture book to tell his grandchildren about their late grandma

"Christmas Sun" suggests a way to remember loved ones who are no longer with us at the holidays.
Ann Patchett

So you say you're bummed there was no new Ann Patchett novel this year? We have ideas...

We think these are recent books a Patchett fan will love.
Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger's CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 A

This fall's book-to-movie adaptations range from great to Tom Hanks

"Conclave," "The Wild Robot" and "Nickel Boys" prove fine books can inspire terrific films. But that's not always the case.
Timothée Chalamet poses for photos with fans at the Main Cinema in Minneapolis. Chalamet was attending a screening of his new film, “A Complete Unk

Timothée Chalamet came to Minnesota to study Bob Dylan and 'loved, loved' it

The Oscar-nominated actor returned to appear at a Minneapolis screening Thursday, promoting the Dec. 25 release of "A Complete Unknown."
Taylor Swift performs during opening night of the Chicago Eras Tour at Soldier Field on June 2, 2023, in Chicago.

It's Taylor Swift's world and we're just living in it

Nonfiction: The essays in "Heartbreak Is the National Anthem" make a case for her excellence, not just as artist but as a person.
photo of author John Brandon

Hamline University Prof. John Brandon whisks readers to sunny Florida for a noir caper

Local fiction: The Hugo resident says he doesn't fret too much about reviews, or about how his books are going to end.
photo of author Danez Smith

Minneapolis' Danez Smith looks to Langston Hughes and Andre 3000 in trying to write one great poem

Local poetry: Smith will discuss their collection "Bluff" and a new compilation of Hughes' work in St. Paul.
Author Niall Williams at home in Kiltumper, Kilmihil, Co. Clare, Ireland. Photograph by John Kelly.

Review: 'Time of the Child,' set in Ireland, is one of the year's finest novels

Fiction: An abandoned infant drives the beguiling story of a doctor and his adult daughter.
photo of author/botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer

The latest from 'Braiding Sweetgrass' writer Robin Wall Kimmerer reminds us we owe nature a lot

Nonfiction: "The Serviceberry" is about nurturing, and giving back to, our world.
Holly Weinkauf, owner of Red Balloon Bookshop, hangs up holiday stars inside the store on Grand Ave. in St. Paul, Minn. on Wednesday, Nov. 06, 2024.

40 must-reads from staffers at Red Balloon, as it throws itself (and you) a 40th birthday party

Employees went beyond time-honored classics to suggest more recent titles you may have missed.
photo of author Christina Lynch with a pony

'Pony Confidential' is 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' with a horse instead of an octopus

Fiction: The novel is narrated by a pony, trying to reunite with a beloved former owner.
illustration of George Floyd from picture book We Miss You George Floyd

What should kids know about George Floyd's murder? Minneapolis author answers with moving picture book.

Local nonfiction: Shannon Gibney hopes "We Miss You" will start conversations.
photo of author Michael Connelly

Will 'Bosch' and 'The Lincoln Lawyer' writer Michael Connelly kill off his detective hero?

Fiction: In his new "The Waiting," Bosch and Renee Ballard take on a big, real-life mystery, the Black Dahlia murder.
photo of Julie Marie Wade with Mary Tyler Moore statue

Meet the professor who measures her life against 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'

The author of "The Mary Years" will discuss her book in December in Minneapolis.
Polyamory, the potential to be in love with more than one person at a time, is the subject of romance-themed "Open Minded," a novel due Nov. 12.

Five of the hottest books we can't wait to read in November

A novel with "movie adaptation" written all over it, Ben Franklin, polyamory and cookies top our list.