Books in brief: A critical roundup of recent releases

White Holes, Inside the Horizon by Carlo Rovelli, tr Simon Carnell (Allen Lane, £14.99)

There is a natural human yearning to understand the universe that is matched only by the dread of discovering that its “ways” exist far beyond the boundary of human perception. In this concise book Carlo Rovelli does not appease but drives this pathological hunger. His proposition? Black holes eventually become white holes where everything that was drawn into the event horizon emerges again. White holes are, in essence, black holes with time reversed. To substantiate his claims, the author draws on theories of relativity and quantum mechanics, made accessible through Dantean quotes and the romantic verve capable only of an Italian theoretical physicist. Whether the author’s hypothesis will in time become evidenced, this book is undoubtedly a feat in triumphing cosmic wonder. Brigid O’Dea

Bad Taste: Or the Politics of Ugliness by Nathalie Olah (Dialogue Books, €20.99)

From Marie Kondo to Bear Grylls and from The Sopranos to Love Island, Nathalie Olah explores the relationship between taste and social class and how this shapes our perspectives and politics. Forensically dissecting the likes of fashion, beauty and leisure, its overarching thesis is that our preoccupation with taste promotes various rigid, harmful “prejudices”. Food culture, Olah contends, epitomises these tendencies, with celebrity chefs attributing diet to good taste while ignoring the role of systemic failures. The pronounced anti-capitalist lens can skew the book’s interpretations, but typically its drumbeat is zingy arguments delivered in a punchy style. Unlike most criticism, it draws on personal experience – such as how Pedro Almodóvar’s films recalibrated Olah’s relationship with her body – that frames its ideas with a revealing context. Brendan Daly

Super Pets and Me by Noel Fitzpatrick, illustrated by Emily Fox (Wren & Rook, £12.99)

A tortoise with bionic legs. A cow stitched with the buttons of a farmer’s Sunday coat. A lizard with a failing dewlap wobble. In this illustrated book, aimed at a young audience, Fitzpatrick recounts tales of his veterinary life. The renowned Irish-born SuperVet, as featured on Channel4, draws from deep knowledge, intuition and high-tech equipment to treat animal diseases and injuries. His practice has drawn a portion of controversy for the extent of his medical intervention to prolong the lives of animals. While there is an important place in our world for champions working to inspire young people to respect and care for our kin species, the tone feels a little too sincere and instructive to me. A touch of irreverence wouldn’t go amiss! Brigid O’Dea