Books
Riveting Stories About Restless Wanderers
Chris Power’s debut collection, Mothers, reveals that maternity is an unsettling journey.
A new collection of essays attempts to lend some objective shape to a timeless-seeming challenge: the ongoing balance of voice and form.
A Book That Honors an Underrated Sport
The Circuit, Rowan Ricardo Phillips’s latest book, deftly chronicles tennis’s 2017 season with a joyful reverence.
The Haunting Last Letters of Sylvia Plath
As tragedy approaches, she is stricken, broken—and at the height of her artistic powers.
John Leguizamo’s Required Reading for America
Inspired by his one-man show, Latin History for Morons, the comedian recommends three books that challenge one-sided narratives of the past.
The Untold Labor That Helped Make Charlie Chaplin’s Film Scores
A new book shows that many of the director’s musical achievements were the result of unrecognized collaboration.
Jeff Tweedy Says It’s Okay to Be Okay
In a new memoir and solo album, the Wilco bandleader supplants the “tortured artist” trope with the universality of suffering.
The Tragedy of Electronic Music
Future Sounds, a new book on the history of machine-made pop and classical songs, suggests that the radical power of the synthetic has largely been forgotten.
Yukiko Motoya’s Surreal World of Alienated Characters
The unsettling stories in The Lonesome Bodybuilder are deeply preoccupied with the yawning disconnect between people.
The Strange Pathos of the Turkey in Madame Bovary
For one writer, Gustave Flaubert’s tragic masterpiece has an offbeat and deeply poignant connection to Thanksgiving.
The Misremembering of Robert Graves
Good-bye to All That is arguably the war veteran and literary stalwart’s best work, but a new biography ignores its impact.
An Open Letter to Elena Ferrante—Whoever You Are
The pseudonymous author has said all along that her identity lies in her writing. I’ve followed the literary clues. Here’s where they’ve led me.
One of the Best Fantasy Novels Ever Is Nothing Like The Lord of the Rings
In The Last Unicorn, there are no maps, invented languages, or epic battles. But the 1968 tale has a timely message about the importance of reality over magic.
Isabel Allende’s Unconventional Advice for Finding Writing Inspiration
At Wednesday’s National Book Awards ceremony, the Chilean American novelist demystified the creative process with warm candor.
The Closest of All Possible Encounters
John Wray describes how a wilderness survival guide taught him to face his fears while completing his most challenging book yet.
Karina Longworth Makes Old Hollywood New
The writer and critic has found a cult following with her podcast, You Must Remember This, unpacking the myths to show age-old stories and stars in a new light.
What the November 13 Attacks Taught Paris
For years, deadly terrorist strikes in France were widely treated as isolated incidents. That changed forever in 2015.
The Uncommon, Requisite Resolve of Michelle Obama
The former first lady’s new memoir is notable for the revealing glimpses it offers into private moments of fear and frustration.
Stan Lee Was Synonymous With American Superhero Comics
The industry legend, who created beloved Marvel characters like the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, died at the age of 95.
The One Direction Fan-Fiction Novel That Became a Literary Sensation
Anna Todd started writing her first book, After, on her phone. Five years later, her stories are making millions of dollars around the world.