Books
‘A Work of Art Designed by the Devil’
Dispatched by Life magazine to cover the Apollo 11 mission, Norman Mailer saw the lunar landing not as a triumph for mankind but as evidence of our hubris.
The New Science of Building Baseball Superstars
“Sabermetrics” changed the national pastime. Now another technological revolution is transforming the game, for good or ill.
Two Novels That Make Mental Illness Legible
Juliet the Maniac and Rabbits for Food use split perspectives and fractured timelines to illustrate how some disorders can threaten a person’s sense of self.
The Books Briefing: Social Media for Bibliophiles
Your weekly guide to the best in books
The End of the Age of Paternity Secrets
A historian of fatherhood wonders whether the rapid embrace of consumer DNA testing will be seen as a positive development in the future.
A Moby-Dick–Inspired Memoir of Menopause
On a quest to make sense of what was happening to her body, the author Darcey Steinke sought guidance from female killer whales.
The Joy of Writing a Book With My Dad
For much of my life, he has told me we should work on a book together. When we finally did, it was more rewarding than I could have imagined.
The Books Briefing: Books From Our Fathers
Your weekly guide to the best in books
Burrow far below the planet’s surface, and even there, humanity has left its imprint.
Inside the Head of an Aging Serial Killer
A new story collection from Kim Young-ha complicates the trope of the relatable murderer and, in the process, puts the reader in a quandary.
Stories That Ask Whether Humans and Nature Were Always Incompatible
Karen Russell’s latest collection meditates on anxieties about mankind’s place in the world.
Doublethink Is Stronger Than Orwell Imagined
What 1984 means today
Elizabeth Winkler’s inquiry into Emilia Bassano’s possible role in the creation of Shakespeare’s work has prompted interest, enthusiasm, and dissent. Five responses expand the discussion.
Shakespeare Didn’t Write Alone
In step with the professional customs of his time, the bard collaborated with other playwrights throughout his career.
The Hidden Women Writers of the Elizabethan Theater
In Shakespeare’s time, women were actively engaged in the theater business—and their roles may well have extended to writing plays.
Shakespeare Wrote Insightfully About Women. That Doesn’t Mean He Was One.
To speculate about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays is to pursue conspiracy theories—and in this case, to obscure a sea change in how directors, actors, and audiences understand his depiction of women.
Keep Questioning Shakespeare’s Identity
Debating the authorship of the bard’s plays can only expand appreciation for his work, a Shakespearean actor writes.
The Logical Gymnastics of Shakespeare Biography
The lack of information about the playwright’s private life makes it hard to dispute or even describe his identity. But people keep trying anyway.
The Books Briefing: The Coming-of-Age of Queer Literature in America
Your weekly guide to the best in books
A Novel That Weighs the Costs of Love and Motherhood
In Patsy, Nicole Dennis-Benn wrestles with the conflicting demands of family and autonomy for an undocumented woman in New York City.