The formidable novelist and philosopher, who died in 1999, thought her poetry was mediocre. It’s not.
Gurnaik Johal follows seven characters in interconnected narratives about climate change and the rise of authoritarianism.
Wil Haygood’s “The War Within a War” is a rare, illuminating look at the way the war shaped the struggle for equality back home.
Two editors and an opinion writer from Jimmy Lai’s now-shuttered newspaper were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, a significant escalation in media prosecution in the once freewheeling city.
As usual, Lionel Shriver sets out to puncture pieties, but “A Better Life” feels full of easy targets.
The romance industry, always at the vanguard of technological change, is rapidly adapting to A.I. Not everyone is on board.
The author, who brought Japanese literature into the global mainstream, grapples with aging and his place in the world of letters.
Growing up in a family of secrets, on a compound designed by her great-grandfather, made her a writer who investigated the built world with a wary eye.
He caused an uproar by challenging the heroic status of Robert Falcon Scott, the Briton who led a doomed quest to the South Pole in 1912.
In her new novel in stories, “This Is Not About Us,” Allegra Goodman traces the small but vivid dramas of one sprawling Jewish family.
In his new novel, Jonathan Miles considers the complicated ethics and logistics of eliminating an invasive species.
Video games are big business, and the company behind Mario, Zelda and Pokémon may be the most important player, says the author of a new corporate history.
Our books reporter Elizabeth A. Harris explores the disappearance of mass market paperbacks — and talks with Stephen King about what paperbacks have meant to him.
Thirteen recommendations for fans of the Smile series.
The mass market paperback, light in the hand and on the wallet, once filled airport bookstores and supermarket media aisles. You may never buy a new one again.
A political reporter at The Washington Post, she also wrote “Long Time Passing,” about the Vietnam War’s social, political and psychological aftereffects.
Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.
Her novels reveal a deeply American desire for freedom and adventure, and one of her work’s great joys lies in always finding something new to discover. Here’s where to start.
Glamour, silence and a very big hat.
In “A Killing in Cannabis,” Scott Eden tells the story of a man who tried to straddle the lines between the legal and black-market cannabis worlds, with deadly consequences.
“I love to fall asleep with a book nearby,” says the “Autobiography of Cotton” author. “Dreaming and reading merge in beautiful, uncompromising ways.”
The best-selling author Hannah Bonam-Young recommends swoon-worthy love stories with spicy beginnings.
A recent production of “Othello” proves that small creative flowers can grow between the dreary slabs of cultural concrete laid by the Communist Party.
A number of potential presidential candidates are releasing memoirs as the shadow primary heats up.
Catherine and Heathcliff are returning to the screen, but their passion burns brightest in a handful of sentences from Emily Brontë’s novel.
In “Bernie for Burlington,” Dan Chiasson’s affection for his subject risks turning history into a sales pitch.
In “The Family Snitch,” the reporter Francesca Fontana delves into her father’s criminal history — and their complicated, painful relationship.
Larry Levis’s work, gathered in the expansive new book “Swirl & Vortex,” was equally concerned with the soul and the void.
The pioneering photographer André Kertész is the subject of a new book by Patricia Albers.
A prolific writer and lecturer, he viewed U.S. history through the lens of class struggle. But some accused him of defending brutal regimes in the Soviet Union and Serbia.
“A Reddit for A.I.” social media platform has taken the internet by storm. But we’re not having the right conversations about it.
Our critic annotates the barbed wordplay of a decision challenging the Trump administration’s theory of executive power.
The death of an Afghan American teenager exposes the limits of assimilation and acceptance in Patmeena Sabit’s panoramic novel, “Good People.”
Priya Parker, the author of “The Art of Gathering,” shares her advice for orchestrating more meaningful gatherings and why that matters for our civic life, as well as our social lives.
Paying homage to the long-dead Transcendentalist, some people are building full-scale replicas of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden cabin.
Daniel Poppick’s novel, “The Copywriter,” peeks into a writer’s journal as he navigates his everyday life and a tumultuous period in American history.
Five women reckon with the joys, struggles and shifting priorities of adulthood in Emily Nemens’s new novel, “Clutch.”
His New Federal Theater in New York provided a rare stage for Black playwrights and emerging actors, among them Denzel Washington, Phylicia Rashad and Chadwick Boseman.
Test your knowledge of both popular thrillers and U.S. geography with this short quiz.
In his new book, the writer goes deep on a sport that dominates American cultural life — but possibly not for long.
La nueva novela de Saunders sitúa a un poderoso magnate petrolero frente a un ángel, en una historia que privilegia el consuelo sobre la complejidad.
It’s been described as embarrassing, clichéd or “unhelpful singsong.” Many poets dislike it too, but it’s a style they’ve learned from each other.
Mehdi Mahmoudian, co-writer of “It Was Just an Accident,” was one of several people detained after signing a letter objecting to the crackdown on protests.
A storyteller of modern America’s underbelly with a literary, ruminative style, he inspired a Ryan Gosling movie and earned critical acclaim.
Spurning the free verse of many of his contemporaries, he held to an older tradition. He also wrote spirited poems for children.
His introspective memoir tries to challenge the conventional wisdom about his upbringing, explores his marriages and airs a little dirty laundry — but says relatively little about politics.
Mr. Newsom, the California governor and a potential presidential candidate, writes that the privileged caricature of his background is mistaken.
In the slyly charming “The End of Romance,” Lily Meyer puts a graduate student with big ideas about love and autonomy to the personal test.
Let’s talk about the new and old shows we’ll be watching this winter.
Our columnist on three excellent, twisty new novels.
“Superfan,” by Jenny Tinghui Zhang, explores the parallel struggles of a K-Pop-inspired star and the lonely college student who adores him.
A Disney fan who once “flew” off his couch as a 4-year-old Peter Pan, he was a co-director of the animated film and a co-writer of the Broadway musical, both of them megahits.
In this debut novel, set in 1700s England, five sisters are rumored to turn into a pack of dogs.
In February, the Book Review Book Club will read and discuss Emily Brontë’s Gothic story of love and revenge.
In “The Oak and the Larch,” Sophie Pinkham examines a vast history and culture through the branches of its ancient trees.
In his long-awaited follow-up to “We Are the Ship,” Kadir Nelson paints people, places and endeavors relegated to oblivion’s sidelines back onto the hardwood.
An appellate court ruled that the firing of the former assistant principal of an elementary school in Mississippi in 2022 had been “arbitrary and capricious.”
Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.
The intellectual property of Will Eisner, who gives his name to the most prestigious award in American comics, is up for sale.
La visión del mundo de los magos es ingenua.
To prepare for Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation, readers are seeking out Emily Brontë’s Gothic novel — and the “unhinged gossip” it contains.
Previously unpublished Toni Morrison; fiction by Tayari Jones, Lauren Groff and Mario Vargas Llosa; Gavin Newsom’s memoir; and more.
These unforgettable thrillers set in remote locations will make you think twice about where to vacation this year.
Politically pointed and heavy on his Jewish faith, the book already has Democrats talking.
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s poetry, performance and films inspired generations of artists. Never forgotten after her murder, a new exhibition sheds light on her legacy.
Two new books delve into our primal desire to feel valued and worthy of attention.
Our columnist on four standout new releases.
Nearly half a century before “Heated Rivalry” skated its way to screens, a budding literary talent pseudonymously published some sporty smut of his own.
In “Hated by All the Right People,” the journalist Jason Zengerle looks at the conservative pundit’s many transformations.
In his “Island at the Edge of the World,” the British archaeologist Mike Pitts delves into the misconceptions and legends surrounding a complex ancient culture.
In “Until the Last Gun Is Silent,” Matthew F. Delmont shows how the conflict consumed a civil rights leader and tore a soldier apart.
As you consider last week’s nominations for the Academy Awards, test your knowledge of works that inspired previous winners with this short quiz.
In “Vigil,” an oil tycoon on his deathbed receives a visit from an angel.
The wizarding worldview is naïve.
An artist knocked off her path by a manipulative professor is at the center of Larissa Pham’s spare and troubling new book, “Discipline.”
She was known for her lavish parties and her marriage to one of the richest men in San Francisco. After he left her, she found a new purpose: visiting world leaders to plead for peace.
En 1961, el autor dedicó un ejemplar de ‘El viejo y el mar’ a sor Inmaculada, una enfermera que lo atendió en la Clínica Mayo. El libro se donará al Museo Nobel.
Our critic on four excellent new novels.
The pop culture critic discusses his new book about the sport and its place in American culture.
In 1961, the author inscribed a book for the sister, a nurse who cared for him at the Mayo Clinic. Her copy of “The Old Man and the Sea” is being donated to the Nobel Museum.
The author Janie Chang recommends novels about people who push back against the expectations of their time.
Like the flakes themselves, no two are the same.
After teaching herself to knit, she invented and cataloged stitch patterns, publishing seven foundational books that sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.
In “The Typewriter and the Guillotine,” Mark Braude takes on the intersection of Janet Flanner’s career and a lurid murder case.
“I’ve thought more about men who saw combat in World War I,’’ he says, “and have eased up on a few of the characters.” His new novel is about 20th-century labor strife.
A Brookings Institution scholar, he advised presidents and wrote books on the media (assessing reporters in one) and government (including a study of beleaguered press officers).
Hollywood used to be vexed by political debates. These days it turns both sides into frothy, cartoonish entertainment.
Our columnist read “The Everlasting” too late to put it on her Best of 2025 list. She’s sorry!
Two new books trace an arc from the notorious Bernie Goetz case to the spread of vigilantism today.
Fantasy epics, pastoral classics and family dramas provide something to sink your teeth into on cold evenings.
Renowned in his field, he counted among his clients five Nobel laureates, including Elie Wiesel, and eight Pulitzer winners as well as the estates of Tennessee Williams and Aldous Huxley.
See how many novels you can connect with phrases from the plays of William Shakespeare.
In “Two Women Living Together,” the authors reflect on the joys of platonic cohabitation.
Two new books return to the ’80s-era saga of Bernie Goetz to consider the 21st-century intersections of race, crime and sensationalism.
In “The Flower Bearers,” Rachel Eliza Griffiths addresses her starry, tragedy-marred marriage but also a life steeped in art, poetry and deep friendships.
In Emanuela Anechoum’s novel, “Tangerinn,” an Italian Moroccan woman examines her family’s legacy of immigration, and tries to find a place in the world.
“Eating Ashes,” by Brenda Navarro, dispenses with familiar portrayals of mourning in a tale of migration, loss and memory.
In her debut, Angela Tomaski puts a quirky spin on Gothic storytelling.
Julian Barnes writes about illness and love in “Departure(s),” which he claims is his last novel.
At the request of Thompson’s widow, the Colorado authorities are re-examining his death. “The whole Hunter world is buzzing,” a lawyer said.
In “Nothing Random,” her rousing biography of Bennett Cerf, Gayle Feldman conjures an era when a glamorous publishing figure could be a household name.
Jennette McCurdy follows “I’m Glad My Mom Died” with “Half His Age,” a debut novel that confirms her gift as a chronicler of disaffected girlhood.
For one writer, the story of a Washington man keeping an old craft alive struck something personal.
The author of the memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died” hopes her debut novel, about a teen’s sexual relationship with her teacher, will make readers uncomfortable.
Gabriel Tallent’s new book, “Crux,” is a rowdy and poignant novel about two high school seniors trying to transcend the hard circumstances of their lives.
In her new book, Jeanette Winterson attempts to frame modern-day issues within a classic storytelling text.
Even as some instructors remain fervently opposed to chatbots, other writing and English professors are trying to improve them.
Three Book Review editors on what titles they’re most excited about this winter.
William Blake’s “The Clod & the Pebble” is a dialogue on tenderness and cruelty in three short stanzas. Read it with our critic A.O. Scott, and then play a game to memorize it.
When the writer Lamorna Ash set out to explore young people’s relationship to faith and religion, she found herself questioning her own.
Steamy love stories starring athletes and top-notch yearners will tide you over until your next trip to the cottage.
Born into exceptional privilege, Belle Burden had it all: love, money, family. Then her marriage fell apart.
The author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series shares a handful of titles that have helped shape his sense of humor.
In a new book, Nicolas Niarchos traces the mineral supply chain for lithium-ion batteries, exposing their considerable human and environmental costs.
Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.
How a simple catchphrase sums up the president’s theory of executive power.
Jung Chang’s 1991 memoir, “Wild Swans,” sold millions. Its follow-up delves further into a complex personal and political history.
“It’s my comfort book,” she says of the comic novel about a busted marriage. Her own new thriller is a sequel to “The Last Thing He Told Me.”
In decades of correspondence, the author gave her friend, JoBeth McDaniel, a mix of opinions, advice on writing and insight into the impact of the Civil Rights movement.
“Call Me Ishmaelle,” by Xiaolu Guo, audaciously revises Herman Melville’s American classic.
Several of the past year’s films center on confused, bumbling protagonists — surrounded by women who are anything but.
A complicated mother-son relationship reaches a turning point in this coming-of-age novel.
Senator John Kennedy, a garrulous rank-and-file Republican from Louisiana, has struck a nerve with a new book that provides an insider account of Congress and its dysfunction.
Organizers said her presence was not “culturally sensitive” after a mass shooting that targeted Jewish Australians. Nearly 200 other writers withdrew in protest.
A semi-estranged midlife couple and their three precocious daughters form the center of Madeline Cash’s satirical novel, “Lost Lambs.”
The fourth novel in his Morning Star series follows an ambitious young photographer in 1985 London.
In a new book, C. Thi Nguyen looks to his personal passions — from video games to yo-yoing — to illuminate the downside of our increasingly gamified world.
The Norwegian writer is known for his sprawling, brutally candid autofiction and speculative epics. Here’s where to start.
“Miracle Children” details how a Louisiana school exploited the demand for stories of Black trauma.
Responses to an essay by Roger Rosenblatt about keeping and tossing old books. Also: A.I. and human identity; new heights for Stephen Colbert.
Ancient legends from thousands of years ago often find fresh audiences in new books. Test your memory of recent titles with this short quiz.
In “Catapult,” an impulsive project between two friends leads to reflections on human nature and conflict.
In “The Revolutionists,” the Guardian journalist Jason Burke explores how leftist militants gave way to Islamist ones in the Middle East.
He saw the origins of modern America in the years between 1815 and 1848, when revolutions in technology and media transformed a nation of isolated farms.
His 1968 book, “Chariots of the Gods,” sold hundreds of thousands of copies, but one critic called it a “warped parody of reasoning.”
Sara Levine’s “The Hitch” is a winningly zany portrait of a know-it-all whose beliefs are tested by a supernatural intrusion at a family visit.
Born into exceptional privilege, Belle Burden had it all: love, money, family. Then her marriage fell apart.
Belle Burden shook off her natural reserve to turn her viral divorce essay into “Strangers,” a bracing memoir.
If you’re a writer or filmmaker hoping to create a hell on earth, might as well start with the most famous city in the world.
That’s often not been the case in recent years.
An interim U.S. attorney is demanding information about the selection of research articles and the role of N.I.H. Experts worry this will have a chilling effect on publications.
In “Air-Borne,” his detailed and gripping account of aerobiology, Carl Zimmer uncovers the mysteries filling our lungs.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer talks about burnout from covering the pandemic and how bird-watching gave him a new sense of hope.
Why invoking a public health crisis too often can lead society astray.
In his memoir, “Unleashed,” the former prime minister is “optimistic” about the possibility that Donald J. Trump could regain the White House.
El libro del periodista Bob Woodward también relata que Donald Trump envió en secreto a Vladimir Putin lo que entonces eran raras máquinas de prueba COVID-19 para uso personal del líder ruso.
The journalist Bob Woodward cited an unnamed aide saying that Donald J. Trump had spoken to Vladimir V. Putin as many as seven times since leaving office. Multiple sources say they cannot confirm that report.
After our series on how artists have been affected by loss, we asked readers what helped them when they experienced it. These are 15 of their answers.
The justice talks about everything from his indictment of the regulatory state to the rights of Native Americans.