New in Paperback: ‘How Beautiful We Were’ and ‘The Cult of We’
Six new paperbacks to check out this week.
Westerners Who Supported Indian Independence
Ramachandra Guha’s “Rebels Against the Raj” recounts the lives of seven outsiders who sided with Indian nationalists against the British.
Funny Genre-Bending Fiction From the Creators of ‘Dragons Love Tacos’ and the ‘Spy School’ Series
Adam Rubin’s “The Ice Cream Machine” dishes on short story collections, Stuart Gibbs’s “Once Upon a Tim” on knightly adventure.
8 New Books We Recommend This Week
Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.
Are we ready for COVID-19 as a central theme in literature?
Reading about plagues or COVID-19 over the last two years was not an entertaining idea for many. But the pandemic has had an impact on literature — and people may be ready for it to enter the canon.
(Image credit: Meghan Collins Sullivan/NPR)
New Crime and Mystery Novels
In Valerie Wilson Wesley’s new novel, “A Fatal Glow,” a Realtor-turned-caterer investigates the death of an exceedingly unpleasant businessman.
Lisa Gardner, the Thriller Writer Who Loves Historical Romance
“Witty dialogue, great characters, steamy sex. What’s not to like?”
From Thriller to Fantasy to Horror, the Genre Series Is the Cash Cow
All six of the novels that have entered the best-seller list this week are continuations of stories or characters readers have encountered before.
'The Paradox Hotel' is a mashup of sci-fi and crime fiction
Rob Hart delivers a story in which time is broken — and some crucial events that have a huge impact on the present haven't happened yet.
(Image credit: Ballantine Books )
With a nod to 'Lolita,' 'Vladímír' makes a sly statement about sex and power
Julia May Jonas' debut novel centers around a women's lit professor whose feminist credentials are jeopardized because of her husband's bad behavior — and by her own relationship with a colleague.
(Image credit: Simon & Schuster)
Seek You: A Journey through American Loneliness
UnCovered review by Marina Smolens, ACLS Brigantine Branch
Kristen Radtke’s Seek
You is a much-needed meditation on the evolution of
loneliness in America and what it could mean for us. Scientific research, as
well as personal anecdotes, come together in an alchemical blend to create an
engaging reading experience that speaks to something we all know on an intimate
level, prior to the pandemic but maybe even more so after its effects: the
feeling of being isolated. From the lone cowboy of the Wild West to online
chatrooms to the cuddle industry to Harry Harlow’s tortured monkeys, Radtke takes
us on a journey through American loneliness and brings to light pertinent
questions of our time. Is technology bringing us closer or further apart? Is
loneliness inherent to the human condition? How does it affect our health? And
how can we make the distance between us feel less vast? The very existence of
this book answers the last question at least. Sharing your story and the
stories of others has always been a way for us to reach out across the void.
Knowing your experience is not local to you, but something that is shared among
many of us, can help bring the world in a little closer. This book is like a
friendly wink from a stranger, acknowledging you are a real human being who
deserves to be seen.
The book is written in the style of a graphic novel, so, not only is it stimulating to the mind, but also to the eye. The illustrations are fun and bring life to the words, providing an even bigger impact. This is a book you can read in one sitting and come back to again and again, like the gentle squeeze of a friend’s hand reminding you they are still there.
'Scoundrel' examines how and why a convicted killer went free
Sarah Weinman's book excels as an in-depth exploration of how outside influence and support can affect the criminal justice system — and as the narrative of a con artist who hurt a lot of people.
(Image credit: Ecco)
How Donald Trump Captured the Republican Party
As Jeremy W. Peters tells us in “Insurgency,” when Steve Bannon first heard Trump speak, he thought of Hitler — and that was a compliment.
The Varieties of Chinese Repression
Three new books report on the ways the Chinese government controls its own people.
Roddy Doyle’s Stories of Life in Lockdown
“Life Without Children,” Doyle’s latest collection, reflects on a period of isolation and confinement.
Peering Into the Brutal, Beautiful World of Tide Pools
In “Life Between the Tides,” Adam Nicolson studies the creatures that exist where the ocean meets the land.
How Much Power Does the Federal Reserve Have?
Christopher Leonard’s “The Lords of Easy Money” examines the role of the Federal Reserve in fostering inequality in America.
God, Art and Death in the Same (Very Long) Sentence
Jon Fosse’s “Septology” is an extraordinary series of novels tracking an aging artist’s reckoning with the divine.
How a Death-Row Inmate’s Embrace of Conservatism Led to His Release
In “Scoundrel,” Sarah Weinman examines the right-wing support network that helped free Edgar Smith from prison until he struck again.
‘Watergate: A New History,’ by Garrett M. Graff: An Excerpt
An excerpt from “Watergate: A New History,” by Garrett M. Graff
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