Nonfiction: Are More and More People Working Meaningless Jobs?
In “Bull__ Jobs,” the anthropologist David Graeber argues that technological advances have led to people working more, not fewer, hours at useless jobs.
An Academic Adventure Goes Awry In 'Confessions Of The Fox'
Jordy Rosenberg's novel follows a professor who acquires the autobiographical "confessions" of legendary thief Jack Sheppard, and tries to add some academic footnotes — but things don't go to plan.
(Image credit: Samantha Clark/NPR)
New & Noteworthy
A selection of books published this week; plus, a peek at what our colleagues around the newsroom are reading.
Nonfiction: Gerald Ford, President Nice Guy
Donald Rumsfeld’s “When the Center Held” is a sympathetic portrait of the man who pardoned Richard Nixon.
Nonfiction: Deep Below Rockefeller Center Lies a Legendary Botanical Garden
In “American Eden,” Victoria Johnson unearths the story of David Hosack, doctor and friend to both Hamilton and Burr, who gave botany a place in early America.
The Shortlist: How Elastic Is Your Brain?
Three new books try to complicate our understanding of the brain — what it does, biologically, and how capable it is of changing.
Front Burner: A Glimpse Into Parisian Dining Life
“Paris à Table” is a new translation of an 1846 book by the journalist Eugène Briffault.
Newsbook: 3 Books Explain Why the Supreme Court’s Stance on Gerrymandering Matters
It’s an issue of race, power and politics.
Fiction: Surviving AIDS, but at What Cost?
Rebecca Makkai’s novel “The Great Believers” ricochets between an era when AIDS was a death sentence and the present, when its shadow still looms.
Nonfiction: Must Science Conflict With Spirituality?
The astrophysicist and novelist Alan Lightman doesn’t think so. And his new book, “Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine,” explains why.
A Cornucopia Of Comic Artists Pay Homage To Michael Chabon's Escapist
Chabon created the Escapist for his 2000 novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay — but now he's become a real comic hero, his exploits drawn by equally legendary figures such as Will Eisner.
(Image credit: Random House )
David Lynch Memoir 'Room To Dream' Charms — But Doesn't Demystify
The book — which Lynch wrote with journalist Kristine McKenna — is intimate and honest about the filmmaker's quirks and flaws, but doesn't dislodge the air of mystery that's settled around his work.
(Image credit: Random House )
The Book Review Podcast: The Life of Atticus Finch
On this week’s podcast, Joseph Crespino talks about “Atticus Finch: The Biography,” and Philip Dray discusses “The Fair Chase: The Epic Story of Hunting in America.”
Nonfiction: Falling Crime Rates Are Good — at a Cost. A Writer Sees Both Sides.
In “Uneasy Peace,” Patrick Sharkey sees disparities when the homicide rate drops. The country is safer, but some people are now afraid of the police.
Children’s Books: Grandmas and Grandpas Are a Kid’s Natural Allies in These Books
Affecting stories by the Fan Brothers, Dan Santat and Minh Le, and more celebrate the bonds between grandparents and grandkids.
Nonfiction: Woodrow Wilson Achieved a Lot. So Why Is He So Scorned?
Patricia O’Toole’s “The Moralist” is the latest biography of Wilson, who has inspired fierce arguments ever since his death in 1924.
Otherworldly: Heart-Hammering Science Fiction and Fantasy Thrillers
They may be action-packed page turners — but these books also ask readers to consider very real social issues.
Inside the List: ‘Kitchen Confidential,’ First Published in 2000, Tops the List Again
Demand for Anthony Bourdain’s memoir has soared since his death.
Nonfiction: How Hunting Became a Macho Sport
“The Fair Chase,” Philip Dray’s illuminating history, recounts the evolution of American hunting from frontier vocation to competitive pastime.
Crime: Bears and Poets: Endangered Prey in This Week’s Crime Column
The deep woods and the drawing rooms of London are crime scenes in Marilyn Stasio’s column. Also two villages, one in France and the other in England.
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