What to Read Before Your North Dakota Fossil Dig
Two paleontologists illuminate the real-life adventures of fossil hunting, while one book takes little ones on an adventure to an island where dinosaurs roam.
Nonfiction: Bob Marley Comes Alive in This Collection of Interviews With the People Who Knew Him Best
In Roger Steffens’s rich new oral biography, “So Much Things to Say,” the life of Jamaica’s most famous son is revealed through a chorus of crucial voices.
'Golden Hill' Recalls The Dark Alleys And Twisted Virtue Of 18th-Century NYC
Francis Spufford's historical novel is set in 1746 Lower Manhattan, a world of spies, thieves, card sharks and crooked bankers. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls it a "gorgeously crafted" work.
(Image credit: Liam James Doyle/Liam James Doyle)
Critic’s Take: Understanding Poetry Is More Straightforward Than You Think
In school, the poet Matthew Zapruder writes, we are taught that poetry is inherently “difficult.” Focusing on one interesting word can change that.
Nonfiction: A Jane Austen Fit for the Age of Brexit
Helena Kelly’s “Jane Austen: The Secret Radical” argues that Austen opposed 19th-century England’s assumptions about the social and political order.
'Tropic Of Kansas' Rips Dystopia From The Headlines
Christopher Brown's new book plays out in a world where all our fears have become manifest — the nightly news, turned up to 11. And while there's a hint of hope at the end, this is not a happy book.
(Image credit: Liam James Doyle/NPR)
'Queen Of Bebop' Is A Welcome Look At Sarah Vaughan's Legendary Career
Elaine M. Hayes' new book traces the ups and downs of the singer known as the Queen of Bebop, from her great Town Hall debut in 1947 to the cheesy but profitable novelty songs that marred her legacy.
(Image credit: Liam James Doyle/NPR)
Funny, Elegiac 'Sting-Ray Afternoons' Strikes A Nostalgic Chord
Sportswriter Steve Rushin's memoir of growing up in Minnesota in the 1970s is familiar territory, but Rushin mines it with irony and affection, working hard to capture the look and feel of the era.
(Image credit: Liam James Doyle/NPR)
Inside the List: On Diversity in Publishing, a Young Star Warns: Get It Right
Angie Thomas, whose debut novel, “The Hate U Give,” is No. 1 on the young adult list, has advice for authors writing about marginalized figures.
Bookends: Do Grants, Professorships and Other Forms of Institutional Support Help Writers but Hurt Writing?
Siddhartha Deb and Benjamin Moser discuss the intersection of writing, academia and funding.
Open Book: Alcoholism in America
“The fight against addiction is one of America’s great liberation movements,” Christopher M. Finan writes in his introduction to “Drunks: An American History.”
The Book Review Podcast: The History of the London Zoo
Isobel Charman talks about “The Zoo,” and R. L. Stine discusses scary stories for children.
Paperback Row
Six new paperbacks to check out this week.
Fiction: A Debut Novel Asks, What if His First Wife Was the One?
In “Standard Deviation” by Katherine Heiny, a stuffy banker reconsiders his bubbly second wife.
Nonfiction: A New History of the Donner Party and the Dark Side of Manifest Destiny
Michael Wallis’s “The Best Land Under Heaven” tells the story of the mythic Donner Party.
The Shortlist: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Four books grapple with the politics and culture of gentrification.
Letters to the Editor
Readers respond to the history of the iPhone, David Oshinsky’s review of “The Color of Law” and more.
Fiction: An Architect Turns His Genius to Scheming in an Isaac-Abraham Reboot
“The Doorposts of Your House and on Your Gates” by Jacob Bacharach is a tragicomic Isaac-Abraham reboot.
Crime: In the Best New Crime, Lethal Lasagna, Honor Killings and Nanny Cams
Marilyn Stasio’s mystery column investigates honor killings and prostitution in Britain, then takes readers on crime sprees in Paris and New York.
Essay: Thoreau’s Wilderness Legacy, Beyond the Shores of Walden Pond
To honor Thoreau on his 200th birthday, pay homage to all the outdoor temples his “in wildness” declaration helped protect.
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