The Best-Seller List Is a Smorgasbord
This week’s latest top sellers include unexpected treats and old favorites.
A Man in a Cafe Asked Julie Otsuka What She Was Reading. They Dated for Two Years.
“An everyday pickup line, but it worked,” says the novelist, whose new book is “The Swimmers.” “I haven’t been in touch with him since, but I return to ‘The Lover’ every now and again, and never fail to fall under its spell.”
A Journalist Went Undercover as a Refugee. It Became an Act of Love.
To better understand the plight of Afghan refugees, the reporter Matthieu Aikins undertook a journey with one. “The Naked Don’t Fear the Water” tells the story.
Look It Up? Only if You’re Dishonest and Ignorant.
In “Index, A History of the,” Dennis Duncan explores the life and times of a practice that’s been dividing readers since Gutenberg.
The First Lady Asks an Unknown Reporter to Write Her Biography. Why?
In “Our American Friend,” Anna Pitoniak imagines an unlikely collaboration in a political climate that feels strangely familiar.
Book Review: ‘Watergate,’ by Garrett M. Graff
Garrett M. Graff’s “Watergate: A New History” is a thorough account of everything that is known about the epic events of Richard Nixon’s last year in office.
‘Chilean Poet’ Is a Playful Novel About (Yes) Chile and Poetry
Alejandro Zambra’s latest book is a lighthearted study of artistic birthright, national identity and Chile’s contemporary literary scene.
A Lincoln for Our Polarized Times
John Avlon’s “Lincoln and the Fight for Peace” depicts a reconciler in chief who promised mercy with justice at the end of the Civil War.
Book Review: ‘Moon Witch, Spider King,’ by Marlon James
The novel “Moon Witch, Spider King” traces the dark life of Sogolon, a ruthless avenger, complicated mother and captivating antihero.
Will We Ever Understand Addiction?
Carl Erik Fisher’s book, “The Urge,” partly a memoir of his own alcoholism, provides an overview of the many approaches that have been used to treat addictions.
Sheila Heti Rewrites the Creation of the Universe
“Pure Colour” is a cosmological origin story, told through the eyes of a dissociative and grieving aesthete.
An 8-Year-Old Street Child Is Killed, and a World Opens Up
In “Walking the Bowl,” Chris Lockhart and Daniel Mulilo Chama stumble upon a real-life murder mystery in a dump in Zambia.
Book Review: ‘A Very Nice Girl,’ by Imogen Crimp
Imogen Crimp’s debut novel, “A Very Nice Girl,” is a reminder of the dangers of caring too much about what other people think.
Radicals Used to Make Change. Then Social Media Happened.
Gal Beckerman’s “The Quiet Before” examines the births of social movements from the 17th century to the present day.
Reality Stars Are Just Like Us
In “True Story,” the sociologist Danielle J. Lindemann parses the enduring appeal and effect of the TV genre.
A Spiritual, Dangerous Quest in the Himalayas
Harley Rustad talks about “Lost in the Valley of Death,” and Jessamine Chan discusses “The School for Good Mothers.”
Vintage Valentine’s Day Wishes
In 1904, the Book Review examined some of the season’s cards and trinkets — and found much to like.
He’s a Transgender Archivist and a Vampire, and He’s in Love
Isaac Fellman’s new book, “Dead Collections,” explores identity, romance and sci-fi fandom, as seen through the eyes of a transgender vampire.
Julie Otsuka Dives Into the Underground World of the Community Pool
In her third novel, “The Swimmers,” a narrating chorus gives way to an aging woman’s memories.
New in Paperback: ‘The Vanishing Half’ and ‘Tangled Up in Blue’
Six new paperbacks to check out this week.
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