NY Times Book Reviews | Atlantic County Library System

Book Review: ‘The Whole Staggering Mystery,’ by Sylvia Brownrigg

Tue, 04/23/2024 - 5:01am

In “The Whole Staggering Mystery,” Sylvia Brownrigg explores her mysterious parent’s past, and finds more than she bargained for.

Jane Smiley’s Folk Music Novel Hits Some Bum Notes

Tue, 04/23/2024 - 5:01am

“Lucky” features a 1970s singer-songwriter who finds improbable success.

PEN America Cancels Literary Awards Ceremony Amid Gaza War Fallout

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 5:08pm

The event had been set for April 29, but weeks of escalating criticism of the organization’s response to the war had led nearly half of the prize nominees to withdraw.

Book Review: Joseph Epstein’s New Memoir and Book of Essays

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 5:03am

The editor and essayist Joseph Epstein looks back on his life and career in two new books.

‘James,’ ‘Demon Copperhead’ and the Triumph of Literary Fan Fiction

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 5:02am

How Percival Everett and Barbara Kingsolver reimagined classic works by Mark Twain and Charles Dickens.

Dagwood Takes a Back Seat as Blondie Hires a Pastry Chef

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 5:02am

Creators will spotlight Blondie in the comic strip, as she brings someone on board for her catering business.

Book Review: ‘The Rulebreaker,’ by Susan Page

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 5:00am

In “The Rulebreaker,” Susan Page pays tribute to a pioneering journalist who survived being both a punchline and an icon.

A Novel of Lost Daughters and Waylaid Lives

Mon, 04/22/2024 - 5:00am

Prison, pregnancies and other operatic turns propel Caroline Leavitt’s latest book, “Days of Wonder.”

Climate Doom Is Out. ‘Apocalyptic Optimism’ Is In.

Sun, 04/21/2024 - 5:00am

Focusing on disaster hasn’t changed the planet’s trajectory. Will a more upbeat approach show a way forward?

Book Review: ‘Somehow: Thoughts on Love,’ by Anne Lamott

Sun, 04/21/2024 - 5:00am

Slim and precious, “Somehow: Thoughts on Love” doesn’t measure up to her best nonfiction.

Book Review: ‘Reboot,’ by Justin Taylor

Sun, 04/21/2024 - 5:00am

Justin Taylor’s novel “Reboot” examines the convergence of entertainment, online arcana and conspiracy theory.

2 Books That Capture New York

Sat, 04/20/2024 - 7:50am

A stroll around the city with a great stylist; a comic novel of love and real estate.

Book Review: ‘The Paris Novel,’ by Ruth Reichl

Sat, 04/20/2024 - 5:00am

In “The Paris Novel,” Ruth Reichl is a glutton for wish fulfillment.

Book Review: ‘Habsburgs on the Rio Grande,’ by Raymond Jonas

Sat, 04/20/2024 - 5:00am

In “Habsburgs on the Rio Grande,” Raymond Jonas’s story of French-backed nation building in Mexico foreshadows the proxy battles of the Cold War.

Daniel C. Dennett, Widely Read and Fiercely Debated Philosopher, Dies at 82

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 3:49pm

Espousing his ideas in best sellers, he insisted that religion was an illusion, free will was a fantasy and evolution could only be explained by natural selection.

Books Bound in Human Skin: An Ethical Quandary at the Library

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 5:02am

Harvard’s recent decision to remove the binding of a notorious volume in its library has thrown fresh light on a shadowy corner of the rare book world.