Books
Good Night, Sweet Prince
Our critic assesses the achievement of Martin Amis, Britain’s most famous literary son.
Columns That Scrutinized, and Skewered, the Literary World
“NB by J.C.” collects the variegated musings of James Campbell in the Times Literary Supplement.
After Writing About Mental Illness, Kay Redfield Jamison Turns to Healers
In “Fires in the Dark,” Jamison, known for her expertise on manic depression, delves into the quest to heal. Her new book, she says, is a “love song to psychotherapy.”
A Classic of Golden Age Detective Fiction Turns 100
Dorothy L. Sayers dealt with emotional and financial instability by writing “Whose Body?,” the first of many to star the detective Lord Peter Wimsey.
Did She Cheat? A Century Later, a Novel’s Mystery Still Stumps.
“Dom Casmurro,” by Machado de Assis, teaches us to read — and reread — with precise detail and masterly obfuscation.
For ‘The Late Americans,’ Grad School Life Equals Envy, Sex and Ennui
Brandon Taylor’s novel circulates among Iowa City residents, some privileged, some not, but all aware that their possibilities are contracting.
A Brief Guide to Martin Amis’s Books
The acclaimed British novelist was also an essayist, memoirist and critic of the first rank.
The Best Romance Novels of the Year (So Far)
Looking for an escapist love story? Here are 2024’s sexiest, swooniest reads.
What Book Should You Read Next?
Finding a book you’ll love can be daunting. Let us help.
Robin Lakoff, Expert on Language and Gender, Is Dead at 82
In arguing that language enforces the power imbalance between the sexes, she inspired an entire academic field.
The Quixotic Crusade to Create an All-Black State in Oklahoma
“Black Moses,” by Caleb Gayle, recounts the story of Edward McCabe, who dreamed of establishing a haven for Black settlers on the Western frontier.
Two Children’s Literature Giants on World War II Rites of Passage
A memoir by the late Uri Shulevitz that reads like an adventure novel and a novel by Daniel Nayeri that feels utterly real.
8 New Books We Love This Week
Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.
A Knotty Question: Does Rope Have Main Character Energy?
In “Rope,” Tim Queeney makes a case for the humble material as the tie that binds human history.
A Swedish Wedding Singer Makes a Literary Match
Along with his side gig, Jens Lekman has put out five albums. Now he’s collaborated with David Levithan on the novel “Songs for Other People’s Weddings.”
A Quirky Supporting Character Hijacked Louis Sachar’s New Novel
He was 40 years old, “so I decided to rewrite it and make it for adults.” He’s now the title character of “The Magician of Tiger Castle.”
These Science Fiction Novels Will Take You on an Epic Journey
The author of the Red Rising series recommends books cloaked in myth that use fantastic adventures to explore what it means to be human.
A Wild Corner of Ireland, Through the Eyes of Dylan Thomas
A visit to the turbulent coastline of County Donegal reveals a place where the Welsh poet found creative enrichment in the summer of 1935.
A Fictional Killer Is Now a Style Icon. Are People Missing the Joke?
Patrick Bateman, the titular ‘American Psycho’, was written as satire. He’s also the inspiration for a new perfume and bar.
A Mysterious Box Arrives. Inside? The Dead Body of a Child Saint.
Josephine Rowe’s slim, atmospheric novel “Little World” connects disparate characters through the traveling corpse of a young girl.
500 Years of Author Portraits
A new book collects paintings and photos of some of the most familiar names in English literary history.
The Art of Murder
Our columnist on four notable new crime novels.
This Ritzy-Hotel Thriller Focuses Less on the Tourists Than on the Staff
Cleyvis Natera’s novel “The Grand Paloma Resort” combines fast-paced suspense, class distinctions and colonial history in a breathless seven-day trip to the Dominican Republic.
A Real Murder Case From the 1960s Fuels This Moody Novel
“The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter,” by Peter Orner, revives an unsolved mystery involving Chicagoland royalty.
A Reporter Revisits 1980s New York in All Its Tabloid Excess
Jonathan Mahler’s new book portrays the city’s rebirth as a glitzy capital of global finance — and a petri dish of ego, ambition and class division.
Dispatches From Afghanistan Show How the U.S. Lost Its Way — and the War
A new book by the veteran correspondent Jon Lee Anderson captures a long war’s noble goals and crippling missteps.
Do You Know These Books and Their Television Adaptations?
Try this short quiz on the memoirs and other nonfiction titles that have inspired popular streaming and network shows.
A Writer With a Divine Touch Captures Life in a Christian Commune
“Ruth,” by Kate Riley, is an absorbing novel about a woman torn between curiosity and purity.
War Is Hard Enough. It’s Harder When You Don’t Know Who Is in Charge.
In these books, soldiers and experts weigh in on the disorder they’ve found in some of the most consequential war rooms in the world.
Craving More of ‘The Gilded Age’? Read These Books Next.
If you’re reeling after the final episode of Season 3 or looking for more sumptuous drama, these books will get you through to the next season.
Sex, Sloth and Shoplifting: Notes From a ‘Sloppy’ Girl
In her second essay collection, “Sloppy,” the writer and social media personality Rax King embraces the mess of living imperfectly.
This Odd Couple Fought Tyranny, Until the French King Lost His Head
In “Friends Until the End,” James Grant explores the political passions and inspiring oratory of the British parliamentarians Edmund Burke and Charles Fox.
This Tale of Boyhood Is Brutal. It’s Also Unforgettable.
In C. Mallon’s novel, a teenager’s night out with friends dissolves into a collision of catastrophes.
A Steamy Campus Novel Rife With Infidelity
In Emily Adrian’s “Seduction Theory,” two married creative writing professors have parallel affairs, with very different outcomes.
