Take the Back Seat: On Chinese Consumerism Take the Back Seat: On Chinese Consumerism
Can the world sustain a country the size of China with an appetite for the good things in life on par with America's?
Dec 9, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Richard McGregor
Kilito’s Way: On Abdelfattah Kilito Kilito’s Way: On Abdelfattah Kilito
In The Clash of Images Abdelfattah Kilito creates a touching portrait of a young man coming of age in French-occupied Morocco.
Dec 9, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Laila Lalami
Obama’s Bizarre Celebration of a Slave Republic’s ‘Compromises’ Obama’s Bizarre Celebration of a Slave Republic’s ‘Compromises’
The president said many objectionable things in selling his tax- cut plan, but his assertions about America's history of compromising was too much to stomach.
Dec 8, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Kai Wright
A Puzzler’s Puzzler: On Frank W. Lewis A Puzzler’s Puzzler: On Frank W. Lewis
Lewis was a true Renaissance man, a lover of music, history, literature, language, botany, geography, sports, boating, cards—the list is endless—all of which enliven hi...
Dec 2, 2010 / Judith Long
The Maximalist: On Vasily Grossman The Maximalist: On Vasily Grossman
Vasily Grossman's Everything Flows is a searching and humane investigation of the totalitarian condition.
Dec 2, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Jochen Hellbeck
Risk the Game: On William James Risk the Game: On William James
For William James, all our certitudes depend on the pretense that there are no radical mysteries underlying them.
Nov 23, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Marilynne Robinson
Suitors: On Julia Holmes Suitors: On Julia Holmes
Julia Holmes's Meeks is a novel full of a jittery sadness and an uncontrollable kind of joy.
Nov 23, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Aaron Thier
The Whole Human Mess: On Saul Bellow The Whole Human Mess: On Saul Bellow
Drollery, mordancy, tenderness and soul talk: Saul Bellow's letters are a Saul Bellow novel!
Nov 23, 2010 / Books & the Arts / William Deresiewicz
The Dirty Halo: On Sarah Bernhardt The Dirty Halo: On Sarah Bernhardt
Robert Gottlieb's vigorous biography of Sarah Bernhardt shows the actress in all her workaholic, passionate and unsentimental force.
Nov 23, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Jana Prikryl
Burning Down the House: On Ed Koch Burning Down the House: On Ed Koch
Ed Koch rebuilt New York City by demolishing its long-running experiments in urban liberalism.
Nov 23, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Samuel Zipp