When Haruki Murakami Takes His Own Magic for Granted
The Japanese author’s popularity rests on a blend of mystery and accessibility. His latest novel fails to achieve that balance.
The Road Dogs of the American West
Survivalists, drifters, and divorcées across a resurgent wilderness
Taylor Swift Is a Perfect Example of How Publishing Is Changing
Swift is a symptom, not a cause, of the weakening bonds between celebrities and publishing houses.
First Evening Walk Along the Avenida Alcalde Álvaro Domecq
A poem for Sunday
The Sense That Most Defines a Culture
Yáng Shuāng-zǐ’s Taiwan Travelogue shows how colonization shapes a country’s culinary landscape.
What a 16-Year-Old Doesn’t Yet Know
Cher’s memoir is a valuable document of a young girl thrust into the adult world.
In Search of a Faith Beyond Religion
Scholastique Mukasonga’s Sister Deborah suggests that some people must look outside the traditional bounds of Christianity to find true spiritual freedom.
Cher Has a History Lesson for Us All
The singer has long stood for a brassy, strutting kind of survival. Her new account of her early life explains how that came to be.
The Most Coveted Screenshot in the Literary World
It’s what proves you’re a “real” writer.
From Aunt Uncle to Private First Class, Delta Company
A poem for Wednesday
What to Read If You’re Angry About the Election
These seven books aren’t a cure for rage and despair. Think of them instead as a prescription.
What De La Soul’s Big Mistake Cost Hip-Hop
A new book revisits the revolutionary trio’s decision to renounce its debut album, and the implications for the future of music.
What the Internet Age Is Taking Away From Writers
Authors tirelessly self-market online, but I find myself wishing that they still had the option to disappear.
Richard Price’s Radical, Retrograde Novel
In Lazarus Man, he rejects the tropes of contemporary literature.
The Queer Author Who Spoke the Plain Truth
Dorothy Allison, the Bastard Out of Carolina author who died last week, modeled the power of honesty in her writing and her life.
Why Gossip Is Fatal to Good Writing
A new book compares the authors and frenemies Joan Didion and Eve Babitz, but its fixation on their rivalry obscures the complicated truth.
Mother of the Blues
A poem for Sunday
The Century-Old Book With a Message for This Season
Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain offers a unique antidote to contempt and despair.
A Precise, Cutting Portrayal of Societal Misogyny
In her new book, Cho Nam-Joo captures both the universality of sexism and the specificity of women’s experiences.
The Magic Mountain Saved My Life
When I was young and adrift, Thomas Mann’s novel gave me a sense of purpose. Today, its vision is startlingly relevant.