The Female-Midlife-Crisis Novel
Miranda July’s new book is full of estrangement, eroticism, and whimsy.
Book Review
Hypochondria Never Dies
The diagnosis is officially gone, but health anxiety is everywhere.
What the Author of Frankenstein Knew About Human Nature
An 1826 novel encourages people to practice humility in the face of nature’s awesome forces.
The Illogical Relationship Americans Have With Animals
A new book explores the roots of our love for certain creatures—and our indifference toward many others.
The Country That Tried to Control Sex
Clair Wills’s memoir is a timely warning that sexual morality can be enforced only with violence.
What Orwell Really Feared
In 1946, the author repaired to the remote Isle of Jura and wrote his masterpiece, 1984. What was he looking for?
A Vision of the City as a Live Organism
In this novel, Prague is impish, tyrannical—and alive.
What’s So Bad About Asking Where Humans Came From?
Human origin stories have often been used for nefarious purposes. That doesn’t mean they are worthless.
A Clear-Eyed Look at the Early Obama Years
Vinson Cunningham’s new novel takes the reader back to a time when many thought the nation’s first Black president had an answer for every American ailment.
The Rick Rubin Guide to Creativity
Can the legendary record producer’s book really make you into an artist?