Books Briefing
Our culture editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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Kathy Willens / AP How Outfits Define Those Who Wear Them
In many works of art, clothes are more than mere decoration; they are vital elements of story: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Getty; The Atlantic Rewriting the History of American Food
Our national cuisine has roots much deeper than the contributions of any individual icon: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Adam Maida / The Atlantic The Literary Politician
When political figures make art, the resulting works usually reveal more about their creators than they do about our government: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Christopher Anderson / Magnum A Better Way to Write About Sex
Works that question how we think about love and desire: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Athul Prasad / Gallery Stock A New Way to Look at the Natural World
A defamiliarizing eclipse, a sunbathing cormorant, trees that sing, and more: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Gabriela Pesqueira / The Atlantic Talking to Strangers Is Good For You
We have much to learn from conversations with people we don’t know: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Josef Scaylea / Getty; Gabriela Pesqueira / The … Why Childhood Friendships Feel So Intoxicating
Works that meditate on the intense bonds forged in our early years: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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John Pratt / Keystone Features / Getty The Books Briefing: Comics Can Push—And Draw—Boundaries
See you in the funny pages: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Tyler Knorr / EyeEm / Getty The Books Briefing: The Essential Qualities of a Book
The case for and against e-readers: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Adam Maida / The Atlantic The Books Briefing: A Better Way to Write About Crime
Works that critique police brutality, racism, and our obsession with true crime: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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TOMASZ WIECH / AFP / Getty The Books Briefing: Boundaries Between Humans and Machines Are Vanishing
Works that consider the implications of a life so intimately tied with technology: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Erik Voake / Getty; Bettmann / Getty; The … The Books Briefing: The Uneasy Place of Politics in Fiction
Sally Rooney’s novels have long been criticized as insufficiently political, but reconciling ideology and storytelling has always been a thorny issue for writers.
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Getty; The Atlantic The Books Briefing: Language Can Build Community—Or Sow Division
Unique ways of communicating help families grow closer; they’re also a powerful tool for cults: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Patrick Zachmann / Magnum The Books Briefing: Cultivate a Love of Reading Early On
Educators and parents alike play important roles in developing kids’ appreciation for literature: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Getty / The Atlantic The Books Briefing: How Fan Fiction Reimagines the Writing Process
The entire enterprise is deeply collaborative, resulting in works that are shaped by the original author, the fan, and online communities of readers: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Clay Hickson The Books Briefing: Books to Get Lost in This Summer
Recommendations for wherever you prefer to devour hundreds of pages in a single sitting, whether it’s at the beach or in your home.
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The Atlantic The Books Briefing: What the Best Translations Share
Rendering a work in a new language often becomes a collaboration between the interpreter and the original text: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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John Whitlock The Books Briefing: The Many Sides of Identity
Works that illuminate the intricacies of how we form communities and relate to one another: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Bettmann / Getty The Books Briefing: The Dark Side of Athletic Perfection
Technical optimization seems to be threatening the humanity of sports—but moments of passion still peek through: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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Adam Maida / The Atlantic The Books Briefing: What the Best Travel Writing Can Do
The most enduring works in the genre offer far more than practical guidance: Your weekly guide to the best in books
