A Man of Parts
John le Carré was always obsessed with controlling his narrative. Following the publication of a tell-all by one of his mistresses, the spy novelist is once again seeking to set the record straight—this time, from the grave
Cloudy Days
Sex, drugs, and sing-alongs: an oral history reveals the shady side of Sesame Street
The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli
A new book, accompanying an exhibition in Paris, explores the sensational creations of the Italian designer
Spies and Models!
In this week’s podcast, Pico Iyer discusses John le Carré, and Michael Gross reports on Kate Moss
Last Laugh
From the National Theatre, London, a rare revival of George Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem
Staff Picks
Don’t miss profiles of 31 little-known New Yorkers; the story of how Sesame Street was adapted for Russian TV; and a cookbook from the Via Carota chefs
All Roads Lead to Paolo Di Paolo
Ahead of a new movie by Bruce Weber on the forgotten photographer and chronicler of postwar Italy, we collect some of his most memorable pictures
A Feast for the Ears
This week’s podcast has grifters, N.B.A. stars, fancy restaurants, angry mobsters, Russian dissidents, and more!
Hot Topic
Ever since Edward VIII abdicated the British throne to marry the American divorcée Wallis Simpson, there has been speculation about their relationship. A new book attempts to set the record straight
Leave the Gun, Take the Cocktail
In an excerpt from his upcoming memoir, a maître d’hôtel for Brooklyn’s River Café recalls getting on the wrong side of a mobster from the Gotti crime family—and how he lived to tell the tale
Murder, They Wrote
As the holiday season approaches, gifts for mystery book–lovers of every type
Packages and Kings
How, amid the wreckage of Heaven’s Gate, a couple of young agents rebuilt the movie business in their own image
Yabba Dabba Doo!
With two sellout world tours and 430 million downloads, Britain’s most successful comedy podcast, My Dad Wrote a Porno, has finally reached its climax
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gainsbourged
From the perils of aging to the joys of parenthood—and the undertow of depression—the French singer and actress is now happily looking ahead
A Mania for Egyptomania
Early next month, the “Magnificent Jewels” sale at Sotheby’s New York will include nearly a dozen superb pieces of Egyptian Revival jewelry
Otello in Athens
Robert Wilson tackles Verdi in the birthplace of tragedy
Songs with Atmosphere
A selection of 14 songs that defy description
Yoko Before John
To understand the most misunderstood woman of the last half-century, you have to go back to the beginning
