Le Coucou Confidential
From a New York City maître d’, an inside look into what critics mean for restaurants—and how owners steel themselves for the dreaded reviews
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
It’s Complicated
A new film re-examines Tolstoy’s marriage—a subject that has inspired more than a century of commentary, from dueling novellas to literary mock trials
The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli
A new book, accompanying an exhibition in Paris, explores the sensational creations of the Italian designer
A Night Celebrating Jim McMullan
Louise Grunwald, Ed Sorel, and André Bishop gathered at the Waverly Inn to celebrate the illustrator’s new book
Cloudy Days
Sex, drugs, and sing-alongs: an oral history reveals the shady side of Sesame Street
Animal Instinct
A new film by the Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski offers a prescient look at mankind today, through the eyes of a sympathetic, non-human protagonist
Spies and Models!
In this week’s podcast, Pico Iyer discusses John le Carré, and Michael Gross reports on Kate Moss
Anna Bottinelli
The president of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation hunts down invaluable works of art that went missing during World War II
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
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
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
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
A Feast for the Ears
This week’s podcast has grifters, N.B.A. stars, fancy restaurants, angry mobsters, Russian dissidents, and more!
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
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
Murder, They Wrote
As the holiday season approaches, gifts for mystery book–lovers of every type
